Proof that I Can Be Trained
Alexis rarely gets sick. Sure, she leaks bodily fluids from every orifice imaginable pretty much all the time, but that's so totally a daycare toddler thing. I don't think the kids are happy if they can't smear snot all over each other. It's like a symbol of love and devotion with them.
When Alexis does have a cold, as she has for the past week, I tend to be all "whatever" about it. I'm not one to rush her to the doctor each time she sneezes, and since Mr. Husband and I have had the same cold right there with her (gee, I wonder if that has anything to do with all the snot smearing?), we knew she was pretty much OK. A little coughing and congestion never really hurt anybody, especially since nobody ever had a fever.
And yet, all it took were the words, "My ear hurts" and I jumped out of my desk and teleported my way to daycare to pick the kid up early today. Seriously, RECORD TIME. Along the way, I called our pediatrician.
Me: "My two-year old says her ear hurts."
Lady Whose Job it is to Keep You Away: "Does she have any other symptoms?"
Me: "No . . . uh, yeah. She does. She totally has a fever."
Lady Whose Job it is to Keep You Away: "Have you given her anything?"
Me: "Ma'am, please just let me bring her in. PLEASE."
Lady Whose Job it is to Keep You Away: "?????"
I really do appreciate the triage nurse thing that our pediatrician does--it saves time and money for all involved. However, Little Miss Alexis has history. A history of getting sick beyond the point of being all "whatever" the VERY SECOND it is a holiday or we are out of town.
Knock, knock. Who's there? CHRISTMAS EVE. It's the double-whammy of a holiday AND us getting ready to head out of town.
I ain't screwing around with any ear pain, yo. It has taken way more really bad holidays/trips than it should have for me to learn my lesson, but -oh- has it been learned.
So, I made up symptoms and generally lied my way into the pediatrician's office. Sure, daycare had only called me because they didn't want to forget to tell me Alexis said her ear hurt. Sure, she only said it once. Sure, she was behaving totally normal. I didn't care. Meh behbeh was getting her ears looked at, and that was that.
Into the pediatrician's office Alexis and I went, with her acting entirely too chipper to be sick. She LOVES going to the doctor. I suppose it's because they hand out stickers and pretzels. I dunno. I just know that she was singing at the top of her lungs as the nurse took her temp and went over her symptoms.
I try not to lie in person, and the thermometer was selling me up the river anyway, so I came clean and said, "She said her ear hurt once." I, of course, got The Stare.
"Which ear?" the nurse asked. Me. Who didn't have ear pain. I don't think.
I finally came to my senses after a few moments of pondering the question and asked Alexis. You know, the kid who is totally capable of speaking for herself.
Which she did.
The nurse was not impressed. She gave me the My Time is Being Wasted at the End of the Day and I Could Already Be Heading Home Stare. She tried to disguise it with a big friendly grin, but OH I saw it.
Finally the doctor came in and after entirely too much beating around the bush, he said, "So, do you have monsters in your ear?" as he peeked into Alexis ear.
I held my breath, thinking I might have to kick the guy in the donkey omelets for suggesting anything even remotely referring to monsters. Just as I was about to inform him he had better not have caused me a month worth of sleepless nights by gabbing about monsters hiding in my kid's ears, he said, "Yup, it's infected."
I tried very hard not to do a little "I Called it Right!" Jig right then and there.
But, I totally called it right.
I think that proves you really can teach an old dog new tricks.
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I consulted the random number generator thingy for yesterday's post about the dollhouse, and it picked #2. So, Woy, drop me a line and tell me what you want me to do with Mrs. Goodbee. I can send it to you, donate it to the charity of your choice, or even hold onto it for PittGirl's Home for Anonymous Bloggers Who No Longer Blog. I'm sure she could have LOADS of fun with it.
(There will be Christmas light photos tomorrow night. I promise.)
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Reader Comments (21)
Yay for you! Have the merriest of Christmases, knowing your toddler is well cared for and being cured! Hoorah!
