Last week did not go the way I had planned… Tuesday my son stumbled in the door after school looking miserable. I asked him what was wrong and he said he had been feeling awful most of the day. I asked him why he didn’t go to the nurse and he said he didn’t know where it was and he didn’t want to ask a teacher.
I took his temperature and it was 102. While he took a Covid test, I called the pediatrician, expecting to not get in until the next day, but they had an opening in 20 minutes, which was when I was supposed to pick up my daughter from play practice. I texted her to take the late bus, then got in the car. The Covid test hadn’t finished yet, so we brought it with us. Low and behold, before we even got to the doctor’s office, it was positive.
However, they said they had to do a test to be able to write a note. They tested for Covid, flu, and strep. Flu came back positive and the other two were negative. Yes, the Covid test was negative. Not sure which one to believe, but the NP said he could return to school when he was fever free for 24 hours (it was 104 when they took it).
I was able to get ahold of my mother in law to pick my daughter up from the elementary school where the late bus would drop her off so she didn’t have to walk in 100 degree heat. We got home almost at the same time because the late bus took more than half an hour!
My daughter had been complaining about a sore throat for a week, but every time I asked her if she wanted to stay home from school and go to the doctor she said she wanted to go to school. But I guess seeing her brother was staying home she decided she finally needed to go to the doctor. So the next day I was back at the pediatrician. The nurses were taking bets on which test would be positive for her. Amazingly, none of them! Her tonsils were incredibly swollen, though, so she was diagnosed with Tonsillitis, given a prescription for antibiotics, and told she could return to school the next day.
Meanwhile, I’d started coughing and had called my doctor to get an appointment. I finally got in that afternoon. They ran a Covid/flu/RSV test that takes longer (PCR) and told me they would call me with results. All were negative. No relief from the cough was offered. And unfortunately I can’t take most over the counter products because of all of my heart meds.
So Thursday and Friday was spent with my son cocooned on the couch as his fever continued and I slept most of the day in my room. My cough continued to get worse and my ears started to hurt. So yesterday I went to the doctor again. This time I was given a steroid pack and cough medicine with codine. Hopefully it will help me sleep at night, which has been difficult with the cough.
My son went back to school yesterday, just in time for him to participate in Tailgate with the band. All 8th graders from the whole district and the high school band members performed on the high school track field. Mostly it was a recruiting effort. Showing the 8th graders what they could look forward to in marching band next year. It did the trick. My son is excited to continue in band (he plays the tuba). And my daughter decided she wants to try out for Colorguard after seeing them perform. Which makes drop off much more convenient for me, as they both practice early in the mornings!
I feel like the fog of illness is lifting and hopefully we will all be well for awhile. Today I have to take my daughter to her second therapy appointment. I’m glad she is getting to talk to someone. I wish my son would be willing. It really concerns me that his social anxiety is so bad that he wouldn’t even ask to go to the nurse when he was running a fever. I know his SA is also why he doesn’t want to go to a therapist. But I’m almost at the point where I’m going to make him. But maybe seeing his sister get help will make it easier to convince him.
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