Baby Vibrations?
Friday night one of those things happened. You know an act of coincidence, that perhaps was not as adventitious as it seemed.
It all started when we decided to go see Michael Moore's Sicko at the Panida, a wonderful community theatre here in town. We have a friend that works in the projection room that said we could be his guest for the evening. The offer was too good to decline. We figured, or at least hoped, that KIA would be okay with the darkness. Our attempt to take her to a children's play of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory a couple months ago went horribly wrong. The minute all of the lights went out she freaked out. She just sucked in her lips and looked terrified, her big blue eyes like saucers. The breast wouldn't even calm her. I wasn't able to see Charlie inherit the factory nor stay for the refreshments afterwards, which I'm sure included chocolate. Babies spoil a lot of endings.
Anyhow, as for Sicko, the darkness didn't bother her. She looked at the screen for a bit and then fell asleep nursing. I thought all was well, but Moh claimed KIA wasn't feeling well. Her illness seemed to peak when a segment came on about a mother being told she needed to take her child, that was running a 104 fever, to another hospital where her insurance would be accepted. The mother became angry when the hospital did not treat her daughter and was removed. By the time she arrived at the other hospital her child was having seizures, and well, didn't make it. This was the time that Moh took KIA into the lobby. I quickly followed. That was when KIA started vomiting. Not the spit-up kind, but projectile. Her temperature seemed high as well.
Shit. We were in the middle of watching a movie about medical horror stories and here our child is throwing-up. I wasn't going to take her to the hospital, that was for certain. None of us currently have any insurance, the last couple of trips to the doctor have been out of pocket. We ended up driving to Safeway to buy a thermometer to take KIA's temp. The result was 101, which is high but not dangerous. I went back in and picked up a bottle of infant acetaminophen. I'm not extremely hip on the product, but I do use it when a fever gets above 101. Removing her shirt didn't seem to be doing the trick.
We ended up heading home with a very unhappy baby. She remained fussy the entire night, waking frequently to be held or nursed. Saturday night was even worse. She barely could keep anything down and then the diarrhea kicked in. Today has been a little better, but she still won't eat solids and the diarrhea is continuing. Hopefully tomorrow she will be on the upswing.
Still the whole experience was a bit surreal. It was almost as though KIA was picking up on the movie. Perhaps she's more sensitive than she seems.
posted by BurdockBoy @ 11:56 PM
13 comments
13 Comments:
Sorry your baby is so sick! Here are bits and pieces that worked when my son had similar symptoms: If diaper rash shows up from the diarrhea, Desitin (original, not creamy) is very effective. Lay it on thick. Yogurt helps with diarrhea, but try to give it to her when the fever is down (otherwise curdling and more vomit). Pedialyte and similar seems to go right through them when they aren't eating, but at least the electrolytes are being replenished. The faithful cool wet cloth for fever. Hopefully this is just a passing virus that Kia has. It's hard to know what to do when babies are sick and miserable.
Oh poor thing. I hope she gets better soon.
Few things are more stress-inducing than a sick baby. Hope everybody is feeling better soon.
I'm afraid to see that movie, for fear of finding out its even worse than my experience indicates.
Sick babies make me a nervous wreck hope the little one is feeling better. 101 is not super high especially for babies my kids ran about 100 just pushing a molar up. I believe in any product that makes a baby feel better and I have used benadryl and "tylenol" on numerous occasions. My twins got horribly sick at about 2 months and it was all respiratory very scary when my girl had just peaked the scale at six pounds. My kids hated pedialyte anything...and after tasting it i had to concur. I learned the hard way to head to the generic popsickles when they needed some liquids, not as effective but at least i kept something in them. Yogurt is fabulous for alot of belly ailments for sure!! Heck i've even used it on their bottoms for other diaper related issues.
My neice got in a spill at an iceskating rink when she was about five, no insurance. She was sent home from the hospital even though her grandparents offered to cover everything in cash, (and they had it) Today she is paralyzed from the waist down, one can come to their own conclusion. When it comes to my kids I cannot buck the system. I toil away at a low paying state job because of the security and insurance.
Hope the babe is feeling better. I am going to have to watch that movie at home I get to irrate to be in a public setting.
lesley:
Thanks for the advice.
Diaper rash hasn't been too bad yet, but it could start. We have been sold on the Weleda products for the rash. It comes from Germany and is a bit pricey, but has been worth it.
I'm glad you think Pedialyte is okay. I was a bit hesitant, but we bought the unflavoured clear kind. It is horrible, but KIA does take it in a dropper. I think it is just a passing virus. Moh and I don't feel the best either.
Willow:
Thank you for your well-wishing. I think she is improving.
e4:
Sick babies are quite a stress-causer . I imagine your little ones recent tumble must have really been a ascare. I'm sure we have some of those to come as well.
Yeah the movie is irritating. Especially when he shows the real reason for resistance of universal healthcare.
Maggie:
I have come to respect western medicine a bit more lately. I will definitely never be one to abuse medications on KIA-especially antibiotics, but they do have their place. Tylenol helped my recent illness, even though I refused to take anything for over a day.
Pedialyte is awful. Moh and I have taken a couple of "shots" of it because we have been struggling with a touch of dehydration ourselves.
The yoghurt is back on our list. We stopped giving it to her because she was constipated for a few days, but now....
As for your niece, I'm sorry to hear that. I was really surprised to hear people could be refused. The places I have been, well Wisco, they could not refuse anyone. You ay be in debt for the rest of your life, but you still had to be treated.
I'm definitely looking for jobs with benefits. In Wisconsin our whole family was covered because they have great medicade for families unless you make over like 34K. I had an entire hospital stay covered 100% for pneumonia. Idaho's medicade insurance sucks.
Thanks for stopping by.
That's so scary. It's stressful enough when your child is sick, I can't imagine having to worry about whether or not they're covered for treatment.
I hope she's feeling better soon.
poor baby...hope she feels better soon. i have 3 kids of my own and seems like no matter how many times they get sick, ya just get worried. for fever you could do a combo of children's motrin and children's tylenol..start w one then 4 hours later give the other, then 4 hrs bk to the other.
Sorry to hear that KIA didn't feel well.
Most of the time infant acetaminophen will take care of the fever but it doesn't mean it will take care what causing the fever.
Watch her body language is she pulling at her ears, rubbing her belly, curling up in ball like and etc.
If she throwing up has diarrhea make sure she doesn't become dehydrated.
When my boys where young we had them on CHIP though Medicaid it gave us a peace of mind.
I've never been in Panida and one of the ladies who goes to the Gardenia Center during the announcement always up dates us what going on there.
Nothing that can inspire more feelings of helplessness than when your baby is sick. Gosh I just hate it. I'm soo happy she weathered this illness and got whatever nasty bug she had out.
And I would/will reach for western medicine when it is necessary. It works well when not used excessively.
Sending little KIA peace and healing....
That's a tough situation, Burdock. Having a young child sick tugs on you. I hope Kia is doing better now. And yes, I would take care when it comes to a child's sensitivities and the environmental stimulus...but you know me.
Best to you all.
Good to find you again!! I sort of obliterated my blogroll and forgot to save the addresses.
Anyway, you made it to Idaho! wow.
sorry to hear the baby got so sick, how frightening that is, does Idaho offer a healthy kids program? Not sure what they may call it, I'm including the web address to NH's site to give you ideas, I had thought that it was now mandatory throughout the US. http://www.nhhealthykids.com/
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