Journal SiliconJesus's Journal: I'm sick and tired of being sick (and tired) 4
It all started around the beginning of December. My son got a temperature out of the blue. We tag-teamed it with Motrin and Tylenol, got the fever down and in a day or two he was feeling better. This happened a couple more times, then the Daycare called my wife at noon one day and said Zach had been screaming all day that he hurt. She picked him up and took him to the Doctor who said it was an ear infection / sinus infection and prescribed antibiotics. He develops a cough, but for the most part is in good shape. The next weekend he again gets the mystery temperature. We use the meds, bring down his temp again, but this time he develops a real bad cough. Again, its a Saturday, so all the doctors offices are closed. We get some cough suppressant and take him back to the Doctors.
Meanwhile, Sunday of that week, my wife (pregnant with twins) starts to cough. Nothing real bad, but since she's pregnant, she's having a hard time breathing. Monday, we take her to the Doctor. They check her out and give her a weenie medicine (again, because she's pregnant) to try to knock it out. Zach's cough is worse, and he's coughing enough to throw up on occasion. My wife's in misery and can't get comfortable, or stop coughing at all. I'm getting a relapse of bronchitis to top it off, but at least I don't have a temperature.
We go through the week. My wife gets progressively worse. She peaks at times where she's okay, then drops back down to fevers and feeling like shit. Being pregnant, we have to keep her temperature much lower. 100.4 is about all the twins can stand. We're doing pretty good. Saturday, my wife wakes up with pinkeye. Go to the emergency clinic on December 23. Three hour wait. So we wait and she gets goop to put in her eye. She now has: bronchitis, pink eye and occasional flu-symptoms.
We manage to get Christmas together (barely). Kim's hacking up a lung, and I sleep on the couch Christmas night (my mother-in-law stole my bed in the guest bedroom). Zach says something about itching, but we didn't pay much attention to it as he has eczema on his arms sometime. Christmas comes and passes. My mother-in-law has diarrhea so bad Christmas day that she CLOGS MY FUCKING TOILET and has to stay another night
Next day, mother-in-law goes home. Zach complains that he itches. I pull off his shirt. He has a rash over 80% of his body. My wife freaks out thinking its Chicken Pox. I remind her that's not what it looks like, and call the Pediatrician. The nurse says they're closing for the day, but gives me advice to give him some Benadryl and Motrin to keep his temperatures down (which has gone back up again). Splotches get worse, we call back in the morning, and take Zach in. Turns out some kids get freaking HIVES when the get certain Virii. That's right, my kid, for all intents and purposes, is allergic to being sick. I'm supposed to give him a 2x dose of Benadryl 3 times a day for until it clears up. That "until" could be months according to the doctor.
When we're at the Pediatrician, I notice that I'm not feeling so hot. We're close to our general practitioner, so Kim drives me over there, and I try to get an appointment. Their EARLIEST appointment was today at 1:15. I take it and we head home. Grab McDonalds and I feel like absolute shit. Eat and climb into bed. I shit you not, I thought I was gonna die. My head was splitting and I couldn't get comfortable. Temperature was as high as 103. Took DayQuil all day (remember, we're all sick here), at night, I finally said fuckit and took 800mg of Advil to get rid of my headache. Within an hour, my fever broke and I felt immediately better. Ate two cups of soup, and helped take care of the boy for the night shift.
This morning, I get up, feel a lot better, but Kim's sick again. I head out to the doc's at 12:30 (its across town, but I like to be early - I just made it on time, but that's another story). Get in, they take my information and I wait for the Doctor to show up. Generally, I LIKE Dr. Neal. He's very to the point and USUALLY listens. I told him that I had bronchitis and the flu. He asked me to describe the symptoms. I do and he tells me that the 'flu' is symptoms of the bronchitis. He gives me a prescription for an inhaler and antibiotics. I know that the antibiotics probably won't do much, but take them anyway.
Get home, my wife's got diarrhea. Just. Like. Her. Mom. Fucking great. Her temp's up again and she now has 4 count them F O U R diseases and being pregnant, can't take shit. It was as high as 101, but I gave her tylenol and a luke-warm shower and got it back to about 99. I feel like crap, and what do you know - I have it too. So does the boy.
Fuck this.
keeping temps down (Score:2)
Can you tell we've been there with the fevers?
*sigh* hoping y'all feel better soon.
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Pedialyte. Good even for adults, lemme tell ya. Try rice or noodles cooked in chicken broth? Also good is mashed potatoes- easily digestible starch and some salt. Don't add butter.
But if you can get him to take pedialyte, great- if not, gatorade. Seriously, it's great for dehydration and they sell it in convenience stores.
It doesn't matter if he throws it up- give him a teaspoonful a minute, slow, you know? He'll get some nourishment from it and it will help.
Unfortunately, the ANTIBIOTIC may b
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The Doc warned us about the anti-biotic triggering more diarrhea, so we're prepared for that. I don't worry for temps up to 102. After that, I get concerned. He's doing much better today, beating me in Wii games, and generally in a better mood. We go back to his doc again Tuesday, so we'll see how he stands at that time.
As far as the trip to the hospital, I'm literally a m