Sunday, November 22, 2015

Biscuit is back to normal

This has been quite a rough week. Remember how I said Biscuit wasn't feeling well last Sunday, and that I hoped he felt better soon? Well, that didn't happen.

By the time we got home Sunday evening, Biscuit's temperature was 103, and you could tell by looking at him that he was a sick little boy.

I wrote emails to his teacher and after-school leader to let them know he wouldn't be at school Monday. I texted his piano teacher to say we couldn't attend his lesson. Jeff and I split the day. I worked the first half at work and the second half at home. And Jeff did just the opposite.

Our thought was that Biscuit's fever would wind down Monday evening, and he would head back to school Tuesday. But when he got up Tuesday morning, he was still feverish.

Biscuit will occasionally run a fever out of nowhere, often with no other symptoms. I asked his doctor about it, and his doctor said that's just his body's way of fighting off bad stuff. He also said we should be glad that Biscuit's immune system is strong enough to fight off illnesses like that.

Biscuit's doctor has always said that three days is the magic number. If his fever goes away within three days, he's fine. If it lasts longer than that, we should bring him in to his office.

So Tuesday morning, we called the doctor. 

We went in that afternoon and while we were waiting on the doctor, poor Biscuit couldn't even sit up. He was lying face-down on the exam table. He was wearing a hand-me-down T-shirt with "Angry Birds" as "Star Wars" characters. When the doctor came in, I helped roll Biscuit over. Biscuit started to sit up, but the doctor told him to stay right where he was.

"Hey," the doctor said. "I like that shirt."

Biscuit had his eyes closed until the doctor made the comment about his shirt.

Biscuit opened his eyes long enough to say, "I don't like 'Angry Birds,' but I do like 'Star Wars.'"

Turns out, Biscuit had an adenovirus. I had never even heard of such a thing, but it's basically an all-encompassing virus that affects dang-near everything in him.

He had respiratory issues, sinus problems, throwing up, bathroom issues, headache, body aches, sore throat and more. The only thing that didn't hurt him was his ears. They were perfectly clear.

The doctor wrote him an excuse for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. And he said that if Biscuit's fever wasn't gone Wednesday night / Thursday morning, we should bring him back.

I woke up Wednesday morning with the room flying around. I have occasional bouts of vertigo, and I certainly didn't feel like getting up and going to work. But the week before Thanksgiving is always rough at work. We have early deadlines, and I just couldn't miss any days of work last week.

Wednesday night, Jeff and I were lying in bed, and just out of nowhere, the vertigo kicked up a notch. It was worst the I had ever had. I was lying perfectly still, but it felt like I was rolling all over the bed. I broke out in a sweat and immediately started feeling nauseated. It was awful.

We were already worried about Biscuit, then Jeff had to worry about me, too.

I still wasn't feeling well Thursday morning. But Biscuit woke up on his own and walked downstairs. I could tell by the look on his face that he was feeling better.

He brought me the thermometer, and I checked his temperature - 98.3 in one ear, and just for good measure, 97.5 in the other ear.

"How are you feeling?" I asked him.

"I'm feeling very, very better, Mom," Biscuit said.

Finally, by Friday evening, we were all doing a lot better.

Jeff had all-day work days both days this weekend, so Biscuit and I just camped out at home. We caught him up on his homework and piano. I did a bunch of cleaning stuff that I wasn't able to do this past week.

We're hoping this coming week will be a lot better for us.

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