I know - I'm backdating big time... Totally not my style, but necessary when life gets chaotic!
When 7 of 13 children in Miles' class mysteriously get sent home with fevers on the same Tuesday afternoon (Feb 15), I should have known something was up! But Miles remained healthy and fever free all week long... No reports from parents as to cause for the fevers, so.......
Begin weekend now::
Friday night, Miles spiked a fever. Nothing crazy, but he was a little warm. Saturday morning, the typical Miles wheezy cough reared its ugly head. At this point, I started up his usual breathing meds via nebulizer every 4 hours thinking that he has just caught another cold. The fever hovered around 101 for the next few days and his wheeze was controlled with the timely breathing treatments.
The fever was still present on Sunday night, so Miles couldn't go to daycare on Monday... Luckily, it was President's Day and Nate had the day off. While crashing matchbox cars and playing basketball with dad all day, the fever disappeared. He's allowed to return to school with just a cold, so we dropped him off as usual on Tuesday morning.
During the day, Miles cough broke into something gross and is nose began to ooze green. When I picked Miles up, I was informed of the diagnoses stemming from the mysterious fevers a week prior - walking pneumonia. I was also told that Miles needed to be clear by a doctor before allowing him to return to the center, given his symptoms. Miles was up every hour, all night long.... That cough was brutal!
Wednesday, I stayed home with Miles and scheduled a trip to his pediatrician. Regardless of the formal diagnosis, I needed to get a prescription for more of Miles' breathing drugs in addition to any other treatment the Doctor saw fit. Miles' usual doctor wasn't available, but the pediatrician with a specialty in breathing issues had an opening!
Dr. R has a listen to Miles' chest and back, confirmed the wheeze, checked his blood/oxygen levels, and confirmed the suspected diagnosis. My fear was:: Had I waited to long? Should I have tried to take him in over the weekend?
Dr. R said that the illness would have passed on its own, but would have taken weeks. The antibiotic sped things up by at least 300%. He said that if I hadn't caught and treated his wheeze so early, he likely would have shown symptoms worthy of an ER visit... Ok... now I don't feel SOOOO terrible.....
Optimist's twist:
1) I found a new pediatrician that I like much better that the one Miles was originally assigned!!
2) We got a new prescription for Miles' breathing meds - with refills!
3) The antibiotic was only a once a day for 5 days regimen.
Pessimist's spin:
1) Miles is really sick
2) It's currently Wednesday and Miles can't go back to school until Monday.
3) Nate and I are too new in our jobs to have accrued
much any time off.
What to do now?!
It's now 6pm on Wednesday night. Miles and I just got home from the Pharmacy. I stuffed Miles with some Easy Mac, packed up his favorite things, loaded up the car and commenced the 3 hour drive to Dubuque, IA. Grandma and Grandpa Banwarth to the rescue!
The grandparents were sweet enough to meet me in Stockton, IL (saving me 2 hours, roundtrip) for the switch.... We moved the carseat and Miles' stuff into the truck, enjoyed a quick potty break and explanation of medical treatments before starting the car back up to head back to our respective homes. I finally found my pillow in the wee hours of the morning, trying to accumulate enough sleep to get through the next work day.
Grandma and Grandpa kept Miles until the weekend allowing Nate and I to work the rest of the week.
We are Super Grateful for your help...and for returning my little man healthy!!
Here's to Health!
That is all - Good Night!
Kelly
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