Scarlet Fever on Christmas Day
Abbi was doing well all day but when we got to Grandma's house around 5:30 she started to complain about not feeling well again. We all ate some dinner but Abbi didn't want anything and stayed on the couch. I held her on the couch for a little bit and noticed a small rash that had broken out on the back of her neck and upper back. It wasn't too bad and seemed to look better when I pulled her hair up and let the air get it a bit. I thought it may just be a heat rash because she was awfully warm and snuggled in a blanket. After eating, Peter went to CVS to get her some medicine that was child age appropriate and she eagerly drank it up when he returned. After a little bit Abbi feeling better and up a moving a bit. The kids opened their presents and Abbi even ate a little bit of food that Papa prepared for her. She didn't get too much down before she didn't want anymore. I didn't press her on it because I knew she wasn't feeling well. Peter packed up the car with all the new toys and we got in to head home. Before we had left the driveway I saw Abbi making a face and I asked her what was wrong, she said her stomach was hurting her. I asked if she had to throw up or go to the bathroom but she said no. I went inside to get a towel in case of any accidents and then we left for home. Shortly after our ride started Abbi started crying in pain and holding her belly. She was curling up in a ball and screaming like she has never done before. Abbi is not dramatic in the least so any commotion from her is cause for alarm. I thought maybe she had gas but she insisted that wasn't the problem. On Christmas night there weren't a whole lot of options for us as far as doctors go. Peter and I discussed taking her to the ER but that wasn't really something we wanted to do. I called my friend Rena, who is a pediatrician, and told her what was going on. She said it could be a number of minor things but one thing we wanted to make sure it wasn't was appendicitis. She reminded me of Urgent Care Centers and I remembered there was an After Hours Pediatric Office right off the toll road we were on. We got off and I had Abbi walk a little bit (which she did with no more pain giving me some relief that it wasn't appendicitis) but the pain didn't seem to get better either moving to the thought that it wasn't gas. We took her inside the office and did the paperwork and insurance thing and then they took her vitals. The whole while Abbi was still screaming in pain and couldn't hold still. I lifted her up to the exam table and she doubled over holding her belly and rocking. I wanted to cry right along with her but I knew she needed me to be calm to give her some reassurance that she was going to be alright. We had to wait for the doctor which seemed like forever but I am sure it wasn't very long at all and while we were waiting I noticed Abbi's rash had spread to the majority of her body, leaving really only her face, hands, and feet alone. When the dr came in I told him that Abbi had had her flu shot and she was up to date on all vaccines. He asked about vomiting, sore throat, colds, and headaches, all of which I told him she had none of. I told him about a cough she had for a few days now, it was dry though and came mostly at night. He asked a few more questions eluding to flu symptoms but then I told him about her rash. He took a good look at her rash and said we needed to take a strep test and check for Scarlet Fever. The whole while I am texting Peter (who had the other two kids in the lobby) and Rena who is helping me keep my sanity. Scarlet Fever sounds so awful and the first thing I think of is all the deaths it contributed to in the early 1900s. Of course, this was before the discovery of penicillin but anything that could cause death and is now building fort in my baby girl is terrifying to say the least. Abbi's pain started to subside and then would come about again giving her a few moments of peace between the screaming fits. The nurse came in to perform the throat culture and I had to hold Abbi down so the nurse could get her swab. Poor Abigail started
coughing and crying once again, I held her and told her how well she did for the nurse and that it was all over now and she didn't have to go through that again. When she calmed down I held her hands and leaned on her and prayed aloud with her, asking for healing and wisdom for the doctors to provide the proper diagnosis. Soon following that, while we waited for the test results, Abbi fell asleep on the table. The doctor came in and told me the test was positive and gave me a prescription for antibiotics. He told me she will be contagious for 24 hours after she starts the meds so she needed to be away from her siblings as much as possible in that time. We left the office and dropped off her script and then came home and I put all the kids to bed while Peter ran back out to pick the meds up. Poor baby Abigail has Scarlet Fever. Hopefully she will sleep well tonight and have no more painful stomach fits. Tomorrow she will have to stay in her room, this is no way to celebrate Christmas. I praise God that it is only Scarlet Fever, something that today is completely and easily treatable. The dr said she should feel better in a day or two and her fever should subside in that time also.
posted by We are the Taylors @ 10:51 PM
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