Diary of a Sick Kid (from a BAD Mom)

Am I a BAD Mom?  I am starting to wonder.  The treatment that I have experienced in the past 24 hours from Family and Friends is making me feel as if I did something wrong. 

I have kids.  Kids, who are sick ... A LOT!  We started with this coughing crap (pardon my french..but that is what it is!) on the 18th.  I debated every morning...do I let my five year old go to school or do I keep her home.  I chose to let her go.  We talked and I found that a) she is not the ONLY kid sick at school and b) it is 2 days and then break. 



The sickness followed well into her break, through Christmas Eve and Christmas Day even.  Long days.  She was wore out and it showed.  She was a trooper though- cranky, but not to bad and she knew when to fold 'em and head her butt to bed for some rest!



So, that brings us to Monday.  We had a sick weekend.  We laid low, relaxed, watched movies and she was carrying a less than normal appetite. We tried to just get food in her belly...broth, tomato soup, spaghetti o's.  Anything she liked that was warm and easy to eat/drink and would provide substance but not weight in her sensitive belly. 

I called first thing in the morning to the Peds office. Busy....  I tried again... Busy... I decided to get sneaky and find another number. BINGO!  It was shortly after 10 when I finally got through, thanks to my Super Mom Detective work, and tried to pull the feel sorry for me and just write me a script...please!  No go.  But, we did get an appointment for early afternoon, same day! 

Off to pick up my girls and head to the office.  Surprisingly happy, my children were, and sat pretty well while we waited for my oldest's name to be called. 

Off to the room we go.  Number 13...as my daughter pointed out. I have no idea what the significance is, but she made a mention of it twice, so it must mean something to her. As the nurse is going through the motions she notices that my youngest is stuffy as well and lucky for me, pulled her chart for a quick go over with our doc too! 




At last, the Doc comes in.  She is good.  I mean on the level with my kids, asking them what they got for Christmas and not looking to me for answers. (If you are a MOM, you get this.. It's a language thing)




The News...

My oldest jumps on the table and Doc starts listening to her "deep breaths" and then I hear it... "Oh, it's Pneumonia" - OK...I was like "OH NO."  I am sure my face said it all.  Fear, scared, concern- all bubbled from me. She reassures me that this flu season has been one for the books, even telling me that her average for pneumonia is 5 cases PER WEEK.  That is insane.

 

Then comes my youngest and I swear I prayed and prayed audibly.  Lucky for us, she just has a cold. And let's hope it does not develop into anything further.



Our PLAN of ACTION.

My oldest is under an antibiotic (without penicillin, since last year around this time we found out she was allergic!) and breathing treatments on the Neb, 4 times a day.  You can image how this went over.  We have had the Neb since last year, when my then, two year old, had to use it.  My big girl was NOT HAPPY about this news.  It took a little tough love and explaining that she has a lung infection and we either do our breathing treatments or we are heading to the hospital for a stay. "OK Mom, I will do these Breathing Treatments, anything to not have to go to the Hospital!"  


We are now in day 2 and we are noticing some changes with her. Color is good, cough is getting better and she seems almost back to normal.  We have a recheck on Friday, and I have been sending a lot of prayers up for this to be behind us. 

Friends are now telling me that once you have pneumonia, your chances of getting again are high, or anything respiratory in nature. EEK!  I am still in utter shock that my five year old has pneumonia.  It is terrifying. I make her bundle up to even go near the outside air- scarf over mouth, hat and hood up, gloves on.  It's no joke there.

But, when we do our recheck and hoping all is good to go - I will be asking about the Pneumonia Vaccine- which honestly, up until a day ago, I had NEVER even heard of. 


Word from a Mother:  

If you kid is sick, maybe it IS best to take them to the Docs- better safe than sorry.  All I keep thinking is that if I had taken her in at the beginning of the week, maybe it would not have turned into pneumonia at all.  I guess that is the should-a  could-a would-a talking.

I wish all of you LUCK during this season.  I think it is going to be BRUTAL!

Until the new year! 

~Kel