Tucker has always been my sick baby. From a few months old on, he runs fevers almost monthly, sometimes more. He's been countless times to be evaluated and it's always nothing. Well, except maybe two or three times when it's been an actual ear infection or tonsillitis.
About a year ago, I stopped bringing him in unless the fever prolonged more than five days. He'd eventually pick himself back up off the couch and continue on with his life.
I've missed countless days of work, staying home to take care of him when these episodes flare up. His nose bleeds from too much ibuprofen and Tylenol never seems to do the trick. He goes days without eating when he's running a fever. He moans all night for night after night, aching from being so sick. It's heartbreaking to hear him tell me he's sick.
His pediatrician has tossed around the idea of taking out his tonsils but has wanted to give it a few more months.
I brought him in today for his well child visit. He has been fevering over the last few days with no relief. I took a peek at his tonsils a few nights ago and they were almost kissing. And full of pus. So this was perfect timing; get his well child visit done and discuss his tonsils again.
I got to the clinic about ten minutes early, but waited and waited and waited and waited for the doc to come see him. After about 30 minutes of waiting, Piper had had enough and began to throw an epic tantrum on the clinic floor. Her screaming and thrashing about woke up Milo. I went to make him a bottle to keep him quiet and opened up the formula, only to find the scoop at the bottom of the container. My digging around for it sent white powder all over myself and the floor. I stood up to wipe myself off when I noticed I hadn't put on my black dress shirt, but my black dress MATERNITY shirt. That was ten sizes too large and saggy, baggy over the midsection. Pure embarrassment. I walked over to the sink and started to wash the formula from my hands, when I noticed my hair. I forgot to do it before I left. It was thrown in a hasty bun before I left, with the intention to take it back out and at least blow dry it. So here I am, with two screaming babies, a clearly ill toddler, with too large of clothes, ratty hair and a white powdery substance all over me.
And then I smelled poop. The source of Piper's tantrum was her dirty diaper. I've changed diapers in the doctor's office before and the smell doesn't go away. The whiff of poop was only coming every few minutes, so I debated letting it go.
While I argued with myself over whether or not to change the diaper and stink up the whole room, or to just wait until later, a student doctor walked in. 45 minutes late.
I explained to her the saga of Tucker. Sick baby. Sick toddler. Monthly fevers. Snores at night. Restless sleeper. Picky eater. Chronically enlarged tonsils.
She tried going through a series of tests with him. He wasn't feeling too hot and wasn't cooperating. He didn't want to open his mouth. He didn't want to point to the picture. He didn't want to have his heart listened too. He curled up in a ball on the floor and whined.
I sighed and apologized, telling her she's probably never going to want to go into pediatrics.
He mumbled to her that his back hurt, so her focus turned to that. His back has been hurting now for a few days but he claims he bammed it on the chair. There were no witnesses so I don't know what to believe.
She left and fifteen minutes later, the doctor came in.
He wanted to run a strep test.
No! I thought. We do this every time and it's always negative!
But he insisted. And it was negative. And Tucker was sobbing even louder now.
He was concerned about the back pain and wanted to run a urine test. He watched the kids while I ran Tucker down the hall to the bathroom. But he couldn't pee. He hasn't peed much anyway since the start of his fever. Doc wants us to try at home and bring it in later today.
He started packing up his things. I was floored. That's it? You're done? A strep test and a urine? No blood work? How about his tonsils? Do you not remember the conversation we had months ago? He could clearly see the kid was sick and no kid should be getting sick this often without an explanation.
I was at my wit's end with trying to keep Piper occupied and being stuck in the clinic for hours on end. I was fighting back tears and instead of sounding like a blubbering idiot trying to get more answers from the doctor, I packed up my things and left.
I struggle with trying to be an advocate for myself and my kids versus trusting that the doctor knows what he's doing. I've been in a situation where the doctor was wrong and I was right but I didn't fight for myself like I should have and ended up in a CT scanner while being newly pregnant and ended up losing the pregnancy. It was meant to happen but it has made me a stronger advocate for myself. On the other hand, I'm in the medical profession and see the other side of things. We have family members who think they know what's best for their loved one but we've been doing this for a long time and we sometimes believe our approach is better.
