Friday, March 28, 2008
Duchess - the Tough
Today Duchess was feeling a little under the weather when she woke up, she had a barking cough but was content to stay home with Daddy since he was off. They hung out and at lunch when I popped in to visit her, she was bright and active. However, at 930 tonight when I was doing the final mommy sweep of the house before I crashed, I heard her talking so I ventured into her room.My baby was burning up and talking gibberish. After waking The Man from his "coma", we gathered her up and put her in our bed, medicated and shivering even though I had three blankets on there. Finally she slept, the fever broke and we all nodded off........briefly.
At midnight, it began again, this time with her teeth chattering she was so cold and shaking, another fever had reared its ugly head. I began having panic-ed flashbacks to how very ill she was when she was younger and living in Texas where she was allergic to everything from the state flag down. Luckily, since moving to Utah, she's been healthy and whole.
The Man and I took turns cuddling her and warming her up with brisk backrubs when I realized that she was so out of it, poor baby had wet my bed. That is something we haven't seen in awhile. She realized it not long after when I was trying to change her clothes and did the freak out, I'm a big girl thing. We talked her into a bath as her body fever climbed to 102. That has been the highest we've seen thank goodness.
More meds, actually the last of the meds in the house took the edge off and she was suddenly wide awake. Hello Duchess.
We all moved downstairs and set up her mattress and "bed" on the livingroom floor while we made up the couches as to not disturb Princess, who has a test in the morning. We got some eggs and fruit into Duchess with alot of juice. Then the fever started again, it was then we realized that our thermometer was dying. A quick trip to the all night grocery store netted us a new therm, more meds, lysol, Dr. Pepper and a book for mommy.
We got the fever down once more, actually looked up the ER address just to have Duchess promise to be good if we would wait till morning. She wants to go to her doctor. She even volunteered for a shot. Can you tell my kid has spent alot of time in ER's? The mere mention of it has her in dire straights. So we're gonna try and tough it out here at home. Hysterical Duchess is not a thing I want on my hands. But I keep thinking if we got above 102.5, we're heading in, especially with her history.
So we settled in for the long night. Since I'm seeing 3 a.m. for the first time in a long time, I figure I'll stay home tomorrow and spoil my kid. Maybe take a nap, cuddle my kid and clean the living crap out of my germy house.
She's fallen asleep finally, fever down, on my couch so I'm in the princess pallet.
All in all, it's making for an interesting Thursday night. Especially since two sleep deprived parents who are not used to being awake have managed to knock over two .... I repeat two cups of Dr. Pepper onto the white carpet. Thank God for my beast.
Cheers and I'll keep you posted after our doctor run in the morning
Labels: Duchess, family smamily
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Poor thing....I hope she is feeling better and the doctor can give her something to cure her...fast!
I hope she feels better soon. I am struggling with the sickness now, praying no body else gets sick! Hopefully noone else gets sick in your house either!
How are things? Fevers frighten me. We've hit 102.5F when my middle kid had his MMR shot. Hysterical mommy instead of hysterical kid....and we were actually in Utah when that happened. Yikes! Hope all is well.
Hope4Grace,
Sorry to hear Duchess hasn't been well.
Try to remember fever isn't a bad thing. It's simply a sign that her immune system is doing its job. Just keep her comfortable, and hydrated - and give her whatever she's craving to eat (during an acute illness).
Generally, when Tylenol (or brufen) is used during a fever -- it only suppresses it --- only for the fever to keep returning. Her immune system is fighting to make her better. When suppressed, it has no option but to come back again later to finish its job. Tylenol (and brufen) is useful for pain - and helping to bring dangerously high (104+) fevers down, but should only be used sparingly if a fever gets very high.
Children tend to handle higher temps far better than adults.
If I see a child with a fever, I know their immune system is working well. When the fever breaks (without interference from tylenol, et. al.) - THAT's when I know the child is well and truly on the mend.
I don't know Duchess's history - but if there is a history of seizures - then it's best to keep her cool during a fever (don't let the fever go above 103) and watch closely for signs of seizing (obviously).
I just hate to see little ones suffer. Hope she's much better soon. xo
p.s. to whoever was freaked when their child spiked a fever after the vaccine: that is a HEALTHY reaction to a vaccine (foreign body!). It simply means the child's immune system is reactive. This is good (unless of course, there are seizures or convulsions). When children don't show any obvious signs or reaction after a vaccine - that's when I worry.