Baby's First ER Visit.

And so the baby drama continues...

After we heard back from the on-call nurse yesterday, we got a call from the on-call doctor. I had to take Carter's temperature, and the thermometer read 97.6. I really think this was a false read-- taking the rectal temperature of a squirmy baby with a painful spot on his butt doesn't yield the most precise results! I took it again a few minutes later and got 98.6, but the doctor had already decided that sleepiness coupled with a low temperature required an ER visit. When Brian protested and told her the new temperature, she snapped at him "Who called me?!" So, we headed to the ER like little kids who'd just been scolded.

Upstate's ER waiting room was packed... all sorts of people with masks, ice packs and home made slings. I had a hard time holding myself together as I envisioned a multi-hour wait with my two month old son who has no vaccinations and only what little immunity breastfeeding has given him. Luckily, because the snippy doctor had called ahead, we were called into triage in about 20 minutes, and given a room on the Pediatric ER after about 40.

Carter ended up getting and IV in order to draw blood samples, which was probably the hardest part of the evening. He had to be swaddled with one arm sticking out, and then still held down by Brian, the nurse, the doctor and myself. He's a very active little guy, and he's super strong on top of it. He cried, but I think it was less about the pain and more about his inability to move. He cried again when they give him a big old shot of antibiotics in his thigh. I'm proud of him-- he was little Mr. Charming that night. He smiled for everyone who came in the room, and was calm and collected despite not being allowed to eat for several hours. He also calmed down very quickly after his IV and shot and didn't get fussy at all.

After about 4 1/2 hours, at about 12:30am we were discharged. Carter had an appointment this morning at 9:15 to discuss the results of a culture on his boil (which weren't in yet), and to get another antibiotic shot. This one was much tougher for him, but he did very well. We'll continue to give him his other antibiotic twice a day, apply hot compresses with each diaper change, and soak him in warm water once or twice a day. The boil is nearly flat, and is starting to look MUCH better.

All in all, it's been a rough couple of days, but we're all okay. There's something about being in a Pediatric ER that makes you sit up and take notice of how lucky you are... we're very blessed to be the parents of a happy, healthy (and brave!) little boy.