Winning Streak Ends

I think I just need to keep my big mouth shut, but we ended up at the instacare with Brennan tonight.... no injuries, so don't worry about that.

We went to Mom and Dad's house for Conference today. He was playing and super happy this morning. By 2pm he was really cuddly and acting cute and funny. He snuggled up to watch conference with us (as opposed to this morning when he was running around with the other two playing), and he fell asleep on Grandma's lap and slept for over an hour. I didn't think anything of it because it's been a very busy weekend.

He woke up, went upstairs with everyone after the session and got sad and said he wanted to go to bed... so Michael put him to bed and he slept another 2.5-3 hours. I started worrying about him and went to check on him just as he woke up and was smiley and cute, but within half an hour he told me he wanted to go home and go to bed. So not like Brennan.

He was super hot, lethargic, and started a dry cough and said his right ear hurt... Grandpa and Daddy gave him a blessing and we came home, got him into PJ's, gave him Tylenol and I took him out to the car. He said "I can't be outside, I want to go to bed." I told him we were just going to go for a ride.

I got to the instacare parking lot and he said "Is this the doctor? I don't want to go to the doctor! Don't let them doctor me!" I told him we just needed to make sure he was healthy and that he didn't have any big owies like last time so they wouldn't have to "doctor him".

Fever after Tylenol: 99.2
Current weight: 34 lbs.

The doctor came in and asked how long he'd been sick. I said "since two o'clock this afternoon" and the doctor did a double take and said "seven hours?" I told him that I'm not about to take any chances since we ended up at Primary Children's for 2 days in February with the flu. He said he assumed Brennan didn't really have the flu then but a similar virus called SVT. I said "It was Influenza B" and he did another double take (raised eyebrows and shocked look) and said "Less than 10% of flu is Inf. B- it's really rare. Maybe if he has type A now he'll be done with this." I don't think that's the way flu works....

Anyway, his ears are fine, his throat is fine, and they did a nose suction to test for the flu vs. rhinovirus so we'll get the results tomorrow. (3 of us had to hold Brennan down for them to squirt saline into his nose and then suck it back out. Poor little kid always has trauma!)

If it is the flu (the dreaded swine flu-- haven't they been cautioning parents for the last YEAR to hurry to the doctor if kids start showing symptoms? And these doctors thought I was going in too soon...?) then we can start medication tomorrow before any negative effects take hold, and if it's rhinovirus (a.k.a. common cold) he'll be fine in a few days. Praying for a cold here people...

also I have a big dilemma because I'm the fill-in hygienist at the dentist on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Can the sub call in sick? Hmmmm....


Update: EmmaRay woke up at 10pm with a fever. Great. Still waiting for test results to come back on Brennan, but I was just told "We're too busy- we have a lot of sick people here." I said "My son is one of those and we were there last night!" Gotta love helpful front office people at the instacare. They always make me feel just peachy.

Update #2: Finally got a call at 5pm from the nurse. Brennan tested positive for Influenza A and H1N1 (Swine Flu). They called in a prescription for Tamiflu for him and I asked for an Rx for EmmaRay and Cadence too. They said "We can't give a prescription unless we see them in here." And I said that's not the case with Tamiflu because it is given to prevent the flu if someone has been exposed... they wouldn't do it. So I called our regular doctors office to see if she would call in the prescription for me-- she's the one who did the same thing for us in February. I called twice before they left for the day and was told they would get back to me before they left... but no dice. Come on people! We have sick kids here and they're not getting any better!

Michael had to stay late at work today to make up for missed time that will happen tomorrow and wednesday since I have to go to work, so I put the kids in the car to drive to Walgreens and get the Rx. I was halfway there when I looked in the rearview and saw a gray faced Brennan with his eyes mostly closed and his head lolling to the side and about had a panic attack. I pulled over and ran around the car with tears in my eyes and my heart thumping.... this was exactly how he looked when I was rushing him to the hospital in February. I patted his cheeks and said "Brennan are you okay?" and he opened his eyes and said "Yes, I'm tired. I want to go to bed." Poor baby.

I drove the rest of the way to the pharmacy and was sad to see a long line of people in front of me, and then when it was finally our turn and Brennan and EmmaRay were both crying needing to be home in bed they hadn't mixed it up yet! So we had to wait 10 minutes while they got Brennan in the computer (I KNOW I have filled a Rx for him there before, but oh well) and then measured, mixed and flavored (gross) the Tamiflu. My poor babies were fading fast and I got them back in the car ASAP.

When we got home I put Brennan on the couch and he fell asleep immediately, and EmmaRay cuddled in my arms until she fell asleep. Michael got home at 7 and helped me wake them up to give them the medicine (no, I didn't have the Rx for EmmaRay yet, but I knew the dosage for her from 9 months ago, so I started her on it anyway). It is GROSS stuff that makes the kids gag.

After that EmmaRay's fever spiked up to 103.6 and after 2 hours of Tylenol, wet cloth on her head, no clothes on, juice, popsicle, milk, and a blessing it FINALLY came down and she started acting more normal again. We were about ready to rush her in if it went any higher.

Brennan got up to 101 again before he got sick to his stomach, got really sleepy, had his fever go down to 99 and then went to bed. I rocked EmmaRay to sleep tonight. Poor little kids. Hopefully the Tamiflu will do it's job fast and get these little ones better again soon. Meanwhile everyone stay away from us! You don't want this. (and somehow miraculously Cadence is not showing any signs)

Update #3 (Tuesday)- Both Brennan and EmmaRay made it through the day with only one dose of fever reducer and had NO FEVER tonight. Hooray! I think we're going to pull through this one! I also finally got a Rx for Cade and EmmaRay from our doctor without having to take them in (saved me $50 in copays plus the office visit charge) which is GREAT because Tamiflu is $46/bottle (our insurance doesn't pay) and I just bought FIVE bottles. Woohoo! Thanks for all the prayers sent our way! Now if only Michael and I can keep it at bay...