Fever

[pegkerr]

Delia's fever has been bouncing around today, between 100 degrees and 104 plus. Tylenol helps drop it down, but then it will creep back up again. I took her to the clinic and had her tested. She doesn't have strep.

I sat in her room and kept her company while she dozed for awhile today. Her face was red and her eyes heavy-lidded. When I came over and took her hand, the heat pouring from her fingers was startling. Sprawled there under her bunny blanket, holding her teddy, she watched me, as if to make sure I wouldn't leave, and then her eyelids would lower and she would sleep for awhile.

She sleeps badly at night when she's feverish, stirring once every couple hours or so with night fears. When she whimpers, I go to her and run my hand lightly over her back, and then she'll be quiet again for a while.

I hope she is better soon. But although it seems odd, I must admit it. There is something that is satisfying for me, deep down, about nursing a child who is sick. She wants me, only me. She opens her eyes just to check that I am there. She wants nothing else. Not food, not water--I have to push fluids on her. Not entertainment, not music. Only me.

I am glad to be there for her.

Comments

[jbru.livejournal.com]

Awww. Can you be my Mommy?

Hope Delia's feeling better soon.

[kiwiria.livejournal.com]

I understand the feeling of satisfaction. It is wonderful to feel loved and needed. I'm glad Delia has such an amazing mum. I hope she feels better soon.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Poor little mite. Will she suck popsicle bits, or frozen juice-and-water?

[averagegirl.livejournal.com]

I'm almost 18, and I still feel better when my mom rubs my back when I'm sick. You have many years to look forward to.

[tinymich.livejournal.com]

I'm nearly 22, and I ditto that. ;-)

[mareklamo.livejournal.com]

Gee, I hope Delia feels better soon. The last time I had a bad fever (20 years ago, time flies) my mother wiped me down with a damp rag. It felt heavenly.

[millefiori.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean -- it's half satisfaction, half fear. My son used to get unexplained fevers when he was very young. The doctors could never find any infection, and rather than give him unnecessary antibiotics I'd just ride them out and let them do their job. Those fevers were just about the only time he would be still and quiet long enough for a cuddle!

If the numbers start to get scarily high, you migh try a lukewarm bath -- not cool enough to chill, but definitely lower than her body temp. I'd lay my kids in the bath and pour the water through their hair and it usually brought their temperature down for a while.

I hope Delia's feeling better soon!

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

One of those human dichotomies: those who like nursing the sick and those who don't. Or maybe those who are good at it and those who aren't. I'm in the latter category in both cases. Thank goodness my kids have seldom been sick!

It may, at least partly, reflect one's own preferences when sick. I like to have someone who will bring me what I want, but otherwise I want to be left alone. Certainly I don't want to be touched. When I'm sick--again, thank goodness it's seldom--my ideal would be a robot servant, and no human beings within sight or hearing.

[kokopoko.livejournal.com]

It's so scary with those high fevers. I remember when Rachael had high fevers with her ear infections. I would run her to the tub for a lukewarm sponge bath and she'd be screaming the entire time that it was ice cold. So scary.

[jemyl.livejournal.com]

Awww, poor baby! Those high fevers are awful, for both of you. I was ever so glad when my girls finally outgrew that stage. We were doing this stuff when the docs had the bright idea that sponging the child with cold water in a bath or with alcohol and keeping them nude and cold would help. I think they are a bit more enlightened now. If you could make her some gatorade popsicles or ice cubes to suck on, that would both hydrate her and keep her electrolytes in balance. I learned with Bill and his fevers this last month that if the blood pressure starts going up, it usually means the patient is starting to dehydrate. Dehydration is a medical emergency. Don't be afraid to get Delia to the ER for some IV saline if she runs those high fevers for more than two days. Dehydration can cause some weird and bad stuff, especially on the kidneys and brain. I'll keep y'all in my prayers too.