ER visit

Monday evening, October 6, Eric had a slight fever. The pediatrician (ours is out on medical leave) we saw September 30 said that the MMR shot could give him a fever in 7-8 days, so I figured that was the cause.

Tuesdays, Eric and I have dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's. He was pretty warm, ate most of his dinner, but whiny and wanted to be held. It got to the point that mommy was the only one he wanted. But, he toughed it out and let me eat before we headed home early. We rocked in daddy's chair (he was out making extra money) until a poor little boy fell asleep an hour early.

Wednesday, he acted fine, didn't eat great, but ate. Dinner was at Red Lobster and he was good up till the end, when he said he'd had enough, let's go home. He felt really warm on the drive to the restaurant. All he wanted to do was cuddle when we got home. As daddy was getting his bath ready, I took his temp, with two thermometers, 104 degrees. Paul called an urgent care nurse. She said to give him Tylenol and ibuprofen every 4 hours, alternating between the two. He fell asleep, but was restless. I was prepared for a long night.

Before I went to bed, I checked on him, he was curled in a ball and not sleeping good. I put a blanket on him and rubbed his back, he started sleeping better. When he screeched later I brought him to bed with me. He fell asleep on my chest, but he was breathing so rapidly and still so warm. I decided if his breathing wasn't better when Paul gave him is 1 am dose of Tylenol we were going to the ER. We ended up in the ER at 1:30am.

Eric was poked and prodded, blood drawn from each foot, swab taken from mouth, Motrin forced down his throat (that's his story and he's stickin' to it), undressed and allowed to run around in his diaper. Quick culture came back negative for strep, right ear was a little red, left ear redder...diagnosis...ear infection. Got a dose of antibiotics, a RX, told to see pediatrician tomorrow, paid co-pay and sent home. By this time, 4am, fever was down to 101, and he acted like he had been given a hazelnut, double mocha, cappuccino latte with whipped cream. Fortunately, he fell asleep very quickly after we got home.

He only let me get 3 hours of sleep. Daddy didn't hear him at 7:30am! Mommy brought him to bed with her, he fell back to sleep until 9am. I dosed in and out. He saw the pediatrician and said he definitely had an ear infection and told us taking him to the ER was good, because you just never know at this age with a fever that high. I was able to get a 3 hourish nap in that afternoon.

Eric is doing better. His eating isn;t all that great. The antibiotics has given him diarrhea, oh joy, and he has been the champion napper. At least he's not miserable anymore.