You ever have that sick child that scares the hell out of you? You want to run to the hospital. But you also don't want to look like all the parents you see who overreact to everything.
ie: "Help! Help! Somebody help my child! I don't think he/she will make it! Somebody do something!"
"What seems to be the trouble ma'am?"
"My child was playing and fell down a very steep hill. Now he/she is bleeding! Help!"
"Ma'am. Your child rolled down the grassy slope. He/She rolled over a piece of wood on the way down and got a splinter."
Ok, you get my point.
So there I am. Ignoring.... Playing with my youngest. 2 1/2 years old. Boy. We'll call him Monkey.
He has started getting a little cranky. Feeling a bit warm to the touch. MOTRIN!!
He chugs it down. Acts happier. Dinner: Frozen Pizza.
7:00 : Feeling warm again. Acting very cranky. Hand in mouth. Ok, there's a tooth coming in.
7:30 : Falls asleep while watching TV. Cuddled against me. Carry limp Monkey to bed.
9:00 : Wakes up crying. Whining. Mother goes in to comfort. Call her The Warden.
9:10 : Another dose of Motrin.
9:12 : The Warden yelling for towels. Monkey has just released dinner.
9:15 : Clean up Monkey. Take Temp. Ear not reading clear. Gotta go in the bad way.
Temp reading : 104.4 !!
Got on phone with NurseLine. Can't believe she said not to worry until temp hit 105.
Took Monkey to doctor in the morning just to be sure. Doc said everything looked ok, but wanted to get a blood test to rule out bacterial possibility.
Try to NEVER DO THIS!!!!!!
We drove to the nearest lab. One person working there. Doing everything.
Now if you have never had to do this with a child, here's the deal.
You sit in a chair. The child sits in your lap. Then you have to pin the child down while some stranger ties a tourniquet on their arm and then comes at them with a needle to jab in their arm.
It helps if the chair you are sitting in does not swivel. Yes, this is from experience.
Then of course, Monkey starts squirming. - She missed the vein.- Then you have to watch, as she moves the needle around in your child's arm to find the vein.
And, you guessed it. Your child is looking between you and the needle, wondering what they have done wrong. And SCREAMING at the top of their lungs.
Then to make a bad thing worse. Since she didn't get anything. We have to go to another lab, where they have more help to hold a child.
We get there. We wait to be called. Monkey falls asleep. (wonderful)
We get called. We go into a room. We wait again for more help. (come on!)
We hold. She ties. She stabs. Victory!!!! Blood goes through the tube! She hooks up the second vial. Then .... Wait.... What are you doing!? Forget the tourniquet!!! Don't let go of the needle!!!!!.
He moved. Needle came out of the vein. Blood swelled under the skin.
Did we get enough? NO!?!?!?! Ok. Make it QUICK!!!!
Ok, kiddo. It's over. Would you like a sucker? Huh? Ok. Here you go.
Whew. It's over. But I tell you.
There is nothing like the looks you get. Carrying out a 2 year old who the whole packed waiting room has heard scream and cry for the past ten minutes. You get ooohs, ahhs, how darlings, bless his hearts, and looks of sympathy for you from everyone. Why? Because they are in to have the same thing done to them! And they could not imagine if they had to sit there and do that to their child.
The other best part? Your child will have the best sleep that night.
Excuse me. I need a nap.
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