Not Expecting This One

Just when I thought the week is off to a great start ... another curve ball got thrown our way.

Raquel woke up last night at 11pm with a high fever. I don't do fevers very well at all. I understand it's our body's way to fight infection and stuff, but they just really freak me out. I get out every thermometer I can find to make sure I have an accurate reading, and pretty much make a bad situation worse. I even woke up Mike - who spent the majority of last night at Urgent Care due to a lung/sinus infection - to make sure she didn't feel overly "warm." I'm beyond paranoid for some reason. I gave her Tylenol and tried to get her comfortable, but she was pretty miserable until 3am, when she finally went back to sleep. This morning she wasn't any better, so off to the doctor we went.

I really expected the pediatrician to say that her sinus infection had returned and that we would need to start up the antibiotics again. But that's not what happened. Instead, I was told that she has the start of pneumonia!! Both of her lungs were infected, and they had to give her an oxygen test to see if she needed to be hospitalized. Fortunately, she scored a 94 (under 90 = hospital) and was given a 5-day dose of medicine to help fight the infection. I take her back on Friday morning so the pediatrician can hopefully hear clear lungs and she won't require any additional treatment.

As I was driving to the pharmacy, I realized the importance of having a sense of humor during times like this. Yes, I wanted to cry - how much more does my little angel really need to go through? - but, again, it could be much worse. Fortunately the pneumonia was caught at the early stage and can be treated at home. And fortunately, she continues to be a real trooper throughout it all. She is a constant reminder of how resilient children can be.

Get well, Raqi. We love you!