First (and hopefully last) ER Visit

So it's no secret that Charlie Boy has had a nagging cough/cold for the last few weeks.  In fact, I feel like he became sick the week that we moved and never fully recovered.  We figured out that we'd been in Des Moines for 7 weeks and Charlie had been to a pediatrician's office (we switched offices a few weeks ago) 5 separate times.  We tried everything from Amoxicillin, nebulizer treatments, augmentin, etc.  Nothing seemed to really work, but Charlie was pretty happy and seemed to get used to coughing.  BJ and I were frustrated, but felt like we were following all of the doctor's orders and kept being assured that it could take Charlie awhile to get rid of his cough.

Flash forward to this weekend in Cascade.  I should have known that something was up since Charlie didn't have much of an appetite on Saturday which is the first time in his entire little life that he refused to finish a bottle.  He started to get a fever, so we started the Tylenol ritual, giving him some every 4 hours.  On Sunday morning, he still had a fever and just wasn't himself, so after a phone call with our personal health care provider (shout out to Jenn Archer) we took him into Finley Hospital and were seen in the ER. 

I had reached my limit, especially since Charlie had been seen by his pediatrician on Friday, just two days earlier.  As I did my best to summarize Charlie's medical records to the front desk clerk, nurse and physician assistant, I very firmly stated that we wouldn't be leaving the ER without a blood test and chest x-ray.  Each time they smiled politely in return and I calmly told them that I was serious, that I was demanding a chest x-ray.  I felt a little bit like Denzel Washington in "John Q" with the exception that Charlie wasn't in need (thankfully) of a heart transplant and I didn't hold anyone hostage.

I'm not sure if it was the fact that our intake records listed lawyer as my profession, the fact that I had a crazy look in my eye or the fact that I was wearing one of BJ's Cubs t-shirt that was covered in spit up and other nastiness, but the Finley ER staff happily obliged.  A few hours later, we left with a very lethargic baby, a diagnosis of pneumonia and a prescription for a super duper antibiotic.  BJ snapped the below picture after we made it through a blood draw, nasal swab and x-ray.

I am happy to report that after having taken 3 of his 5 doses of the new antibiotic, Charlie seems to be almost back to his old self.  His appetite is slowly returning (good thing he had some in reserves) and he's back to playing and smiling.  I tried to get him to look at the camera tonight, but he was too busy greeting all of his exersaucer friends to pay any attention to me.

On a random note, I now know why so many kids are diagnosed with ADHD each year - Charlie's exersaucer makes no less than 12 different noises and lights up.  Evenflo - promoting overstimulation on a daily basis.

We hope that you all had a great holiday weekend!