Sick Day

Tuesday evening I saw the writing on the wall, or in this case, in Leo’s communication book (the one that is passed between teacher/school nurse/therapist/me). They asked me to keep Leo home from school Wednesday and preferably, to take him to the doctor.

There had been reports in the last couple of days that Leo’s cough and congestion seemed increasingly worse, even on the heretofore miracle drug Zyrtec that had cured him of the uncontainable green nasal sludge flow a few weeks ago. He was reportedly coughing on the other children, having a difficult time breathing during nap, and just wasn’t generally himself.

Of course it was bad timing (isn’t it always?) as we were finishing up the latest issue at work. But I had no choice.

And so it was a quiet day of reading books and hanging out with Little People in the basement playroom (while I snuck in a few loads of laundry). There was some Noggin (I tried not to let Leo watch too much TV but figured since it’s technically a “sick day” and the whole point was for him to rest and he won’t nap so…Dora and Diego it is!) There was also playing outside while Ellie napped (miraculously we didn’t wake her—her window is just above the backyard) and some quality time for me with my steam cleaner (I mopped the kitchen and living room-can’t say I do that often during the week, er, ever, go me!).

All in all, a lovely day at home. It felt nice to be able to give the kids a break from the usual routine, to just move at a slow pace, for the biggest thing of the day to be a trek to the doctor in the afternoon.

The earliest doctor appointment was at 3:45 and it was just as well, because by this time I think we all had a bit of cabin fever. In fact, there were cheers (truly!) when I announced it was time to go “bye-bye.” For the record, Leo hardly seemed sick. More than a bit mouth breathy for sure and he didn’t have a huge appetite but the cough of course, seemed better (I say of course because it was the day I actually kept him home).

It was the usual afternoon crunch at the pediatricians. Who doesn’t love a waiting room full of coughing, microbe breathing kids. Leo did OK when we first got there but after 20 minutes he became a bit, shall we say, rambunctious. It was the children’s service all over again. Crawling on the coffee table, attempting to touch newborns (Gah!), laying on the carpet and kicking his feet. I wanted to disappear into the bench or mumble something like “where is that little boy’s mother?”

I let him wear his pirate hat and super hero cape which in hindsight might not have been the best idea. It may have riled him up and given him cause to perform even more than he already does (he is, after all a Leo both in name and in star sign and he lives up to this—loving being the center of attention, center of the waiting room, you know, whatev).

Long story short, it was a l-o-n-g wait. And it was hard. And I know it won’t always be like this, someday Leo will (god willing) be the sweet young man at Target who walks quietly next to his mom, making pleasant conversation (I saw a young man with Down syndrome with his mom at Target at a few months ago and resisted following them around—I meant to blog about it but there wasn’t all that much to say on the subject). I will look back on the waiting room antics and children’s service fiascos and think, Aw, it wasn’t so bad. But for now, it’s kinda hard. That’s all. I’m truly OK with it, but it doesn’t mean I don’t think about it.

When the doctor was examining Leo (he pretty much started making a fuss when he pulled out the stethescope if that tells you anything) he remarked on the phenomena of how children with hypotonia can also be incredibly strong. No freaking kidding. I’d like to see Dr. K get Leo downstairs in the morning when all he wants to do is climb in to our bed and watch Dora. No easy feat, let me tell you.

So we went on our merry way (an exhausted Leo—waiting room performing is hard work!-- insisted on riding in Ellie’s stroller) to get the antibiotic prescription filled. I thought briefly of venturing to the Walgreens drive thru a few towns over to save myself the hassle of shlepping everyone in and out of the double stroller, but decided against it. Ellie was chanting “ba-ba” and there was not a ba-ba in sight. The last thing I needed was a melt down from her. Luckily our neighborhood pharmacy filled it in like five minutes (take that chain stores) and we were home by 6 p.m.

Leo took his medicine (not happily), Ellie got her ba-ba, and I poured myself a glass of Zinfandel.