Week In Review

It's been one of those weeks. So bad, in fact, that when my niece walked in our house yesterday she paused for a moment to look around. We hit the ground running after Thanksgiving and had no time for silly things like house cleaning.

Monday: Bubba had an ENT appointment to see if his latest sinus infection had cleared. I was so proud of us because it was relatively uneventful. Both kids used the potty before entering and waited patiently to see the doctor. Once in, the doctor told us Bubba needed sinus surgery sooner than expected. We scheduled our surgery for January 20 and received papers for pre-surgery blood work (with an appointment scheduled for Tuesday at 9:15).

Tuesday: At 2:00 am Baby stumbles into our room with a 102 degree fever and smelling as if she had just emerged from a restaurant's garbage dump. We changed her, gave her some Motrin, and put her back to bed. She has had an upset stomach since Friday afternoon (the day after Thanksgiving, so no worries). At 8:00 am I began to get Bubba ready for his 9:15 lab appointment and decided I would just scoop Baby out of bed in time to make it to the appointment. At 8:30 Baby shuffles down the hallway with a 102.4 degree fever after dumpster diving for a second time. I immediately kick it into high gear! Baby doesn't run even the slightest fever unless something is wrong, so I squirt some Tylenol into her mouth as I dial the pediatrician's number to speak with the nurse.
I have learned that it is never a good sign when the nurse says, "Yeah...I think something more is going on. Let's get her in first thing." GREAT!! Now I have to find the Children's Hospital Lab phone number to cancel our appointment because we are double booked for 9:15. After moving the appointment to Thursday at the same time, I throw some clothes on Baby and we head for the doctor. I have failed to mention until now that Baby is not experiencing run-of-the-mill diarrhea (if there is such a thing). It looks like she pooped green snot with blood. Not good!
After checking in at the pediatrician's office, my cell phone rings. I am fully expecting it to be Evander on the phone so I answer in a "Why the hell are you calling me right now because you know I'm at the pediatrician's office with two kids" kind of tone, and I hear "Mrs. Gregory?" on the other end. Not Evander...it instantly clicked. I had a phone conference with Bubba's DAN! doctor at 9:15 today. Whoops! I quickly explain that I have a very sick child and will have to call at a more convenient time, and just then our name is called.
Once in the back, I began to calm down a little. I was finally able to take a deep breath, and I felt something wet on my leg and hear a splat on the ground. I looked at the floor to find bloody poop drops covering the floor and my jeans. I ran to get the nurse and then cleaned baby up. So...here we sit with poopy jeans, a poopy diaper (that the doctor needed to see), a really high fever, and Bubba licking the mirror, when the doctor comes in. A poop sample is required to determine what the cause of Baby's sickness is but I am told it is most likely E Coli, Salmonella, or Shigella that was contracted while traveling. There is, of course, not enough poo in the diaper for proper collection so I bring back a nice little sample at 2:30 and continue poo cleanup and fever control for the remainder of the day.