There is something about ears that you just don't mess about with. At all.
Merry Christmas!
One of my kids was so susceptible to ear infections that the pediatrician would call in a prescription so I could have it just in case over a holiday weekend, or if we were travelling.
Merry EAR-HAPPY Christmas to you all!
Don't mess with the ears! Good call :)
Merry Christmas!!
Hope she gets to feeling better. My little one always gets sick around Christmas, she just got over a stomach bug.
When will nurses learn, Momma Knows! Merry Christmas!
My WildChild same thing ... ear hurts, then doesn't just when I'm calling the doc ... don't know what is going on ... I know she's congested as am I, but I feel exactly the same way about pain in ears "DON'T MESS WITH EAR PAIN". I can feel the pressure in my ears as well ... and it comes and goes ... I still don't know if I should take her...
Yesterday she said her ear pain went away when she burped ... so that makes me think it's pressure not pain ...
UGH!
I love that the pediatricians office attempts to be efficient and to save time and money for everyone involved, but gosh darnit . . . ALWAYS LISTEN TO THE MOMMY! Hope Miss Alexis is feeling better soon (or at least that her ear doesn't hurt anymore) and hope you have A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! (Because if you can yell, I can yell too!)
Why must kids get sick right before all holidays or trips? And why must receptionists feel the need to tell you not to come in? Ugh.
Hope Alexis feels better soon. Antibiotics are a miracle of science.
We had the most awesome of pediatricians when Jock was little. He told me that no one knew my kid like I did, and if I thought he should be seen, then he should be seen. Like Alexis, Jock (Bug, too, for that matter) was a card-carrying member of the Daycare Snot Is Love club, but we KNEW when he was sick. It just didn't happen that often.
Luckily, it still doesn't. So when he actually tells me something is wrong, it is. And I STILL have a doctor who tells me that I know my kid better than anyone else.
Dont ya just love it when your right :)
Good for you- no need to be miserable for the holidays. Glad you got yourself in there to have her checked.
never mess with what a mommy knows.
we KNOW.
As smart as they are, and as much education as they have, you would think they would learn that Mother's Instincts trump doctors no how every time!
Have a great holiday! And, hugs for Alexis.
Have totally been there. And, as a matter of fact, DearDR was just there today.
I will say, my ped's office is all like, "so you'd like her to be seen? how's 15 minutes from right now?"
I got three infected ears, infected sinuses, and a sore throat (that is, my girls. I actually feel okay, knock wood).
Merry Christmas, Burgh Baby Family. Travel safely.
ciao,
rpm
Poor Alexis!! Yikes. glad you listened to yourself and storied your way in ;-)
Hope she gets better soon. Last year we battled pink eye in everyone's eyes. I'm hoping for a healthier Christmas this year for us and a speedy recovery for your little stinker
XOXO
Merry Christmas Darlin'
Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Kimmy
Glad you were able to get the "good stuff" before you left town. I wonder if the stuff still tastes like bubblegum and is unnaturally pink like it was when I was little..... Happy holidays to you and your family!
What a little trooper, singing her way into the office with nary a whiny complaint.
And Alexis, too.
Merry Christmas to the Burgh family.
I hope Alexis feels much better soon!! Merry Christmas!! xo Britt :-)
I don't like that they would actually tell you that you couldn't bring your kid in and you have to lie to get her seen.
If I want a doctor to look at my kid, he is going to look at my kid. In fact, during off hours my pedi has all his calls forwarded to his cell phone and we can get in touch with him any time any day.
I am not a big 'running to the doctor' for every sniffle either. But he'll see us w/o question. If you feel the need, you shouldn't have to lie. That sucks.
And I hope she gets better ASAP!!
Merry Christmas!!
The nurses who don't want me to bring my kid in are way up there with the people who call him fat. Because really - I NEVER bring him in unless it's something clearly effed up. And when they treat me like that I send Sumo 'Please projectile vomit on them' vibes in the office.