Weekly roundup

Wow... so much to catch up on!

Dex has a pretty bad throat infection, that's the big one.  He came down with a high fever sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning, which Amy and I nursed with an abundance of hand-wringing, concerned stares, lots of fruit juice and some Tylenol to bring down the fever.  He was burning up when he stumbled into bed with us Tuesday morning (day four), so I stayed home with the baby while Amy took the lad into the hospital.

About six hours later they came home after being told it might be mild pneumonia, but it was kinda-sorta inconclusive, so Amy was told to keep working to bring the fever down and take the boy back in if anything took a turn for the worse.  Thanks for coming in.

Wednesday morning (day five) I made it into work, but wasn't plodding away for more than half an hour before my concerned wife called me at my desk and summoned me home for an encore performance of Tuesday's main act.  It seems that another spike in the fever combined with piteous complaints of body aches drove my wife's maternal instinct into the red zone.  And really, can you blame her?  What would you do faced with a three year-old, body burning up, his eyes welling alligator tears, bottom lip pouty and quivering, and saying, "My tummy hurts, Mommy," with a look that makes clear his expectation for you to make it all better, right now?

There is no heart hard enough that wouldn't quake in that scenario.  (Actually, I'm sure there are, but I don't want to meet them.)

New prognosis: throat infection, which is causing all the boy's grief.  The only thing that wasn't checked the previous day at the hospital was his throat.  They went to the trouble of taking pee samples and a couple chest X-rays, but never bothered to shove a popsicle stick into his mouth for five seconds.  Go figger.  A few days worth of antibiotics prescribed and he should be back to his regular self.

More later, I'm sure, but work has sort of suffered these past two days, and I must now get a round tuit.

Comments

[Moksha Gren]

Poor Dex. We've only been through minor illness here...and that was heartwrenching enough. I can't imagine five+ days of fever and ache for the little guy. Hang in there Simians. I'll keep my fingers crossed down here that the antiboitics to there thing.

I had been wondering where you had gone. I was starting to wonder if my temporary abscence from the web had lead you to just abondon the whole blog thing until I returned. I was touched. But the real excuse is probably much more sane ;)

[Simon]

MG, you can associate my absense with your own if you'd like. Solidarity is a good feeling sometimes, eh? Frankly, feels sort of good not to write for a week or so. But yeah, the fever and associated ills are un-fun and tend to cramp the style of the whole house. Except Tavish, that is. Little bugger was, if anything, more effervescent than usual. We (and I mean mostly Amy) are tired.

[Mark]

That one is a bumfuzzler. Didn't even check his throat the first time, eh? Hmmm...

Why-ever they didn't, I'm glad they found it later and he's on the road to wellville.

Indeed, I thought I felt helpless when my wife felt ill. Then along comes a child, and all that's magnified.

[marian]

Poor little guy. Seems like Dex has been pretty darned healthy, though.

Kind of wacky that the doctor didn't look at his throat. It's so much easier once they can describe how they feel. I remember those years of guessing. Very hard. Hope he's feeling better soon.

[Simon]

Mark, thanks mostly for the new word. Bumfuzzler has been going through my head all day. I think that's a good thing... ?

Marian, Dex is a pretty healthy boy for the most part, 'tis true. We've had very little to complain about that way. So, while frustrating, this past week hasn't been anywhere near the norm, and we're glad for that.

[Émilie B]

I hope Dex feels better prompto. It's good they found what was wrong with him, even if it did take them a second checkup. It's a relief to know what's wrong, and what can be done about it - quite better than the hand wringing.

Xavier's been coughing during the night, and in the morning, for about a month and a half. He's quite ok during the day, and it's not even every night or long periods, but it's a deep cough and it's nagging at me. Took him to the doc when it had been two weeks in, and he was quite ok, but now it's been a while. Maybe he'd just need a little humidifier for his room or something... I dunno. I think I'll take him back to the doc.

Also : it's odd this talk about pneumonia and throat infection, with a wet t-shirt Dex in the previous post smiling up at us. ;)

[Mark]

When faced with a bumfuzzler, one is bumfuzzled.

Just so you know.

[TerriTorial]

Poor mite. Hope he is on the mend soon.