My 9 yr old son B came home from school on Wednesday with his cheeks pink. His ears were red and he looked tired. He said he had a headache. I thought he looked ill. I felt his forehead and he felt warm. He lay on the couch and fell asleep. I woke him to give him tylenol and liquids. He was really out of it. He didn't want to eat dinner. He still had the fever. I gave him Advil. I told my husband that I thought maybe B had pneumonia. My husband looked at me like I was nutso. He had B breathe deeply then exhale and said no, couldn't be. No crackling. It was not very scientific, husband's ear to child's chest. B went to his room and fell asleep in his clothes. He slept until morning. Sweaty and clammy.
In the morning B was very chipper. When I asked how he was feeling he said, "Great!" But I kept him home from school and made an appointment with the doctor. B didn't have a fever but I thought it would be better to take him in just in case. And I'm not overly cautious usually.
As we were in the waiting room in the afternoon, yesterday, Thursday, B started spiking a fever again and he said his neck hurt and his eyes were watering, and he was have trouble taking a deep breath. The doctor had some blood drawn and had a chest x-ray done and guess what?
Pneumonia.
But it was caught early. The funny thing is B has just finished a school project on the building of the Erie Canal and part of that research included that X number of people DIED from pneumonia and malaria while digging the canal. So when the doctor said the word "pneumonia" B's eyes about bugged out of his head. I made sure the doctor reassured B about the advances in medicine since the days of the Erie Canal being dug. So B is on 10 days of antibiotics and I have a little bit of bragging rights with my husband. He truly looked shocked and said, "How did you know it was pneumonia?"
I responded with:
a.) See what happens when a person is not absorbed in the German language all day and night?
b.) Mother's intuition. I just had a feeling.
c.) I didn't mention I have a medical degree?
d.) I paid the doctor to give me the desired results.
Anyway, my son is on the mend.
5 comments:
I am so glad you followed your instinct and took him to the doc. This way you caught it early and he will feel better sooner.
Guys don't quite get the mother's intuition thing but it sure comes in handy every now and then!
They just need to learn to trust us and do whatever we say. I am still working on that one with my guy...
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And as to the multiple choice questions on today's post... I'm thinking you FELT LIKE saying (a), you actually said (b), you will probably say (c) later, after thinking even more about it and that your inlaws will suspect (d). :)
So sorry your little on is ill!
Oh wow!! so glad you took him in. Mom's just know...
As Bryn says, moms just know. My son had an unusual stomachache and mild fever awhile back. His ache improved some, but the fever lingered. I knew something was wrong though... gut feeling it was his appendix. I was right. My husband, and even my son, were not too worried about a stomach ache. Thank goodness I was at home with him and had a good feel for what was normal and not. Hope your son is feeling 100% better soon. Good for you for trusting your instincts. Go mom!
You started it! :)
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