Fever

Kade has been sick since last Monday night. He was fine all day, then before bed I kissed him on the forehead and noticed he was pretty hot. He is prone to getting fevers, so I just brushed it off as, "he must have played too hard today." In the morning, he comes stumbling into the bedroom, delirious, crying, and burning up with a fever of 104 degrees!!!

My whole week has been a mess of obsessive temperature taking, medicine measuring, doctor calling, washcloth wetting, popsicle offering, drink forcing, and blanket refusing. Tuesday, Kade developed a sore throat. Wednesday, his fever shot up to 105.5. I got it to come down very quickly, and Kade did not have any of the "go to the ER" signs. But, he also developed a very bad headache and a stiff neck. He was not able to turn his head from side to side or up and down- he just lay on the couch looking very miserable and pale. He ate barely nothing the whole week.

I took him to the doctor on Thursday. At one point during out 45 minute wait, Kade slid off the chair onto the ground, clutching his neck. "This is the end!" he croaked out dramatically. "I'll see you in Heaven, mommy. I never thought I would die this way. I'll miss you!" Other moms were staring, and calling their children away from the apparently deathly ill boy on the floor. "It's OK," I said to them, "he says stuff like this all the time..." "NOOO, it's the end for me, the end, THE EEEENNND!!!" Kade insisted.

Luckily, the nurse came just then to call us in. After checking Kade over, the doctor was worried enough that he was asking about what was the nearest hospital to our house. I think he was worried that Kade had meningitis, by the questions he was asking.. Not too worried, I'm sure, or he would have sent us to the hospital right away! He thought the sore throat trumped the stiff neck and headache, so prescribed him antibiotics and sent us home. He even called on Friday morning to make sure Kade was still OK.

This morning (Saturday, I think.... I'm beginning to lose track of time..) Kade woke me up at 5am and his fever was up near 104 again. I gave him motrin and a drink and put him back to bed. At 9, he woke up again, fever free! He walked out of his room and proclaimed, "I feel so alive!" and asked for something to eat. His headache gone, his stiff neck nice and relaxed, a smile on his face. The only trace that remains is a bit of a sore throat. It's still only the middle of the day, so I am *hoping* that the fever does not come back. It seems like he has been sick forever. I haven't been out of the house (besides to the doctor) all week. I need to go grocery shopping SO bad! And I just need a little break! Just one little break, before next week starts and I have to get caught up with my life!