Mother's Intuition

I took Tanner to the Dr on Wednesday afternoon. She was running fever, coughing and hacking, and just felt icky all over. I ended up having to see my "Second Choice" Dr because our regular Pediatrician couldn't get us in (Found out today that she didn't have childcare for her son this week, which is why her schedule was so messed up and we couldn't get into see her). The "Second Choice" Dr is ok, but he doesn't know my child's history like Dr. Froman does. Dr. Froman has been Tanner's Dr ever since we moved here. She is wonderful-she knows how quickly Tanner gets sick. She knows how to treat whatever it is quickly and effectively and most of all, she's just a kind and compassionate woman. The "Second Choice" Dr-well, first off, he's a man. He's not nearly as kind and compassionate as Dr. Froman and he just doesn't know Tanner's medical history like Dr. Froman does. And in the "Second Choice" Dr's defense-he is in a satellite office so he didn't have Tanner's book like chart in front of him to see just how long and extensive her medical history is.

So anyways.....

We go to the Dr. Tanner tells him that she's got "bubbles in her ears" and he looks at her like she's stupid and says "What does that mean?" She looked at him like HE was stupid and said "There's fluid in there and it's probably infected." Let the record show-she was right. She told him that she had "gunk" in her throat (and had to explain what "gunk" meant), that her chest hurt and that she was coughing a lot and was dizzy. He listens to her and says "Lungs sound just fine." He examines her and says she's got a double ear infection and a sinus infection. He says he's going to do a flu test since they've seen an upswing in the flu again and because "with just a sinus infection and a double ear infection, she shouldn't be feeling as bad as she's acting."

Yea, this Momma about came out of the chair at him. Word to the wise-DON'T ever accuse or insinuate that my child is faking how bad she feels. The kid has been sick all her life. There was a time in her life that she thought feeling bad was normal, for goodness sake! DON'T underestimate how she feels. Grrr!!

So the lab tech comes in to swab her nose. Tanner has had a flu test before. I have had a flu test before. If you've not had one-let me explain....they stick a long q-tip up your nose so far that they poke your brain. Seriously. If you've had a flu test-it's not something you soon forget.

Back to the lab tech-she comes in and barely sticks the swab up Tanner's nose. I could still see the white part of the swab. Tanner didn't flinch. Not.one.bit. I don't think she did the test right at all. Tanner said she didn't even feel it. Yea, that tells me she didn't stick that thing up far enough.

Anyways-it comes back normal and the Dr gives us a script for Amoxicilan. (Amoxicilan hasn't worked for Tanner for quite some time, by the way) I asked him if there was something he recommended besides the Delysm for the cough. He said he'd write us a script for something and then said "I guess I didn't think the cough was that big of deal...my mistake."

I about went postal on him. Seriously.

HELLO! Tanner told him very plainly and clearly that she had a bad cough and that her chest was "killing" her. I had mentioned that the two times previously that she's had pneumonia that they've diagnosed it after an xray, NOT by listening to her lungs! GRR!!!

He wrote us a script for some cough medicine and we left.

Tanner still hasn't felt up to par. The only improvement is that she said her ears don't feel so full. Still coughing. Still complaining of her chest hurting. Still running a fever. Still doesn't have a lot of energy and still hasn't gone to school this week.

I decided this morning I was going to call our regular Pediatrician and ask about a chest xray. It was the weekend and I didn't want to have to make a trip to the ER or to some urgent care. Nurse Renee called me back and said Dr Froman thought a chest xray would be a good idea. I went and got Tanner from Jill, went and got the order for the xray and we went and had the xray taken.

We took the disc with the pictures on them back to the Dr's office and within an hour, Nurse Renee was calling me to tell me the Radiologist had read it and said there was a definite patch of pneumonia in the lower left lung. I hate to say it, but I knew it, I knew it, I knew it. Call it Mother's Intuition if you want, but I know my kid and I knew that #1 she wasn't faking it and #2 something else was going on besides the ear infections and the sinus infection.

Poor kid!!

Renee called us in a Z-pack (Zithromax) to take on top of the Amoxicilan and said that will hopefully see improvement by Sunday. I sure hope so! I hate seeing my kiddo this way! We came home, she crawled back in bed and we've been slathering on the Vicks and have taken some Ibrprofen for the chest pain.

I'm so very glad that I followed my gut instinct this morning and called the Dr back. I'm so very glad the Dr listened to my concern and followed through. I have to give Tanner credit too because despite not feeling good, she has worked hard at keeping up with her school work this week. She is bound and determined NOT to fall behind.

Please say an extra prayer for my kiddo. I know she's going to be fine and I know this isn't the end of the world, but it still stinks!

Thank you!