Lions

March is here and has hit us hard. Rather, has hit our son hard.

I know when something is wrong with my children. I am in-tune with their bodies. Both of our children are mighty lions. They are strong little individuals. They are not complainers. Sometimes they do not feel. Their pain tolerance is high – very high.

Recapping our sick walk-in at the pediatricians’ office last month:
Why I felt I had to take him in - a cough accompanied by low-grade fevers. Coughing during the night. Interrupted sleep. That is his body signaling something is wrong.

Pediatrician: “What brings you in today?”
“He is coughing at night?” I get that skeptical look. He’s a new,
young doctor.

Pediatrician: “Just coughing?”
“And low-grade fevers.”

Ok, let’s look.
Left ear. Uh-ah.
Right ear. Ahh.
Has he complained about ear pain?
“No.”
Open your mouth. What about a sore throat?
“No.”
Pressing on his glands under his chin bone, “does this hurt? What about here (under eyes)? Or here (above eye brows)?
“No”.
“No”.
“No”.

He has fluid in both ears and his left ear is infected. We’ll test him for strep and his nasal passages are swollen. Off we go with a prescription, continue with the nasonex, and start giving him Claritin. I so wanted to say to the doctor, “See, I do know my children and their bodies”. But some things are better left unspoken.

I hate giving all this medication to our children but he needs relief.

Last month’s doctor visit was not comforting. Fluid in his ears? Panic. I was instantly transported years back when he constantly had fluid in his ears. The fluid never dried up. It just sat in his little ear canals. Making his life miserable. He hasn’t had fluid in his ears for 2 years. Maybe 2 ½ years. ENT. Really? We might have to see the ENT again? (He had tubes when he was 8 months old; a second set of tubes around age 2 ½.)

March is here. Spring will be bursting forth in a few weeks. And those low-grade fevers came back to visit him this Saturday. Spiking on Sunday night (always at night). Monday we were blinded by a snow storm that not only shut roads down but also our pediatric clinic. I did call the pediatrician on duty and had a prescription called in but due to the weather, the first dose was given late Monday afternoon. Tuesday, my little trooper was still not right so I stayed home with him. A day of rest and time to let the antibiotic kick in. Time to start fighting the fight for us. That was my plan.

His little body had other plans. Off he went to the bathroom and when he came back he asked me why his ear was gooey. Gooey! I explained to him that his eardrum had burst due to the amount of fluid in his ear and no place to go. He was worried. "Will I be able to hear?" "Do I have to go to the emergency room?" I explained to him what I knew and we got ready to drive to the pediatricians’ office. We requested to see our pediatrician and waited 3 hours for our time with him. His eardrum burst due to the fluid and pressure. He was so happy to get to see his doctor. He felt no pain. No pain. I am glad he did not experience the pain. I personally remember the pain ear infections and bursting eardrums bring with them. Yet, I wish he would feel a little pain so he could tell me “my throat hurts” or “my ear hurts”.

We left with eardrops in hand.
Do I feel relieved? No, just tired and concerned. Still stressed.

I left knowing we have a follow-up appointment already scheduled but in the back of my mind…I fear the fluids are sitting, waiting and will be ready to make another grand entrance, like a mighty lion. Perhaps, I’ll be wrong and we can end March on a healthy note – out like a lamb.