We headed up to Grammaland yesterday to work on Aunt Mimi's shower planning and eat tapas on Mom's deck. Mom and I stayed up late watching The Bucket List, and I didn't get to sleep until 1:30 am (my time. Grammaland is an hour behind...)
I woke up at 3:30 am (my time) to Mary Grace coughing in a really painful, barky fashion. She had a very high fever (I don't know how high, because I didn't have a thermometer with me). I had to turn on the light to find the tylenol, and that woke Claire up. And all the crying woke Gramma up. After I got MG a drink of water and gave her the tylenol and laid there with her for a bit, singing and trying to keep her calm, I realized that it was going to be easier to drive home (90 minutes) on the adrenaline rush that I had from freaking out over her fever, and with both the kids asleep, than it would be to wait until morning and head back at a decent hour. Coming back in the wee hours also meant that I'd be able to get her in to see the doctor earlier. So, I packed up our gear and we evacuated.
I had to stop for gas, and to get a coffee and walk around a bit to wake up, but we made it back here at 6 am. I got both the kids in without waking them up (miracle). I also managed to get both the kids to bed, and get myself to bed, without waking BJ up. He was a little confused when he woke up and we were there.
When we got up at 9, MG's temperature was 103.2 in her armpit! Usually you add a degree, so that means it was 104.2, which is way past my comfort zone. I am paranoid about fevers - not sure why, really - and anything over 101 and I'm a bit freaked out. I gave her ibuprofen and it came back down to a much more calm 101.
Of course, by the time we got her to the doctor at 11:30, she was at 98.3. Why does that ALWAYS happen? Seriously... But the doctor said it sounded like croup, gave us steroids, and sent us on our way with the scariest patient information sheet I have ever received.
Here are the highlights:
"Most children settle down with the above treatments (putting them in a steamy bathroom or using a warm mist inhaler) and then sleep peacefully through the night. If your child continues to have stridor (wheezing), call your child's health care provider IMMEDIATELY (emphasis theirs). If your child turns blue, passes out, or stops breathing, call the rescue squad (911)."
Gulp.
On the second page, it says, "While your child is croupy, sleep in the same room with her. Croup can be a dangerous disease."
Ok, you know if they're advocating co-sleeping, it must be bad, because the Medical Establishment is very, very anti-co-sleeping.
And of course Mimi's dogs ate Claire's sippy cup, so the two kids shared a cup all day yesterday. As I was leaving I told the nurse, "See you in two days with my other kid."
Looking back, I think leaving in the night was a really good decision, because the exposure to the cold night air seemed to really help her cough (which is consistent with croup). At least we're having a cool snap of weather, so I'll be able to take her outside if it happens again tonight. It's odd that both cold dry air and warm humid air help. But this is Indiana, and we have more than our fair share of both...
See you in a week, because we're quarantined until then.
I woke up at 3:30 am (my time) to Mary Grace coughing in a really painful, barky fashion. She had a very high fever (I don't know how high, because I didn't have a thermometer with me). I had to turn on the light to find the tylenol, and that woke Claire up. And all the crying woke Gramma up. After I got MG a drink of water and gave her the tylenol and laid there with her for a bit, singing and trying to keep her calm, I realized that it was going to be easier to drive home (90 minutes) on the adrenaline rush that I had from freaking out over her fever, and with both the kids asleep, than it would be to wait until morning and head back at a decent hour. Coming back in the wee hours also meant that I'd be able to get her in to see the doctor earlier. So, I packed up our gear and we evacuated.
I had to stop for gas, and to get a coffee and walk around a bit to wake up, but we made it back here at 6 am. I got both the kids in without waking them up (miracle). I also managed to get both the kids to bed, and get myself to bed, without waking BJ up. He was a little confused when he woke up and we were there.
When we got up at 9, MG's temperature was 103.2 in her armpit! Usually you add a degree, so that means it was 104.2, which is way past my comfort zone. I am paranoid about fevers - not sure why, really - and anything over 101 and I'm a bit freaked out. I gave her ibuprofen and it came back down to a much more calm 101.
Of course, by the time we got her to the doctor at 11:30, she was at 98.3. Why does that ALWAYS happen? Seriously... But the doctor said it sounded like croup, gave us steroids, and sent us on our way with the scariest patient information sheet I have ever received.
