So now Reed has the stomach virus. There is nothing better than reaching out to stroke your lovely baby's face, and pulling it back covered in purple vomit. NOTHING.
He puked half the night Saturday and half the morning Sunday, then he was fine all afternoon yesterday. This morning I noticed that he seemed a little warm, but I thought that it was my imagination. After my shower I noticed that he just looked puny, so I took his temperature with the fancy ear thermometer that we bought last time he was sick (you know, 47 minutes ago). It said 101.4 in one ear, and 103.5 in the other- that thing was SO worth the $35 we spent on it. Then while I was drying my hair he puked blueberry-colored vomit all over our bed, as he had a blueberry cereal bar for breakfast. Most of the puke went on Jason's pillow, so it's okay. He's not the one who gargles Clorox at the mention of a sour stomach, right?
So now I'm just hoping that it's passed, and that tomorrow he'll be well. The nurse at his doctor's office said "Oh there's no reason to bring him in!" I'm pretty sure that she's been lobotomized and nailed to a stool where she sits and answers the phone and just says, "Oh there's no reason to bring him in!" over and over all day long. It's a wonder those people ever have patients in the office.
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Well, I guess she was just being honest (the nurse). All that would happen is they would tell you, "Hmm. Reed seems to have a little bit of a stomach bug. Just give hime some Motrin 1.875 mL(doctor specifically asks if he is using concentrated or children's) for the fever and achiness and Gatorade or Pedialyte instead of water to prevent dehydration. (to Reed) I'm sorry you don't feel good little guy. Try not to vomit on Mommy and Daddy."
Regarding thermometers...those ear thermometers do blow and I always hear about people giving complaints just like yours. Just stick a rectal thermometer up his butt. Or if you are little squeamish about sticking things in other people's butts just use a regular digital thermometer under his arm. Just remember, rectal temperatures are always one degree higher than what you always learned was normal (i.e.- 99.6 is normal).
But, you know, what if he DID need to come in--like last time? These people are dealing with our (your) offspring! It must get old and tiresome, but, jeez, used car salesmen are always nice and they are just dealing with rusty Volvos.
As far as rectal thermometers, you people are on your own. Word.
-kat
Um, but what amount of Motrin was effective? uh hem...the children's Motrin equivalent of 1.875 mL for infant drops. I don't think they gave him any wonder drugs. Plus they confused Buffy how much to give Reed and almost poisoned him by telling her to give 6 mL of the concentrated (isn't that like half of the bottle?). It's best just to continually probe your child's rear with a thermometer for a couple of days, make sure they are hydrated, and dope them up as is necessary with Motrin/Benadryl/Gasdrops. You're right they are dealing with our offspring, but we don't need them every time our children get sick. Even when they can tell you what's wrong the aformentioned protocol is most often the course recommended.
Kids are sick all of the time, especially when they are in daycare. Plus when you take your kid to the doctor they almost always end up getting sick a few days later because they were exposed to something else in the doctor's office.
Well, as a childless person, I can't really argue with you...I think my point was just that you would hope that the people you talk to would be more sympathetic in spite of the fact that they deal with frantic people all day. Plus, if it's such a stock response--or a default response--they may miss something important and you end up in the emergency room at 3:00AM.
--kat
Okay so I probably am a little sensitive about this issue, but here are some comparisons. Let's say you wake up sad one morning. Do you call a therapist and make an appointment? Some people might, but most wouldn't because they know there are other more reasonable routes to address this (e.g.- talk to spouse or friend, exercise, take the day off, read a book, tough it out). Now if you woke up and you were extraordinarily sad, wanted to end your life, had the means to do so, and had a plan then it would definitely be warranted to contact someone to receive immediate emergency psychiatric attention (end result is always a visit to the ER if all of these previous hold true).
Do you go to the hair salon whenever you have a bad hair day? No, you just Febreeze it and pull it back.
People wonder why going to the doctor is so expensive just for the nurse to weigh you and take your temperature and to have a doctor come in for 15 minutes and talk to you. The reason why is because people go in for symptoms similar to being just "sad" for a couple of days or having a bad hair day. The doctor's office is best at preventative medicine and really isn't that great for mild acute illnesses. Also I hate to say it, but sometimes we as parents need to hear, "Yes, your child is sick, but there isn't anything that we can do more than you." I know the nurse didn't say that, but it was implied. It is empowering the parent and cutting down on unnecessary care.
I do see what you're saying. The reason I make fun of the nurse for saying that is that, besides the fact that she always says that, she said it last time Reed was sick and we ended up in the emergency room in the middle of the night. I know that she had no way of knowing that it would end up that badly. But I also wait at least a day if not two or three before I call the doctor because I understand that kids get little viruses and fevers and whatnot all the time. We are low on funds and have no desire to take Reed to the doctor every time he sneezes. In fact most times, including the last two times, that Reed has gotten sick it's started on a Saturday, so we have that built-in day-and-a-half before I'm able to call the doctor in the first place. I am totally a neurotic mom, and have never tried to say that I'm anything but, but I also have a teeny, tiny bit of self control which I try to have the self control to use. Plus, Jason is The Most Laid Back Guy in America (I can show you the trophy), so he balances me out quite a bit. I have to say, watching my child have a small seizure from a drastic rise in temperature on the way to the ER made me incredibly angry at the nurse who I had spoken to TWICE earlier that day, who, after being told that his fever was staying around 102 or 103, that he wasn't eating at all, and that he wasn't drinking much still said, "Oh there's no reason to bring him in!" Yeah, I've got a bit of a chip on my shoulder. And after watching that happen, I would kind of rather take him to the doctor to hear them say, "Oh, it's just a bug; it'll go away on it's own." than to have another heart-breaking trip to the emergency room which costs a hundred thousand dollars more than taking him to his pediatrician.
Fair enough. Febrile seizures are always a good reason to see the doctor.
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