So Gavin and I finally succumbed to the "bug" the other three children have had over the past 6 weeks.. yep, 6 weeks. Every other Friday someone in the family has come down with it and it lasts for about 7 days.. giving us a one week reprieve before symptoms return in someone elses body.
I thought it was allergies - you know that little tickle in your throat and the throbbing pain above your eyebrow? Little did I know it would be accompanied by a massive sore throat, low fever, body aches, and horrendous cough. Gavin had the worst of it though. Aside from Hadassah having Kawasaki when she was 2 - this is the sickest any of my children has been, and it was scary. He'd wake up in the middle of the night choking because he was coughing so hard. His fever was getting up to 102 and 103 - temperatures we've only seen before in our sick little two year old before she admitted to the hospital.
On Monday morning, almost unable to get out of bed myself, I took Gavin into the doctor. I've only seen a doctor concerned about one of my children one other time - you guessed it, with Kawasaki. His fever was 102.7 and between crying fits and coughing spells he would give into exhaustion and sleep in any position he was being held. After rapid flu and strep throat tests came back negative we received a tentative diagnosis: pharyngitis (inflamed wind pipe - aka sore throat) or H1N1. Since his fever and symptoms started on Saturday, it was too late to start him on Tamiflu if it was the flu. So we were sent home, told to give him plenty of fluids and keep him on Tylenol and bring him back in two days if he's not better.
He seemed to take to Popsicles and thankfully we had a freezer full (we keep pops, Gatorade, and Tylenol in stock during flu season - heck, we keep them in stock year round now a days). His temperature went down and he seemed to be doing a bit better.
Tuesday I noticed I only changed his diaper once - this boy is a pee machine. Even inutero he could really let loose (as evident in the amount of amnio fluid I had while pregnant and how much overflowed on the operating table). He wasn't interested in his Popsicles or any other foods or drinks anymore, only mother's milk. Thankfully I hadn't fully weaned him yet, so nursing away I went (good thing I was home sick or he wouldn't have had any to drink). So on Wednesday, we were back at the doctor. The diagnosis, a little touch of croup. He was prescribed a steroid and told to continue the Tylenol and the fluids. He finally slept for more than 45 minutes in one stretch and wasn't as horrible when he coughed.
Now it's Friday, his medicine is finished and his cough sounds better - still horrible, but at least he's not about to choke himself while he coughs. His appetite is up a little bit and he's drinking cow's milk again. I'm hoping he'll be even better by this weekend. It's hard seeing little one's sick like this. He doesn't understand why it hurts so bad when he coughs or swallows or why he just can't seem to get comfortable.
It's times like this I'm reminded how lucky I am to have access to health care, medicine, and remedies to try at home. A lot of people are not this lucky and I can only imagine the worrying they do while enduring this, even if it is a "simple virus."
It's times like this I'm also reminded of the Heavenly Father's Love. All through this last week I've felt His arms wrapped around us, soothing, comforting, and healing. Knowing He, too, is experiencing this rush of emotion. I may love my son with all that I am, but He loves us with all that He is - which is WAY more than we are.. And I am left humbled and grateful.
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