Kindergarten Drop Out, No More!

It's official! We have a Kindergartner! And I am actually not the one posting late this time, he started a week late. A week and a half ago--the day he got his hair cut, he came down with a fever, I figured it would be gone by Monday, however, it wasn't. It hovered around 102 and even with Advil, never went below 100. So, Monday we took him to the doctor. They told us it was just a cold, and gave us some antibiotics in case it turned into an ear infection. His only symptoms were the fever and a cough--no sneezing or congestion. By Tuesday, the fever was still going strong. I was starting to worry because it was now 4 days of 102 degree fever. Bill called the doc and they said to go ahead and fill the antibiotic because maybe there was a bacterial infection going on.

Each day, he'd wake up, and I would pray the fever would be gone and he could go to school, but nope. He would rally here and there while on the Advil, but by evening time he would crash and lay in bed looking pathetic and skinny. I brought him back to the doc on Friday because we were now on 7 days of a fever. The doctor was really starting to irritate me. He asked how long he had cold symptoms. I pointed out he didn't have any cold symptoms except for a cough. I told him that none of my kids ever had 102 degree fevers with a cold. I also suggested changing the antibiotic because the doc said there was fluid in his ear and I pointed out he'd been on it for 4 days by then, and that amoxicillin doesn't work great on my kids. He gave me some spiel about it not being kids but viruses that the drug doesn't work on. I asked about mono because I had mono in college and his fever and symptoms reminded me of it. The doc said nope. He told me if he wasn't better by Tuesday to give them a call. I left feeling completely unheard.

I am pretty sure that doctor is Bob Kelso--if you don't know who Dr. Kelso is, here are some of his best clips. (I swear, he sounds just like this guy) And my humor is totally lacking in this post, so this will make up for it!

I was really starting to worry that something serious was wrong with him. I was so exhausted from worry, that I was ready for bed by 8:00 on Friday night. All of the worst case scenarios were running through my head. I had just never experience anyone having a fever for so long and showing no improvement. Plus I was stressing about the fact that he was missing kindergarten. He was missing hearing about the rules, and where to put your back pack, and how the day was structured, and it was stressing me out a bit. I knew that it's hard to go back when you miss the start. I know this because I missed the first week of my Junior year in college from having mono. I contemplated taking the semester off (well, I had a new love (Bill, in case you were wondering) --who oddly never caught mono from me--and staying home sounded good). Thank goodness my parents made me go, or I might not have returned.

Fast forward to Saturday--no improvement, he laid in our bed most of the day and his fever hovered at 100 until bedtime when it went up again. Sunday I called the doctor on call because he was covered in hives. They had started on Saturday but I thought it was from wearing a shirt that Grandma Casey had just bought him to cheer him up and we hadn't washed it yet. But by Sunday the hives were all over his legs, feet, and bottom. The doctor said it was from the antibiotics. (the ones I didn't want him on in the first place!) She (this was a different doc than the one we saw on Monday and Friday) admitted that having a fever for so long was unusual. She told us if his fever continued to bring him to the ER on Monday and they would do some blood tests and chest X-ray. I finally felt like someone was listening to me! My parents and grandma came over Sunday and I could tell they were worried about him too. We were nine days into this with no sign of improvement. Bill and I almost took him to the ER that night because my mom and I were worrying each other with worst case scenarios. We decided to hold off and let him sleep though.

Monday morning--a brand new kid woke up! All day I waited for his fever to return, but it never did. Thank God! So this morning, he put on his backpack, put some medicine on the remaining hives and joined his friends for Kindergarten. I've always thought that school should start after Labor Day anyway...

I wanted to take our traditional outside first day of school picture, but since we live in the tropics (also known as the midwest) my camera lens immediately fogged up. I didn't have time to let it de-fog, so we went inside.

His teacher was very welcoming! She and I had talked a couple of times during the week because I didn't want her to think we were delinquent (she knows us though, because she had Rori). And best of all 3 of his friends from preschool all surrounded him and told them he was on their team and made him feel loved. I can't wait to pick him up and hear how his day was!

The lens was still a little foggy, but we couldn't be late for his first day of school!