Sick Baby...

The sick baby saga...I hear every baby who enters daycare goes through this same thing but it was a rough couple weeks months. During his second week at daycare, I noticed that he had a cold. It didn't really seem to bother him and he was sleeping fine. The Monday of his third week, I received a call that he had a temperature (102.9) and I needed to come get him. I didn't hear my cell so they left a message. I called them back and they actually said that he didn't look very well and I needed to come right away. When I arrived, they were right, he was red and clammy and very lethargic. I was scared out of my mind. I had already left a message with his doctor's nurse to see if I should bring him in right away.

We got in the car and I started to head toward his doctor. Luckily, his daycare, which is near our house, is very close to his doctor as well. While on my way there, the nurse called back, talked me off the ledge, and said that as long as he was alert (which he now was after being more lethargic) he was fine for right now and to go home and give him Tylenol  But that since it was over 102, they did want to see him that day. We made an appointment for later that afternoon with the after-hours clinic. Incidentally, his 4 mo. appointment was scheduled for the next day. They checked his ears and chest (both were fine) and also gave him a RSV test (which was negative) and said to continue the Tylenol. They also told us to go ahead and keep his 4 mo. appointment so that his pediatrician could see him and make sure that it hasn't developed into an ear infection.

At his 4 mo. appointment, his pediatrician again checked ears and chest and said both were clear and that it was just a virus. Because he had a fever during this appointment, he wasn't able to get his shots so we had to schedule for Tuesday of the next week. She told us to come in again on Friday if he still had a fever. On Thursday he still had a fever so I called and they said to bring him in that afternoon. Still no infection in ears and chest was clear. While I was glad nothing was wrong with Maxwell, it was maddening to not know what was causing his fever.

We laid low that weekend and his fever finally came down on Sunday. He was back to school on Monday. He had his shots appointment on Tuesday and he actually felt warm that day and sure enough he had another fever that day. So no shots again. Although, this time his doctor said he had an ear infection and she started him on antibiotics. We scheduled a 10 day follow-up appointment and he would receive his shots then.

During this whole week, he was sleeping horribly! He could hardly breathe, which means he couldn't soothe himself to sleep by sucking his thumb. He could not sleep laying down which meant he could not sleep in his crib alone without screaming. So we both slept in the nursing chair and alternated with me sleeping sitting up in the guest bed. It was a tiring week to say the least. This was a change for all of us, because prior to this week, he had been sleeping through the night (every night) for about a month.

While taking the antibiotics his cold cleared up and he began sleeping through the night again. It was a wonderful week!

We go in for his follow-up and shots on Tuesday, March 26. That night he has a fever and we assume it is because of the shots. He's fine the next morning, so he goes to school. On Thursday, the teacher says he seemed warm but didn't have a fever. Sure enough when I get home and take his temp he has a fever. He also has another cold this week (yes only about a week of no cold before another one comes). This time, however, his cough sounds awful and since he shouldn't still have a fever from shots, we make an appointment with the after-hours clinic. She confirms that his cough sounds bad and his chest sounds bad and says it could be pneumonia and that he needs to get a chest x-ray. Thank goodness at this facility they were able to do the x-ray that night. Trying to get a chest x-ray of an almost 5 mo. old baby that can't sit up on his own and who was tired, cranky and hungry was a bit difficult. When the doctor reviewed the film she saw a spot but wasn't sure that it was pneumonia. However, she went ahead and prescribed another antibiotic for him and would confirm with the radiologist in the morning. The doctor let us know on Friday that it was bronchiolitis, but it could turn into pneumonia, so he should take the medicine for about 7 days.

This time around it was a different type of antibiotic and Maxwell hated it. It was white and thick and every morning and night it was a chore to get him to swallow any of it. We would have white stuff everywhere!

Finally, he's done with this round of antibiotics and seems like his old self. He's also sleeping through the night again!!

About a week after this, I got sick and felt as though I'd been hit by a truck! Turns out it was a sinus infection and I started antibiotics. A couple days later, same exact thing happens to Mike and he has a sinus infection and starts antibiotics. We have about two good weeks and then Maxwell gets sick again this week. His cold symptoms never really went away, he's had a minor cough and sniffles, but it's really been no big deal. This past Sunday he had a fever and stayed home from school on Monday. I take him to the doctor that afternoon and they tell us it's a virus, big surprise. He stays home again on Tuesday but no longer has a fever and returns back to school Wednesday and Thursday.

Again, his sleep was affected this time around and I am a walking zombie! He did finally sleep through the night again last night. I realize besides from the sickness, I have it lucky. Maxwell is an excellent sleeper. I can't imagine how those other mamas feel out there that have babies Maxwell's age that still wake up a couple times a night.

In the waiting room at the pediatrician's office - Maxwell is not  a happy camper!

Someone is feeling better!

Here's hoping for a healthy May for us all!