2009-09-21

The verdict...

According to the doctor Caitlyn is full of bugs. But to go back a little...

Last night was pretty bad. Caitlyn woke up pretty much every hour, so this morning I was so tired and Terence let me sleep in a little before they woke me up with breakfast in bed and birthday presents which the kids helped me open. A big thank you for all the birthday wishes, they really made my day!

At 11:45 we had a doctor appointment and I got there and of course there is this big note on the door saying that if you are coughing, sneezing and / or have other cold / flu symptoms they expect everybody to wear a mask, use hand gel and stand behind a red line to speak to the receptionist. Got inside and no red line, but I asked for a mask and got some hand gel to use. Caitlyn was so upset about the mask and kept pulling it off and I just kept praying she wouldn't be coughing during that time (which thankfully she didn't). She didn't mind the doctor taking her temperature, but got upset when he listened to her heart, tried to look inside her ears and at her throat, but was happier when he offered her a jelly bean. (Those things are magic let me tell you). Turned out both her ears are infected, she has a blocked nose, has an eye infection and as the doctor said "she's full of bugs". He thought that perhaps she might have mild asthma hence the coughing especially at night (although Terence and I aren't convinced she really does have asthma). So then the nurse had to show us how to use the little asthma pump, spacer and little mask (and as expected she freaked out, big time).

Then we went to the shopping centre to go to the pharmacy to get all Caitlyn's medicines and the whole time we were there, Caitlyn used the mask to "catch her coughs" and at one point even asked that I put it on her face properly. I guess it is alright as long as it is on her terms and nobody else's - typical 2 year old...

And tonight when we had to do the first set of medicines, she was all happy to take her antibiotic for her ears, she was happy to let us use the asthma pump, spacer and mask (of course with the promise of a treat if she took her medicines properly), but absolutely hated the eye drops and hates the nose spray even more (Sigh!!!) We are so used to Bianca willingly taking whatever medicines and treatments she needs, that it is quite something to have a child not used to all those things and actually "fighting" about it. I have forgotten how stressful it can be trying to convince a child why it is important that they take all their medicines, and just thinking that tomorrow I might very well have to hold her down - yeah, not very much looking forward to that let me tell you.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Connor loves medicine but every now and then there is 1 that just doesn't taste nice. So we give him that with a syringe and wa-la. No more yucky medicine blues. Maybe the fact that cousin Connor also uses an asmatha pump and spacer (every now and then) might encourage Caitlyn to use hers - if she needs the odd encouragement. Sounds like she is doing fine with that, though.
Hugs to the girls
Sharon

Anonymous said...

Happy belated birthdy wishes to you Lea and sorry to hear about Caitlyn. Hope she is feeling back to her old self soon. She is a real cutie.
RosemaryNY

Anonymous said...

Wow, poor Caitlyin. I hope that all the medications work quickly.
We have had the same experience with getting our non-cancer kid to take medicines, and Griffin is 9. Pete is so good, will take anything you give him, even if you can tell it tastes absolutely disgusting. But try and even give Griffin Pamol, and there's the hugest performance. I am so grateful that it was not Griffin that got leukaemia, as he is a huge wimp too, in the nicest possible way. Pete is the brave one in our family.
Anyway, hope you got a better sleep last night,
Bridget

Anonymous said...

I hope that by tomorrow she's figured out what her terms are for the "nasty" meds...

AND that she gets well soon.

xxx