Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Testing My Mommy Skills - When The Flu Hits


Emergency Room Visit One Fine Snowy Night in Late February

It's been a rough few days around our little casa.

Today, driving home from picking up Jake's meds, I got very emotional and cried.  I know I am tired from the last few days.  And I just want to Thank God, literally, for getting me through another one of those 'parenting on your own' trials.  I did pray my friends.  I was on my knees yesterday morning and I prayed last night when I finally crawled into bed.   Just so no one is freaking out right now, all is good.  All is good.


Here's the long story: 
I started getting sick last Thursday, with a nasty headache and stomach ickies.  The nasty part lasted four days. It still comes and goes, to be honest, but on an 'I can live with this' level.

Then Jake started getting sick Saturday morning.  High fever, body aches.  Stayed in bed all day, and took about 4 showers a day to be comfortable.  We did cold towels to the head, some ibuprofen, and hung out. But it kept going, and going, and going.  On the first day, you tell yourself, 'this will pass'.  On the second day, you start to wonder what the heck is going on, and on the third, fear strikes.

On Sunday we talked about going to the doc.  He wanted to wait another day.  Ug. He fears the doctor's office.  Such a man.  So.. we agreed. One more day.

So, bright and early Monday morning, we pow-wowed.  I would go to work for a 1/2 day, then take him to the Doc. I worried all morning while I was gone. When I got home, he said he was fine.  And, he truly seemed fine.  However, that evening?  He got worse. High fever again, and body shaking worse.  Even in that state, he wanted to negotiate for another day before seeing the doc.  I had enough. I told him we would both sleep better if we just went in to find out what was going on.

At 7pm we went to the ER.  Best decision ever.  We drove through a snow event (not quite a storm, just enough to make driving a pain in the ass in the dark) and got to our friendly ER in Baker, Oregon.  We got right in.  Temp reading was 102... and after all the symptom checking, a culture was taken (tube up his nose) and the lab test for flu was positive.  Thermaflu was administered on sight, and then off we went home with our doctor's orders. We were both in bed at 10.  It was the first night Jake got some rest.  I peeked in on him this am - touched his forehead, and he felt good. Phew.

However, also this fine Tuesday morning, I had to deal with the pharmacy, back in Baker.  It didn't open until 9am - which is an eternity when your kid is sick.  And, when I arrived, right on the dot at 9am, they said they wouldn't have it ready for an hour.  Which is ten times eternity.

I hate the flu.  I feel this all could have been prevented if Jake had a flu shot.  At least his symptoms would have been to a lesser degree.

However, the  father of my children has our two teens convinced that a flu shot is a bad choice, in addition to ibuprofen and any doctor's remedy.

As their mother, I feel I failed by not pushing harder. 

I realize they are now old enough to make their own health decisions. Yet, I promise I will work harder to advocate for yearly flu vaccines.

I think Jake will be an easy sell.  Too bad it had to be through his own experience.






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