Monday, March 31, 2008

What you DON'T want to happen to you...

This is a post about things that you DON'T want to happen to you when your child wakes up in the middle of the night with a wild ear ache, screaming that won't stop, pain that is intolerable, and a fever that is spiking.

1. You don't want to go in a frantic search of your bottle of Similasan Homeopathic Ear Drops, only to NOT be able to find them. Don't worry. At this point, they won't work.

2. You call the doctor and explain what is happening and that Tylenol and Motrin aren't helping. You explain that a friend of yours shared with you about a magical ear drop that totally numbs ear pain for 6 hours... SIX HOURS. The doctor feigns ignorance. You do NOT want that to happen when you are listening to your baby scream in pain. All your dignity will vanish and you will become irritable, short tempered, and mean with the doctor... and you will begin to repeat yourself over and over again... very loudly, and very slowly... as if they can't understand you.

3. Doctor finally promises to call in prescription. You give doctor 10 minutes, call pharmacy to confirm prescription is there, and jump into your car to go get it. You do NOT want to see that police car parked in a dark driveway with all of its lights turned off.

4. You do NOT want to see that nice policeman's lights suddenly flick on as you pass them. No, you do NOT.

5. You do NOT want the nice policeman to walk up to your window in the wee hours in the morning when your child is in a crazed screaming frenzy due to pain, and you are the only link preventing his relief. And when the nice policeman asks you if you realize that he clocked you going 41 in a 30 mph zone, you DO NOT want to start crying and telling him how sorry you are, but you're on your way to the 24-hour pharmacy to pick up a pain prescription for your child who is screaming in pain at home. Because he will still ask you for your drivers license.

6. As it turns out, you DO want to start crying. Crying helps. Nice policeman asks how old your precious baby is, you report that he is 29 months old, and he hands you back your drivers license and tells you to proceed with caution. You do NOT, however, want him to get back into his own car and follow you the entire way to the pharmacy, because hands down--you WILL be a nervous wreck of a creature the entire way there.

7. You do NOT want to get up to the counter to find out that your "I have no idea what you're talking about" pediatrician did not give the pharmacist instructions on how to use the medicine. Further, you do NOT want to know that the pharmacist can not find instructions in any of their mediciney-prescriptiony books.

Evidently, the doctor assumed I knew how to use it. So, we went with my friends instructions on the box she had given me, cut it back a wee bit, and prayed for the Lord's protection. And pain relief.

It worked. Praise God!

This happened to me two weeks ago. It was Hunter's second ear infection in as little as 15 days, and it was a short 4 days prior to my own hacking illness. Pleasure for all, I tell you.

8 comments:

Susanne said...

Ear infections are absolutely no fun. When my oldest was I baby, I felt like I was camped out on the doctor's threshhold.

Donnetta said...

Oh I am so sorry! I am thankful the police officer appeared to have a bit of mercy. A ticket would have really topped that experience off...

Praying all are returning to restored health!

JMR said...

Bless your heart... those are definitely NOT things that you want to happen... I am having some of those "things you don't want to happen" days lately... *sighs* haha Pray you guys are feeling better and back on your way to health and happiness!!! ***hugs*** <3 Jami

Katrina @ Callapidder Days said...

Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry you had to go through that! My oldest got an ear infection with every single cold, and got a cold every 3 weeks. It all stopped around age 2.5-3, and I was eternally grateful. They can be so rough -- on the little guys, AND on the Mommies.

Beth/Mom2TwoVikings said...

I forget: have you gone thru tubes yet? If not, next to see him/her, ask your pediatrician about the Otolam procedure: http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/laser-surgery-ear-infections-otolam.html

We got it for Pojke as an alternative to tubes since DaHubby's family has a history of allergies to general anesthesia (our Blue Cross was doing backflips of happiness when our ped practice started doing them.)

Plus, it's a fraction of the cost: in office, local anesthetic, home within two hours!

The actual procedure is less than five minutes and other than the inconvenience of ear plugs for bathing for 8 weeks and some ear drops, the procedure claims a 70% chance of no more ear infections!

Pojke's had one in a ear...down from one every other month! For no general anesthesia, no hosptial stay, for NOTHING out of pocket, and that kind of success rate...I'll take it! LOL

Lovely Rita said...

Sweet friend, I am just so glad that that night is over and you and family are on their way to recovering. That is a trial that makes for a good story, but hardly worth the going through, huh. (((hugs)))

Michele Moore said...

My sons have occasionally had this problem and I would love to know the name of the miracle medicine that gave 6 hours of pain relief. We have NEVER been prescribed anything like that.

Thanks and I hope you are all feeling better now.

Jane Anne said...

Wow- what a story! I stumble over here from time to time from Pam's blog. I cannot imagine how shot your nerves were after you finally got home. Ear infections are terrible. I hope you are all feeling better this week!