Wednesday: Baby's fever has broken, but she still isn't feeling well. I have a hair appointment, so I would love for both children to go to school, but it isn't the right thing to do. I did, however, call Evander to ask his opinion so I wouldn't have the option of leaving Baby at school if the thought occured again. Baby and I drop Bubba at school and head for my hair cut.
We had a relatively uneventful day (if you don't mention the constant pooping) and picked Bubba up at school. Around 5:00 I began making dinner and Bubba required my attention in the bathroom. When we emerged from the potty, I realized that my shadow (Baby) wasn't with me. Then I heard, "NO baby!" coming from the master bath. I ran in to find Bubba holding an open bottle of cough medicine and a heavy fruity smell coming from Baby's mouth. "Did you drink this?" I asked. "Yeah!" Baby replied. I, then, took the bottle from Bubba and noticed that it was nearly empty.
The poison control went as follows:
"Hi...my 20 month old just downed 1/2 a bottle of cough medicine while I was wiping my 3-year-old's butt. What do I need to do?"
"What did she drink?"
"Delsym"
"And how much?"
"I have no idea. I know the bottle was about half full and now it is virtually empty."
After we performed an estimate calculation of the amount she drank and determined that Delsym is a children's cough medicine that has dextromethorphan, which is harmful in large doses, she said, "You need to go straight to the emergency room for observation. I will call ahead to let them know you are coming."
FABULOUS! I was expecting a watch and wait sort of answer, not a go to the ER answer, and I couldn't go immediately because I had dinner on the stove and two half-naked children running around with a dog that just peed in the floor. I quickly clothed them and plopped some dinner in Tupperware containers and called Evander as I was walking out the door. As we wheeled into the ER, a nurse was at the door waiting and rushed us back. She asked me all the usual questions, and I disclosed our potential bacterial infection/explosive diarrhea.
After seeing the physician's assistant, we were told that she needed to be under observation for 4 hours. Evander came and took Bubba home, which left Baby and I to roam the ER for hours on end. We walked up and down the hallways, pulled out untouchable drawers, intruded on patients' privacys, and changed 5 diarrhea diapers. We saw a man come in and die, a stabbing victim, and several elderly people, and Baby waved to them all. I was at my wit's end, but she never shed a tear. Just when I couldn't take any more, the nurse came in to take Baby's vitals said she was looking for the PA so we could leave. YEAH! It was a good thing because Baby was now down to wearing one of Bubba's pull-ups. One more explosion and someone was going to search out some diapers.
Two minutes later, car accident victims came in, and I could tell we weren't leaving. We ended up staying in the ER for around 5 hours. We met the dead man's family and the mortician who came to pick him up, the friends of the stabbing victim (and I'm not sure that one of them didn't do the stabbing), and several police and fire men. Baby went home, had a snack, and went to bed.

Thursday: Evander and I dragged ourselves out of bed to get ready for the day. Bubba's lab work was today, but I knew it wouldn't take long. I was lost in thoughts of slipping back into my pjs when stinky Baby shuffled through the door to our room. I changed everyone into their comfiest outfits and headed to the Children's Hospital. We arrived at 9:10, ran into the restroom and headed for the lab. I didn't bring juice or snacks because I was certain that we would be out of there by 9:45 at the latest. After the past few days, I should have known better.
At 9:45 we are finally called back for the lab work.
The plebotemist says, "You know he is getting a chloride sweat test today?"
"Yes...and blood work!" I replied.
"Do you have any questions before we begin?"
"The ENT didn't really tell me much, other than it only took a few minutes so I don't really know what I could ask."
"OH! Let me get you an info sheet."
After reading the info sheet, I was in shock for a number of reasons.
1. A sweat test is used to diagnosis cystic fibrosis.
2. The test takes up to 45 minutes.
3. The test is performed on BOTH arms.
4. It involves an electric current.
AAAHHH!!! I was unaware that we were being tested for cystic fibrosis. I thought this test was just something that needed to be done before surgery. My shock was also not because I think he could actually have it, but just the fact that he was being tested for it. I think someone should have given me a heads up. My next problem was that I brought NOTHING for them, trusting that it would literally take a few minutes...not hours! Last but not least is the current. Most children probably would not have a problem with a tingly arm but arms and hands are Bubba's most sensitive areas and he freaks when anything unusual is touching them.
After screaming the entire way through the test, another plebotemist brings Bubba a toy truck and Baby a beanie kangaroo. Then they brought juice and crackers. They were trying their best to get him to stop but it was no use. Once the sweat test was over, the blood work began. I had to physically restrain Bubba while they took his blood. He was kicking and screaming "Don't hurt me!"
Finally, at 11:08 we walked out of Children's Hospital, battered, bruised, hungry, and tired. The three of us looked like zombies emerging from our tombs. Bubba's arms were red, dried tears stuck to his face, and his clothes all awry. Baby had crackers around her mouth, juice stains on her shirt, and a bow that was slipping down the side of her face. I can't imagine that I looked any better because I had just restrained Bubba for an hour and took care of Baby with one hand.

I hope this week is much better than last week. We should receive results back from everyone's tests, and maybe we can get a little sleep. Christmas keeps whispering in my ear, but I'm not listening. I want to take a nap!