Tuesday, November 25, 2008

The Snotty Nose and the Drama Queen

It finally happened. The thing I've been trying to avoid for 11 months.

My baby is sick.

It started Wednesday night with a fever over 102 degrees, (which makes a new mom freak), and continued into the weekend. My arm and hip ached from holding him all day, and we lived on fast food for a week because I couldn't put him down to cook.

My doctor said to keep an eye on him and watch his fever. Ever the drama queen, I took his temperature, shot saline solution up his nose, and called my mom every 2 hours. I might have over-used my calling privileges to the nurse at my doctor's office as well. When I brought him in today, she immediately recognized my voice and knew why I was there. I'm not even embarrassed.

It hit me, sometime between tearing through Target looking for the perfect vaporizer and trying to figure out a way to sleep in his room that I am, oh crap, the mom now.

My friend Carolyn read my thoughts when she said, "you're wondering what you did wrong." Yes, exactly. How could he get sick when I've done everything the books, doctors and mommies told me?

The answer didn't come to me until Dr. B. took one look at my panicked face and said, "Sara, you can't keep him in a bubble." She's right, and I'm going to struggle with that until my son looks at me, one day, and tells me the same thing his daddy does:

"Leave me alone, I'm a man and I have the constitution of an ox."

Thank goodness, my poor, 'ol heart can't take much more of this.

2 comments:

Sarah Bessey said...

I know just how you feel! Anne was super-healthy as well so when she had her first big, bad fever (around the same age actually!), I was devestated. Let's just say I discovered God in a new way! LOL Praying for your wee man and for you....your doctor is right on. Hope you're taking care of yourself as well....you don't want to get sick either! Caring for small kids when you feel sick is almost as bad! No "day off" for the mummy....

Anonymous said...

Please don't call yourself the drama queen. There is so much child neglect in this world and people are truly glad that you taking parenting seriouly. This is no drama. Your childs very life depends on your care and when he is sick even more so. NO one befaults you for being fully engaged!!! Don't ever change. And always remember the squeaky wheel gets the most attention. When you need help...squeak very loud!!!

Everyone always looks to to the mom first, no one says ...well where is the dad, why wasn't the dad paying attention to this or that?
Look, the child is hanging from the tree, where is his dad? Oh no...It is always the mom. I think you are really beginning to fully get it. Yes, and your back bone will get stronger as time goes by you--- in fact soon you will become the very best mom in the whole world ---and proud of it and dare anyone to call you a drama queen, or else you will fall down on the floor and bit their ankles!!!
Stop laughing...I have done this to many doctors with great results.