Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Hot, Hot Hot

With family get togethers, full time daycare, and winter months, comes sickness.  Unfortunately, the last few weeks, and most recently this last week, we have had our share of illnesses in the twins.  I’m going to regret writing this, but Alena has been so healthy.   I honestly can’t remember the last time she was sick with even a cold.  I think she got it all over with her first few years of life, (which is one bonus of full time daycare I suppose).   

Fever:  1: A rise of body temperature above the normal;  2:  A state of heightened or intense emotion or activity.

If only the twin’s fever meant the latter…

No matter what credentials you have behind your name, when your little one has a fever, you are in full on mom-mode and forget about everything you learned in school.  Yes, I know a fever, (or pyrexia or febrile response-whatever fancy word you want to use), is a sign that your body is trying to fight a virus or bacterial infection and means your body is doing what it is supposed to do.  It’s a natural defense method, but honestly all I want to do when my child has a fever is get it down as fast as possible.  I know how horrible I feel with a fever and can’t imagine how helpless they feel; not knowing what is making them so miserable.

Since Thanksgiving Day, the little guy has had a fever off and on ranging from 100 to just below 104.  He’s been swabbed for influenza twice and strep throat once, all negative.  I've given him more Tylenol and Ibuprofen than I ever thought I would give a child in their lifetime, all the while praying he doesn't go into acute kidney injury!  (A con of the aforementioned credentials behind my name).  Even after he broke out in a rash which I immediately knew was roseola, he continued to run a fever.  The poor thing just has a stubborn virus that won’t go away.

This past Sunday morning, when little missy woke up smoking hot and a temp of nearly 104 degrees, I couldn’t help but think, “what the H-E-double hockey sticks!?”  My mom is always quick to remind me of the febrile seizures I experienced when I was 18 months old.  We were all in the car driving to my dad’s office when my brother spoke up saying, “There’s something wrong with Jess?”  Seeing me shaking in my seat, my dad immediately headed to the ER at Mary Greeley Hospital where I spent 5 days, postponing our family vacation to Minnesota.  I can’t fathom how scary that must have been and this mom gets so nervous when I see the numbers on the thermometer elevate much above 103, as febrile seizures are genetic. 


Knowing the growing number of influenza cases in the state, I wanted to bypass taking the twins to the Urgent Care.  However, as I held a listless little girl who wouldn’t eat or drink a thing I knew I had no other option.  We packed the whole family up and headed to one nearby Urgent Care that had a 2 hour wait.  Unless it is an emergency, you won’t catch me sitting in a waiting room of an Urgent Care for 2 hours during influenza season.  So we headed to the next Urgent Care that was going to open in 5 minutes.  There were a few people standing outside in line so Justin hopped out to hold our spot in line.  While waiting for our names to be called, patients kept coming and coming and coming. It was nearly standing room only and I couldn't wait to get out of there!  

A little over an hour later we left with two negative influenza swabs, 6 stickers, 3 blown up gloves, 1 additional glove for A to wear as Elsa, and one ear infection.  Not too bad.  Let’s hope that influenza virus didn't jump on us on our way out!  

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