Bad News Part II

Lily woke up with chills and a bad fever at about 9:30 last night.  I could hear her whimpering in her room so I went and got her and I cuddled with my puddle of a child on the couch a bit until she threw up on us both. ew. :(

I called the advice nurse line (and then had to wait for someone to call me back) to find out exactly what point a fever should worry me.  I know a fever is the body's defense... it's attempt to kill the virus.  But I've never dealt with a fever and chills and vomiting in my sweet baby, so I had to ask somebody.  Well, the woman on the phone told me to give Lil a dose of ibuprofen and take her to the ER.  (Here's where I wish I had just listened to my instincts.)

About 10:30 we rolled in to the ER and they took Lil's temp rectally which really made her mad!  It was still 103... so they gave her a dose of acetaminophen too and sent us back to the waiting room to wait for the Dr.

Twenty minutes later I had my busy child back... up and down from my lap, around and under the chairs, eating, drinking, and chattering happily.

By the time we got called back to see the Dr I felt like I was wasting his time, and I told him so.  I explained that I had called the advice nurse line for - get this - advice, and had been sent to the ER when I really could have been told a to give Lily both ibuprofen and acetaminophen for the discomfort, plenty of fluids and use a warm-mist humidifier. (The last two I had already taken care of, to the Dr's delight.)

The Dr reassured me that a fever never hurt an otherwise healthy person.  He explained that a fever is worrisome when the rate of change is extreme which can cause febrile seizures. (Don't go plunging your kid into an ice bath.)  He checked her over and pronounced that she has an upper-respiratory infection (duh, I'd bet money its the same one I have) and some redness in each of her ears, but since she's never had an ear infection it probably won't develop into one.

Lily is still really congested today.  Sleeping has been difficult and doesn't come in very long stretches.  But she played more today than she did yesterday, so that's promising.  She was even dancing and kicking around a ball this evening.

Interestingly enough, the Dr was pleased to see a relatively intelligent adult during his shift, and said so.  And I was ultimately able to get the information I wanted, so our trip wasn't a total waste.

Though getting back home at two in the morning sure has me sore with the advice nurse line!