Really?!?!

Did I really have the nerve to say on Monday "you know we have really been lucky that overall Avery has been so healthy these last 9 months. Despite a few colds, she hasn't had any ear infections or been really sick." To which Jon responds, "uh, knock on wood!" and I say "oh, of course, knock on wood."

So it should have come as no surprise Tuesday when daycare called me and said, you know she's not fussy or feverish but Avery isn't eating or sleeping. Or Wednesday when she didn't eat so heartily and her cough worsened. Or Wednesday at 11 pm when uncharacteristically Avery was crying and we went to check on her and she was on fire, fever of 103.7. Yikes!
Even for a neonatal nurse practitioner, there is something about seeing my own child listless and in despair that just tore my heart out. Since having Avery, it has become clear to me that I would be one of "those" parents if my child were ever hospitalized. And in turn I find that I have much more empathy for my patients' parents than I did before Avery entered our lives.

So I totally jinxed us. And I am not really a believer in jinxes, but maybe now I am. Her temperature then dropped to 96.5 after Tylenol, yikes again. Then this morning I took her to the Dr as her temp was still 101-102 and she is having times of moaning and her cough is preventing her (and us) from sleeping well. Anyway, she'll be fine, but in the moment I have been on official 24hr mother/nurse duty. Thankfully, I have had Jon as my right-hand man. Being up all night, practically, has brought back into focus how awesome it is to have a child who regularly sleeps 12hr a night uninterrupted (knock on wood x10).

Jon has been quite impressed with me because he was worried that my nursing treatment toward him (something along the line of "you aren't dying, you don't need IV fluids, suck it up") might translate into improper care of our beloved Avery. But alas, I managed to treat her right. Our normally too busy to cuddle baby has desired non-stop cuddles, and I have gladly complied. We called her little Lucia today because my sister's baby Lucia is a total lover and Avery is just like that when she feels terrible.

The dr said her chest is rattling, mentioned pneumonitis, placed her on antibiotics, keep up the Tylenol and give plenty of fluids.
Here's hoping for a speedy recovery.