Ever spend the better part of a day battling a growing fever in a child with a severely weak immune system whom was recently admitted for 39 days in a hospital and you’ll pretty much do anything it takes to avoid having to possibly face that again? Funny how denial and fear make you go distances one would normally just succumb to. Ya, that was my day today.
The deets aren’t like reading a novel. The scenario is brief but what I’m wanting to express is the other side of a situation like this. The back up against a wall feeling which really tests a person. But back to the facts. Lex has again been feeling not stellar the past 2 or 3 days. Extra tired, discolored and chapped lips (deep winter is a factor but still the same look as pre-hospitalization) and the scariest part.. a fever. Minor at 37.5. Then she stayed home today and I had her check it. 38.5. Around 4pm she had woken from a nap and the thermometer read 39.8. Thought it had malfunctioned so we tried right away again, this time it reads 40.2. What. The. Flintstones.
As advised I called the immunology department at the hospital to enquire with the nurse on call. Like I thought, administer fluids, take tylenol. Actually I’m getting ahead of myself, pardon moi. When her fever was at 38.5 I talked to the nurse and she have those instructions. Borderline terrified at seeing it at 40.2 I knew for sure she’d say get your arse to emergency stat and selfishly I wanted that to not happen. So what does a guy do? He asks Dr Mom. She advised more tylenol, cold compresses and lukewarm bath or shower if needed.
Don’t get a dude wrong. I wasn’t avoiding what I thought was the inevitable because I was lazy or sumsing. I was scared for Lexis, for her sister to have to drag her along and I was confident they’d have to admit her, and it all made my heart, lungs and diaphragm drop. Her well being was of course forefront in my mind. An untreated high fever could equal brain damage or worse so I was workin’ and making things happen, just avoiding that dreaded trip to emerge.
The increased tylenol, less clothing/de-blanketed and cold compress brought it down to 39.1. Wonderful but not good enough so I ran a borderline cool shower for her. Ok, it was probably above lukewarm but who needs full honesty in a time like this. That, coupled with a bite or 2 of supper and some more fluids and her temp read 37.5. Boom. I felt like I had cured syphilis. People would write songs about me for centuries to come. I would be legendary.
A bit ago I temped her again, this time getting a reading of 36.9. What a great feeling, avoiding hospitalization, as though nothing could be worse. I feel like we may not be out of the proverbial woods just yet though it all seems more viral than bacterial, considering her cold symptoms of barky cough and fluid in the ears. It’s almost a thrilling relief that maybe her sister as well as myself may get what she’s got and why not celebrate if that was the case. At least she wouldn’t be on her own, am I wrong?
Temporary relief is boss in this house, it’s pretty much where we all exist. A victory.. for now. But hey, I’ll flippin’ take it, wouldn’t you?