Quick Takes #20 – The Great Sickness

What a week! All my babies are sick again. I think we caught it on vacation, because they were all coughing when we got home. But this week it all got worse.

Early in the week, Baby Girl’s fever was so high that I was scared enough to take her into the ER. This is my 3rd child, but it was my first visit to the ER. (I was surprised by the sheer amount of little boys with broken limbs in the waiting room!) After signing in, and waiting for over an hour, I was brought into the back rooms and they examined my baby and told me that they couldn’t really pinpoint the cause, and they felt like the soft spot on her head felt like it was bulging (Which could be indicitive of meningitis!). And since her fever had been around for 3 days now, they wanted me to stay overnight with her and let them do tests because it could be serious. I asked what the tests were, and that’s when it went downhill.

They wanted to do a blood test (not the worst), an IV for anti-biotics (why?), a Urinalysis (including a catheter!) and a spinal tap (!!). I asked why they felt it was important to test that extensively and was told that it was the only way to nail down the cause of the fever. Basically, they had no idea what was making my baby so sick, it could be anything from a cold to a life-threatening infection of some kind, and the only way to find out was a series of painfully invasive tests. I was frightened by my 9-month-old’s high fever, but I was more frightened by the list of torturous things they wanted to do to her. So I declined and said I would be back in the morning if she hadn’t improved. Then I fled in terror walked out of the hospital.

That was a long night! I was so nervous, and just hoping and praying that she would be OK. I looked up Meningitis online (That was a bad idea!) to see if all those tests they were suggesting would really be needed if I had to take her back in the morning. Its strange all the things that go through you head when your baby is very sick. Nursing her all night long, listening to her labored breathing, and feeling her hot skin against mine. I worried that maybe God was getting back at me for all those doubts and questions I’ve been having lately. I tried not to think about what would have to happen if she got worse. I prayed to God (after apologizing  for not talking to Him a whole lot lately) And I asked Mother Mary to pray my baby. (That’s still pretty new for me)

The next morning she woke up without a fever for the first time in 3 days! I then took her to her Dr’s appointment at the local clinic and they examined her and told me that she had a Viral infection and an ear infection, and gave me an anti-biotic. Now Baby girl is doing much better, she has almost all of her old energy back, and she just needs to get over this cough. However, the older 2 now have the same virus. So they are both coughing and feverish.

It has been a long week of Vicks Vapor Rub, Honey based Cough syrup (for the older 2), infants Tylenol, and juice cups mixed with garlic and elderberry.

When I got back from the ER completely freaked out and exhausted after over 4 hours of waiting/diagnosis, convinced that they were going to send someone to take my children away from their obviously unfit mother, my hubby gave me a pedicure.

Yes, he is amazing like that. I would of taken just the foot soak and rub, but I think he did a good job on the nail polish too!

Last week a lightning storm was rolling in while my husband played at the park with the older girls. After telling them that they needed to go home because it was going to rain, they walked home.

Early this week, Ms Action and Ms Drama were playing in their wading pool and the sun went behind a cloud. Ms Action freaked out and came running in the house insisting that it was cold outside now, and that it was going to rain and “be dangewous!” She refused to go out for the rest of the afternoon.

I might need to ask my Hubby just how intense he was about describing this storm to them.

While we’ve been all piled on the couch resting, I’ve been poking around for stuff that keeps my girls interested and happy (and hopefully resting).  I’ve discovered they love Pocoyo, even my baby will watch it.

And scarily, they also love Justin Bieber.

Since we are in Canada, we hear him A LOT on the radio (because he is Canadian) and they dance whenever he comes on. I am slightly creeped out by how the newest tween sensation can already suck in my 2 and 3 year old daughters. I take comfort in the fact that Justin Bieber will be “old” by the time my girls are old enough to ask to go to concerts. Of course, then there will be sure to be some other underdeveloped pretty boy who sings and casts his spell over all the girls with his perfectly swishy hair. *Sigh*

7.
Since my husband and I are definitely stuck at home for the time being, what are some of your movie rental suggestions? We enjoy Comedy, Action, Romance, and some Drama. Have you seen any good movies lately?

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