News at Home: Sick baby = stressful week!
You may remember that I mentioned Dante had a little cold last week, starting Friday night. Well Sunday it took a turn for the worse and he started running fever. Sunday night around 11 p.m. I was on the phone with the emergency nurse line because he had a temperature of 102.7. This was his first time being truly sick and it was super scary. He’s such a sweet, happy baby that he wasn’t even fussy. He was smiling and everything! The nurse called the on-call doctor because she wasn’t sure if we should take him to Children’s (our local hospital). Thankfully, they told us to give him Tylenol and if he responded we would just bring him to the doctor in the morning. He did respond and even slept most the night really well. I slept like shit, I was so worried about him. I sent a message to my boss (of one week!) at 6 a.m. saying I would have to come in late. Thankfully they were very understanding. My next call was to my brother, to see if he could watch Dante after the doctor’s appointment. Kiko would be around, since he works at our apartment complex, but he really couldn’t take off Monday.
So I took Dante to the doctor and while we were waiting in the office for our turn (it took probably an hour because we didn’t have an appointment) my fragile nerves got the better of me and I started crying Not ballling – you could easily have missed it- just tears that I couldn’t keep from escaping. Thankfully, his fever had come down to 99 degrees, and with no Tylenol for several hours. They did some tests and then brought out this machine to pull all his mucous out. I think the nurse perceived that I was a wreck and she told me, 1 – that he would be fine and 2 – that I was doing all the right things. I think I really needed to hear that. I called my brother and he met us at my apartment. I fed Dante and put him to sleep, left my brother a bunch of instructions and left for work, with the baby cam on my phone so I could keep an eye on things. I got to work about 1 p.m. and worked until 6 (Kiko got home at 5 and I had hours to make up). It wasn’t until Kiko asked me to pick up drive-thru for dinner that I realized I hadn’t eaten anything since about 7 p.m. the night before. And I only ate half my sandwich Monday night. I just didn’t have the energy to eat, if that makes sense.
Thankfully, Dante has been fever free since Monday morning. We took him to daycare Tuesday and he did really well Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday he got to meet Santa! I can’t wait to see the pictures. We sent him looking like a little elf 🙂 Then Thursday they called me around 10:30 a.m. (while I was in a meeting) saying that he wouldn’t take a bottle. He had last eaten at 5:30 a.m. so he needed to eat. I called my husband and he went up to the daycare (he’s only 5 minutes away) and couldn’t get him to eat, but got him to take some baby juice and fall asleep. I had to get up and excuse myself from my meeting at least 4 times from when daycare called to when my husband left the daycare. Again, my second week of my new job!
I hoped that would be it, but the daycare called me again at 2 p.m. He still wouldn’t eat and we were going on 9 hours with no formula. So Kiko went to pick him up and I called the pediatrician. Kiko got him to eat, THANK GOODNESS, and the pediatric nurse gave me a list of things to watch for. Tequilla watched Dante in the office the rest of the afternoon for us so Kiko could work. Kiko was pissed because he felt like, with all the money we’re paying, the daycare could have tried a bit harder. I agree, but I also thought maybe they need us to give them permission to be creative, because people can be so picky about their kids and they don’t want a lawsuit. Between Kiko being pissed and my anxiety about Dante, I had a bit of a breakdown Thursday night and I walked out of the house to go to the store with no coat in flip flops and pajamas. I had to leave before I lost it. When I got back Kiko was much calmer and was just really worried about me.
Thankfully Dante did great Thursday night and when I dropped him at daycare Friday morning we talked about all the different things to try – because we couldn’t afford to not have him making it through another day this week. Every time my phone made a sound Friday my heart went to my throat, but it was never them calling. And when I picked Dante up they said he ate well and they had figured some things out – which bottles he liked and didn’t like (I bought 3 more of the good bottle this weekend), that oatmeal worked better in his bottle than rice (fine!), and that he liked his bottle room temperature not warmed (I thought I had told them that). But they were trying and I was relieved. I had been entertaining that fear that mine was the child they were afraid to see coming in the morning. I’ve been a teacher, I know those kids exist and I don’t want mine to be one of them. I also felt a lot of sympathy for the parents I’ve had to call at work over the years. I always hated to do it, but now I REALLY understand the anxiety of seeing your child’s school on your caller id.
Amazingly, work has gone really well this week. I have had several comments about how well I’m doing and people being impressed at how quickly I’m picking things up. No one seems at all upset by the time I missed with Dante being sick or the calls from daycare. I really enjoy the job and feel just enough challenge. The challenge isn’t the tasks, just the amount I have to get done. But, it really only piled up because of me being out and because I had several training meetings this week. Once those factors are gone, I think I would easily stay ahead. And my boss really respects my experience, which is nice. He keeps asking my opinion on things and inviting me into meetings that I don’t think someone in my role would normally be part of. So that’s cool. And he’s made several comments on how much better I’ve made his life already. So that’s great.
I did a shit job of taking care of myself this week though. I worked through lunch every day, making up hours… and flat out forgot to eat. I slept pretty badly due to worry about Dante. Friday night I told Kiko I was having a glass of wine, which I did. And I was asleep by 8 p.m. I slept until Dante woke up at 2:30 for a bottle. Fed him, put him to sleep, and slept again until he woke at like 7:45 a.m.
He seems much better, so I’m hoping we’ll have a better week this week. I need it!