I'll bring in the urine later on today and see what the doc has to say. Perhaps it's time for a second opinion.
About a year ago, I stopped bringing him in unless the fever prolonged more than five days. He'd eventually pick himself back up off the couch and continue on with his life.
I've missed countless days of work, staying home to take care of him when these episodes flare up. His nose bleeds from too much ibuprofen and Tylenol never seems to do the trick. He goes days without eating when he's running a fever. He moans all night for night after night, aching from being so sick. It's heartbreaking to hear him tell me he's sick.
His pediatrician has tossed around the idea of taking out his tonsils but has wanted to give it a few more months.
I brought him in today for his well child visit. He has been fevering over the last few days with no relief. I took a peek at his tonsils a few nights ago and they were almost kissing. And full of pus. So this was perfect timing; get his well child visit done and discuss his tonsils again.
I got to the clinic about ten minutes early, but waited and waited and waited and waited for the doc to come see him. After about 30 minutes of waiting, Piper had had enough and began to throw an epic tantrum on the clinic floor. Her screaming and thrashing about woke up Milo. I went to make him a bottle to keep him quiet and opened up the formula, only to find the scoop at the bottom of the container. My digging around for it sent white powder all over myself and the floor. I stood up to wipe myself off when I noticed I hadn't put on my black dress shirt, but my black dress MATERNITY shirt. That was ten sizes too large and saggy, baggy over the midsection. Pure embarrassment. I walked over to the sink and started to wash the formula from my hands, when I noticed my hair. I forgot to do it before I left. It was thrown in a hasty bun before I left, with the intention to take it back out and at least blow dry it. So here I am, with two screaming babies, a clearly ill toddler, with too large of clothes, ratty hair and a white powdery substance all over me.
And then I smelled poop. The source of Piper's tantrum was her dirty diaper. I've changed diapers in the doctor's office before and the smell doesn't go away. The whiff of poop was only coming every few minutes, so I debated letting it go.
While I argued with myself over whether or not to change the diaper and stink up the whole room, or to just wait until later, a student doctor walked in. 45 minutes late.
I explained to her the saga of Tucker. Sick baby. Sick toddler. Monthly fevers. Snores at night. Restless sleeper. Picky eater. Chronically enlarged tonsils.
She tried going through a series of tests with him. He wasn't feeling too hot and wasn't cooperating. He didn't want to open his mouth. He didn't want to point to the picture. He didn't want to have his heart listened too. He curled up in a ball on the floor and whined.
I sighed and apologized, telling her she's probably never going to want to go into pediatrics.
He mumbled to her that his back hurt, so her focus turned to that. His back has been hurting now for a few days but he claims he bammed it on the chair. There were no witnesses so I don't know what to believe.
She left and fifteen minutes later, the doctor came in.
He wanted to run a strep test.
No! I thought. We do this every time and it's always negative!
But he insisted. And it was negative. And Tucker was sobbing even louder now.
He was concerned about the back pain and wanted to run a urine test. He watched the kids while I ran Tucker down the hall to the bathroom. But he couldn't pee. He hasn't peed much anyway since the start of his fever. Doc wants us to try at home and bring it in later today.
He started packing up his things. I was floored. That's it? You're done? A strep test and a urine? No blood work? How about his tonsils? Do you not remember the conversation we had months ago? He could clearly see the kid was sick and no kid should be getting sick this often without an explanation.
I was at my wit's end with trying to keep Piper occupied and being stuck in the clinic for hours on end. I was fighting back tears and instead of sounding like a blubbering idiot trying to get more answers from the doctor, I packed up my things and left.
I struggle with trying to be an advocate for myself and my kids versus trusting that the doctor knows what he's doing. I've been in a situation where the doctor was wrong and I was right but I didn't fight for myself like I should have and ended up in a CT scanner while being newly pregnant and ended up losing the pregnancy. It was meant to happen but it has made me a stronger advocate for myself. On the other hand, I'm in the medical profession and see the other side of things. We have family members who think they know what's best for their loved one but we've been doing this for a long time and we sometimes believe our approach is better.
I'll bring in the urine later on today and see what the doc has to say. Perhaps it's time for a second opinion.
I will come babysit for you so you can devote your full attention to Tucker. Don't let this slide any longer
ReplyDelete