Thursday, April 30

Bacteria Suck

Just a little over a month ago Charlotte had an ear infection in each ear. That cleared up and she was actually well for a couple of weeks. Then, we get to the beach last week and she comes down with a cold. I think she's only had 1 cold where she didn't get an ear infection, so I panicked a little bit. I didn't want to have to go to the ER or clinic out of town. I gave her Benedryl each night before bed in a desperate attempt to try to clear her head up so she wouldn't get an ear infection. By Thursday of last week her cold was cleared up and no signs of an ear infection - whew!

Sunday she woke up with her eyes crusted shut. (I find this to be more disgusting that dirty diapers) I cleaned her up and noticed that her eyes kept secreting green stuff. And her nose was producing green stuff. (YUCK!) This was a first. I decided I'd wait it out a couple of days to see if it would clear up on it's own. Of course it didn't. After a sleepless night on Monday night, and daycare telling me that she didn't nap on Tuesday, I made a doctor's appointment. So, I took her to the doctor yesterday to find she has an ear infection in each ear. Back on antibiotics.

To make matters worse, I get all of the colds too! Yesterday I was running a fever, was achy, and had a sore throat. Judd was convinced I had swine flu, since we ate Mexican Sunday night, and he made me go to the doctor. So, I spent an hour and half at the doctor yesterday, then had to take Charlotte to the doctor in the afternoon. This kind of thing is stressful for a working mom - I was supposed to be in the office working yesterday. But instead, I was running around to different doctor's appointments. Even though I don't have a ton of work to do right now, I still feel guilty every time I leave.

Does this ever get better? Will she ever NOT be sick? I feel like the poor child has been sick since she got a cold at 2 weeks. At this point I'm seriously considering getting a nanny in hopes that she won't be exposed to so much. But, then the nanny will take her to the library for story time, or the pool, or Target where Charlotte will chew on the shopping cart and she'll get sick. If I stayed home with her would she be less sick? Is it my fault that she goes through all of this?

I know there are people dealing with way worse, and I feel bad for even typing this post. So, forgive me - just needed to get it out.

Tomorrow, I promise a happy post with happy pictures.


8 comments:

Clh03uga said...

If she didn't go through it now, she'd go through it when she started Kindergarten!!!! It's unavoidable, I think. Don't be too hard on yourself...think about it this way, by the time she starts school she'll be immune to EVERYTHING! Maybe she can have perfect attendance K-12th grades. :-)

Rachel said...

I'm glad it's not swine flu and I hope you all feel better soon!

Drena said...

have you ever thought about taking her to the chiropractor? I have a friend that has been taking her daughter to the chiropractor since she was little and she has never gotten an ear infection. She will be 4 next month.

Emily said...

It will get better. A nanny is not a bad idea, though. Even if she took Charlotte out in public, she would only be responsible for one child, thus making sure that her hands were washed and she wasn't putting other childrens' toys and stuff in her mouth.

Lora Lee & Lora Kate's Blog said...

I feel you girl! Lora Kate has been the same way! Once we got tubes though it's been SO much better. She has pretty bad allergies in the fall though to whatever it is that blossoms at that time. My Dr told me that the first full year in daycare is the worst and next year will be much better. She stayed with a nanny the first 8 months so this was our first winter in daycare. Hang in there. I, too, have missed a lot of work! It's a Mommy thing I guess. Here's to hoping it'll be better as the years pass and their immunity strengthens...

Rebecca said...

I agree with the others - it's not your fault, and she's going to be exposed to germs at some point anyway (unless you stay home with her and then home school her and then she takes remote college classes, etc.) There is no escaping it. I felt like I had Zachary at the doctor a lot as a baby too, but honestly, I'd say since he was about 18 months or 2 years, he really hasn't been all that much other than his well visits - definitely less than before. Liam has been relatively healthy (except his string of ear infections back in the fall/winter) but that could also be that he had been exposed to anything Zachary would have had from birth. Try not to be so hard on yourself (although I know that's hard - I sometimes feel guilty leaving for doctor's appointments too...)

Mollypants said...

You don't have to listen to my advice one BIT, but I only say this because I was a kid who got ear infections and colds every second of my life until I was 27. Take her to an Ear-Nose-Throat specialist - they really do know SO much more about how that entire system is so inter-related, as in a frequent ear infection might be caused by an underlying problem in her sinuses or throat. I think they tend to look at the situation as a whole, chronic matter rather than treating individual infections one at a time.

Sarah said...

I worked full time with my first and she was sick all the time. When my second came along, I quit working and thought for sure he wouldn't get sick since he was home with me. But instead, I think I took him to the doctor more often than the first one! They will pick up germs anywhere :)