Blog News
Well I really fell behind this week. Lunch is supposed to be my blogging time. But I worked through lunch everyday. So I’m trying to catch back up this weekend. And hopefully we’ll have a good week at daycare and I’ll take back my lunches this week!
For COYER I’ve read 5 books. I finished my buddy read with Linda last night finally! Sorry it took me so long Linda (see the above madness for my excuse). I seriously enjoyed it and plan to read the rest of the series. I’m also making great progress on my buddy read with Jamie. I’m doing it in audio, so I actually read a ton and then get ahead, so I pause and read shorter novellas while she catches up. It’s working pretty well, I think, even though we’re at different paces. I’m enjoying the book too, (The Toll) but it’s confusing and not as good as I’d hoped for a conclusion to the trilogy.
We kick off our first readathon for COYER this week and I don’t think I’m really doing it. I don’t have any books that I particularly wanted to read this year that I didn’t get to. But happy reading to everyone who is!
Oh and with the year wrapping up, be sure to sign up for the 2020 Reading Assignment!
Last Week on the Blog
- [10 Dec] Task It Tuesday! ~ Oops…I missed November! 🙂 #Taskittues
- [11 Dec] #2020HW ~ Berls’s Spring Semester Goals
- [12 Dec] #FitReaders Update ~ December 1 -7
- [12 Dec] Just a Few #readaseries books I binged 🙂
- [12 Dec] Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case by Kristen Painter ★★★★
- [12 Dec] Miss Frost Ices The Imp by Kristen Painter ★★★★
- [12 Dec] Miss Frost Saves The Sandman by Kristen Painter ★★★★
- [12 Dec] Miss Frost Cracks A Caper by Kristen Painter ★★★★★
- [12 Dec] When Birdie Babysat Spider by Kristen Painter ★★★
- [12 Dec] Miss Frost Braves the Blizzard by Kristen Painter ★★★★½
- [12 Dec] Miss Frost Chills The Cheater by Kristen Painter ★★★★
- [13 Dec] Afternoon Tea & Books ~ Christmas Tea and Christmas Books! #teaandbooks #booklovers #christmas
- [14 Dec] #MyTBRL ~ December Winner!
- [15 Dec] Sunday Post with Berls | Sick baby = stressful week!
- [15 Dec] The Sunday Post ~ It’s Christmas Busy Time ~ Week in READview!
Coming Next Week From Me
Sunday
Sunday Post with Berls
Tuesday
Out with the Old, In with the New – Personal Life
Thursday
Out with the Old, In with the New – Blogging
Friday
Fit Readers Update
Saturday
Out with the Old, In with the New – Reading
That sounds very stressful with your baby being sick, glad to hear he quickly improved and has been fever free since Monday morning. And then the stress with Dante not eating as well this week, sounds like you really had a busy and stressful week. I am sure your job understands that you have to be there for your baby and that sounds good that you’re picking things up quickly. I hope this week is better for you.
Oh yeah. The school caller ID. Or in our case, for some reason it always said Restricted. Before and shortly after Trip’s Schizoaffective Disorder diagnosis I was getting calls on a fairly regular basis. Parenting is scary and hard! But I think you’re doing a super duper job, so don’t beat yourself up. However, *puts on stern face* you need to eat more often during these times. Even if it’s just a healthy snack. Something is better than nothing, young lady! *waggles finger* Ok, lecture over. Time to play with baby!
Our lives are crazy when the kids are sick, that’s for sure. Even now, my kids are teenagers, but it can really throw me off when they’re sick or have things going on. A mom’s work is never done!!
Oh hun… big hugs! My girl is 13.5 and in 8th grade and my heart still stops when I see the caller ID is the school. I’m so glad he’s better and that you have a boss who is so understanding. And I am glad you are enjoying your new job. Hopefully D will stay healthy through the holidays and things will get better.
Glad to hear Dante is okay now. So scary when they’re sick when they’re so little. And it sounds like the people at you r job are understanding that life happens outside of the office. Now to just take better care of yourself! 🙂
It was a tough week but there will be some adjustments like this. They just don’t know Dante the way you do. At my daughter’s daycare they didn’t believe how much she could sleep and also how much she could eat when she was not heavy.She was 14 lbs at 6 months and 17 pounds at 1 year, 22.5 inches long at birth, so tall. Her skin was really sensitive, as is mine, so I had to bug them to change her diapers really often because she would get so red and sore if they didn’t.
Anyway, it is great how well it is going at work so you will have it all work out over time! Have a better week!
Anne – Books of My Heart Here is my Sunday Post
I’ve been the teacher cringing as I called someone at work, but not had the stress of the other end. Hopefully, it will all settle into stride now. What a champ to get through it all! 🙂
Yay for keeping up on your buddy reads.
Have a good week, Berls!
I’m really glad Dante is doing okay. Just reading what you went through, I could tell you were so frightened. But you really did everything you could. Another thing you can do at home is put him in a hot bath to get him to sweat. Remember, a fever is actually a good thing because it means his body is fighting whatever illness or bacteria it has. It does need to be monitored because it can go higher. But just getting him to sweat is the best you can do. Even a hot foot bath with a ice cold cloth on his head will pull the fever out 🙂
I really was. He’s just so little! Thanks for the tips, I’ll keep them in mind for next time (because I know there will be a next time and I dread it). Thankfully he’s much better now! Have a great week!