A few weeks ago, on a Thursday, Gary woke up and did not want to go to school.
This is not out of the ordinary. He does not enjoy school. Everyday the words, "I don't want to go to school." He will often follow it with every excuse why not. Including difficult ones for his mother to decipher like, "I'm so tired." I have to make decisions on whether to push him to go, or ease back and let him rest.
This particular morning he planted himself on the couch during breakfast. I tried to lite his fire to get him moving but he just layer there starring. I finally gave in and said, "Ok, lets take your temperature." As the thermometer beeped, I looked at him and said, "Guess what, you do get to stay home. You are funning a low grade temperate." He didn't celebrate. Normally he would declare success but not this time.
I called the doctors right away. On Tuesday they had seen Gary in clinic. He complained a bit of ear pain. At the time they didn't see anything but along with a running nose, it could have been the start of an ear infection. They called in a prescription for antibiotics. It was delayed because it was called in to the wrong place. So 24 hours later, he was finally able to start it. He started running higher temps, and was getting severe chills. (Children or even adults that have ports in, this is a sign of infection, so I have been told). After being on the antibiotics for less than a day he began vomiting.
I called the doctor on call and said, "how could a cold turn into vomiting?" I was getting really nervous at this point. He said it very well could be a virus and there wasn't much they could do for him. I hung up a little miffed but.....hey I get it. I have a child with a disease who can get sick like regular kids too. Its not fair but, shrug, what can you do? OH I know what I can do.........drive him to the ER. Sorry, I am not going to just sit around watching my kid vomit with high fevers, day 5 now of no eating. So the next morning we took him to the ER. I couldn't just wait and see if this was a virus. Honestly, I just wanted them to check him out, make sure all was ok, and that he in fact was just sick. We did expect a quick in and out. A blood test showed counts that we not concerning but expected for someone sick. (Expect for his white count, usually that elevates when someone is that sick and his was not). They did a swab of his nose. It did indeed come back with a positive result for the rhinovirus. The common cold. Viruses are tricky. I immediately asked how could a cold virus make you vomit? The doctor said they could do whatever they want. They affect us all differently. We were ready to go back home and tuck our little guy back in bed. But they kept us instead.
I suppose that is what I wanted however. They wanted to run a wide spectrum antibiotic to cover him just in case. Keep him hydrated. Make sure his blood didn't grow anything, because it has before.
So Memorial Day weekend we spent, camping in the hospital.
We were over due for a infusion of IVIG and due in Tuesday morning at 8am to get it. That would mean we would go home, then wake back up only to come back to the hospital. They agreed he was ok to get his infusion.
We arrived home at 10pm on Monday night. Thank you to my sister for helping with the older kids. I felt bad they missed the weekend but I made it up to him.
The doctor on the phone was most likely right about the virus. Even after coming home, he still ran fevers and was just knocked over.
That was the longest seven days of my life!!!! Ok that was an expression but I am soooo glad he is finally doing better. All the kids pants are falling off him. But he is recovering. Going back to school this week was really hard for us both.
We did make up our three day weekend. We took a mini trip out of town to see one of our favorite families in Oregon. It was just what we needed.
So far so good with his disease. Usually when viruses invade the immune system, it can kick off a flare. Gary's body in the past two months fought off a infection in his elbow and now a virus. As far as I can tell, all is quiet on the JDM home front. I hate that he has been going through so much but I love we aren't dealing with that.
MPeyeluvu2
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