Fever

Friday night while we were getting Shaylin ready for bed we noticed her head was really warm.  We decided to take her temperature & it was 101.4.  We were really surprised because she didn't act at all sick.  Still, we gave her Motrin (the infant kind) & put her to bed.  She slept fine.

But the next morning gave us a completely different little girl.  She was crying so hard when I woke up & burning up.  This time her temp was 102.0.  I gave her Tylenol this time.  The whole day she was very fussy & clingy.  Her temp did go down around 5:00 which led us to think she was well enough to go out to eat.  We were very wrong.  She didn't want to eat or drink anything & just sat there & cried.  At 8:30 her temp was up to 102.5.  I did some reading online & looking at symptoms.  She had the fever & I also noticed she had cold hands.  The website came back with one illness:  meningitis. 

I panicked.  We didn't feel comfortable waiting till the morning to see if something was really wrong with our little girl so we rushed out the door & went to the ER at the closest hospital.  I was trying to stay strong but I was scared.  It wasn't till a little later when I told the nurse about what I read that I realized how silly it sounded, especially when she asked me if I had been on webMD (it was actually babycenter.com). 

Anyway, they gave her Motrin but it was children's & a much larger dosage than we'd been giving her.  We were under the impression that with her weight at only 20 lbs. she wasn't ready for something stronger.  Nearly 2 hours later we finally saw a doctor.  Side note:  Can I just say how much I hope to never have to go to an ER again?!

Her temp started going down, the doctor reassured us she didn't have meningitis, & made sure she didn't have an ear infection.  We were advised to give her a couple days & see her regular doctor if the fever persists.

Well, yesterday she seemed to be getting better.  Her fever was low-grade, staying under 100, & her mood was better.  She was even drinking water & eating pretty well.  So we thought she was on the mend.

But last night was rough.  She cried off & on for over an hour.  It was as if she was crying in her sleep because she wouldn't get up.  She just laid on her stomach with her eyes shut & cried.  She was coughing as well & I could hear some congestion.  This morning her temp was back up to 101.8 so I called the doctor & made an appointment.

They checked her ears & they were still clear.  I asked about it being possible she has a UTI.  The doctor said if she didn't have the congestion & coughing then she'd think so.  So for now we're thinking it's a viral thing.  However, if her temp goes back up to 101+ tomorrow then I will likely take her back & get her tested for a UTI, which will involve using a catheter.  If it's not a UTI I preferred not putting her through that for no reason. 

At this moment she's napping but not very well.  She cries out from time to time.  I know it's because she's so congested.  And to make things worse, I can't find our nose sucker from the hospital.  And her temperature was back up.

It's so frustrating because I'm constantly second-guessing every decision I'm making.  I know it's just part of the difficulty of being a mom. 

And on that note I think I'm going to rescue my baby girl & snuggle with her on the couch.