Here are the highlights:
"Most children settle down with the above treatments (putting them in a steamy bathroom or using a warm mist inhaler) and then sleep peacefully through the night. If your child continues to have stridor (wheezing), call your child's health care provider IMMEDIATELY (emphasis theirs). If your child turns blue, passes out, or stops breathing, call the rescue squad (911)."
Gulp.
On the second page, it says, "While your child is croupy, sleep in the same room with her. Croup can be a dangerous disease."
Ok, you know if they're advocating co-sleeping, it must be bad, because the Medical Establishment is very, very anti-co-sleeping.
And of course Mimi's dogs ate Claire's sippy cup, so the two kids shared a cup all day yesterday. As I was leaving I told the nurse, "See you in two days with my other kid."
Looking back, I think leaving in the night was a really good decision, because the exposure to the cold night air seemed to really help her cough (which is consistent with croup). At least we're having a cool snap of weather, so I'll be able to take her outside if it happens again tonight. It's odd that both cold dry air and warm humid air help. But this is Indiana, and we have more than our fair share of both...
See you in a week, because we're quarantined until then.
5 comments:
Yummy. Good luck and best wishes with the house arrest.
Hi Amy,
Sorry to hear about Marie Claire, and I can only imagine how you must have felt having to hear that diagnose, then to remember the girls sharing the cup; we have been in similar situations.
Hopefully, you and the girls will be able to get some sleep and I pray the coughing won't keep Marie Claire up all night. I feel so bad for her!
Thank you for your quick reply, regarding my post about immunizations. You have done your homework, thats for sure.
I have a lot of opinions on that subject as well. Though, I try to not be dogmatic on one side or the other. I am always trying to gather information on the arguments posed by both sides.
I have
found the CDC Pink Book to be helpful in finding the ingredients to the vaccines, as I am of the opinion, like you my friend, that I feel its various factors,and that vaccines may compound those
underlying issues,
be it autoimmune disorders, genetic conditions, like the newest..Mitochondrial disorders-such was the case in the recent settlement given to Dr.Polling's family. It is very difficult to get a settlement out of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, but apparantly they deemed this a rare case, and so awarded this family with money. The CDC proponents believe this little girl had an underlying medical condition exaggerbated by the vaccines, but not caused by
them.
I feel better clinical trials need to be done, as well as, a panel of tests done on high-risk babies or soon-to-be moms, though I would
hate to poke those little guys
and put them through needless tests.
It is difficult when dealing with Science, and I believe the vaccine campaign has saved a lot of lives.
My parents never immunized me, because my sister had a severe reaction, I believe febrile seizures, so the recommendation by the ped. was not have me go through the recommended schedule.
We also didn't have as many shots
at once. They have added the chicken-pox, rotavirus, pneumonia,
and a few others, I believe.
It was only after college, in my twenties, that I had to get them, because I was going into the healthcare field.
I appreciate all your information on the subject, and enjoy the feedback.
I will be thinking of your family and praying your littlest one doesn't get this.
Jenny
Sorry Amy,
I just realized I interchanged the names of your daughter. I meant Mary Grace, and I spelled Mary wrong.
Was I thinking of the store in the mall?!?
What a dingy I am. Forgive me, I have had a terrible day with my teenager.
Jenny
We have been apologizing profusely today. We are quite sorry about the cup incident. We even went as far as to pull Mimi's lunch off the counter and eat it in the bed. Two big strikes. Our bad streak is over. I am sure that our owners will buy you a new one if you tell them how the cup looked.
With deepest regret,
Howard and Rusty
Hi Amy,
Hope your little sweetie had a restful sleep.
I must say, I think I need to go back to college and take several grammar classes.
I don't know if there is a spell-check, but boy do I need it.
I mean what a dingy...Just kidding!
What I should of put was ding-bat, but instead referred to myself as dirty.(smile)
I was trying to spell dinghy-but thats a boat of sorts.
Oh well, hope I gave you a laugh for the day, and haven't made you too fearful....Of my child's future that is.
I need to pay more attention when teaching him these things!
I must learn to laugh at myself more, and bring a dictionary when I post replys.
Have a good day,
Jenny
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