The Post Where We Want You To Feel Sorry For Us

I don't know about you, but I am over this winter season. So many people have been sick lately and it just doesn't seem to let up!

Allie had a cough this week. I figured I'd let it run its course. Then she got a fever for about 24 hours, and it went away. Again, not wanting to overreact, I figured I'd give her some cough meds and she'd be good to go.

Then she started to say her chest hurt when she coughed. I took that as my cue to call up our sweet pediatrician, who, by the looks of her filled-to-the-max office every time we go there, must be super close to purchasing a swank summer home. Or two.

We couldn't get in until 11:00, so we spent the morning playing at home. Allie missed school, of course. But it was extra disappointing because they had an "Occupation Parade" that day. She had her mind made up that she wanted to be "a mom" when she grew up (awwww!!) So she "dressed up" like a mom, and had our own little parade at home.

Moms are always multi-tasking, right? I hope that's the image this portrays, and not that moms are constantly on their iPhones.

Ummmm....

We arrived at the doctor's office around 10:30. A little early, but I was hoping to get in early.

Sometimes I can be so silly.

So at 11:15 we were taken back to a room. Loooong story short, the flu test came back negative but the doctor did hear something unsettling about her breathing. She gave her a breathing treatment in the office. Then she checked her oxygen level. Then she listened to her breathing/lungs again. Then she gave her ANOTHER breathing treatment because she still didn't like the way things were sounding.

I will just tell you that I had one very UNhappy camper on my hands. Not to mention she only ate half a thing of yogurt for breakfast. By this time it was almost 12:30 and both of our stomachs were growling.

We were prescribed a steroid (oh, joy), an antibiotic, and albuterol for more breathing treatments at home (double joy). She also sent us to another part of the hospital to have a chest x-ray just to rule out pneumonia.

I wanted to ask her if she knew that it was lunch time, but figured that wouldn't really earn me any mother of the year points.

So down the hall we went to radiology. Allie was miserable. Starving and sick of being there, she was beyond pitiful.

Another long story short, we sat waiting for xrays for about 40 minutes. In which time she managed to dry heave and cry off and on during our wait. Apparently an empty stomach is not what you want to have when you receive two breathing treatments in a row.

So the xray went fine and she was very brave. She didn't cry at all, so I sang her praises all the way to the car. We stopped by the cafeteria for a Sprite because her face was scary white and I figured she needed a little something. She refused my offers for any type of food, but accepted the Sprite.

Turns out that was not the best move as she threw it up in the car on the way home. Luckily they had given us a little "barf bag" at the hospital just in case, and I still had it stuffed in my purse! She was such a big girl and used the bag correctly when I shoved it in her hands while driving down the road. I knew she needed some substance, so I further lobbied for mother of the year points and drove through McDonalds.

Sure enough, a few fries settled her stomach and we made it home without incident.

In the end, she does not have pneumonia but instead probably RSV. The steroids should clear it up quickly and the antibiotic should cover any other bases. The steroids terrify me, since I have heard so many horror stories about them turning children into crazy people. So far she has been fine. She slept all night and didn't make a sound. She has had moments of drama (but hello...this house is full of estrogen, so what's new??) but nothing too crazy. She is currently resting in my bed, while simultaneously sobbing that she misses her sister.

If it helps her to get well, it's completely worth it!