An Ear Infection

On Tuesday, Gracie had a very rough day at school.  She did good in the afternoon at daycare and was happy for Jeff on the way home.  The minute she walked in the door at home, I knew her day had not gone well.  She cried and screamed for just about two hours straight.  We just walked and held her, but that wasn't enough to console her.  I even put her in the bathtub, the great equalizer for Gracie, and that did not help.  After the crying and screaming, she was so tired and worn out, but was still incredibly restless and couldn't fall asleep.  Her only request was to be "bounced".  This means we hold her and just that bounce her up and down.  This would have been fine, but she was so restless, that she would push against me as if to reposition herself, but she would do it constantly and well at 57 lbs., I can't hold her with the extra weight of her pushing back and constantly moving. I believe it was an act of God that we finally got her to take her seizure meds as she wouldn't eat or drink anything.  She even refused her beloved bubble gum flavored ibuprofen. 

Gracie finally agreed to let Jeff "bounce" her for a while and she did fall asleep on him, but she continued to be restless and would constantly wake up.  She slept like this from 10:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m., when she awoke and was still incredibly restless and upset.  She again wanted to be "bounced".  I can't tell you how close I was to taking her to the "ER".  Something was wrong, but I had no clue what.  We checked her body over for tenderness or problems and all seemed to be fine, no tenderness anywhere.  We had just been to the clinic for her ears two days prior and they checked out fine, so I didn't think it was an infection.  I finally got her to take some ibuprofen at 2:45 a.m. and she fell asleep at 3:00 a.m. as she sat upright on me as we rocked in the rocking chair downstairs.  I think the coolness of downstairs, the change of scenery, and the ibuprofen all helped to calm her.  I rocked her as she slept until 4:00 a.m. and then I carried her to bed where she slept until 7:00 a.m.  She awoke and to my relief was doing much better. 

As soon as the clinic opened, I made an appointment with her pediatrician.  When I told her we were going to see Dr. Deb, she told me she wanted to "see nurses".  What a little goofball.  Well she got to see nurses and Dr. Deb.  She indeed has an ear infection and more than likely a sinus infection.  So we started her on antibiotics yesterday evening and she had a much better night last night.  Although she still woke up grumpy and you can tell she isn't feeling perfect.  I did send her to daycare and she wanted to go.  I chose not to have her go to school.  Under the circumstances, I just didn't feel it was worth it for anyone involved to send her to school where it would be overwhelming for her not feeling well and for those who had to deal with an overwhelmed, not feeling well Gracie. 

I did talk with the Early Childhood Special Education coordinator yesterday and shared my concerns about school and how it really is overwhelming for Gracie right now.  We're going to meet tomorrow and discuss some options.  One of which might be to move Gracie to a different program with a smaller student count.  We'll also talk through plans for next year, as we've chosen not to send Gracie to kindergarten, but keep her in preschool for another year. 

On a fun note, Jeff and I are hearing alot of "I love you, mommy" and "I love you, daddy" from Gracie these days.  We're getting lots of spontaneous hugs and kisses too.  All are heart melters for sure.  She's been very talkative lately too and is singing songs or parts of songs on her own.  Yesterday at the clinic I went to throw a kleenex away in an outdoor trash can and she began singing the Oscar the Grouch rendition of "I love trash!"  That cracked me up. 

Oh and Auntie Sheila....Gracie hates her antibiotics and last night spit them out.  This morning I used the trick you used to use with your kiddos...marshmallows.  It worked!!!!  A little squirt of antibiotics, a marshmallow, a little squirt of antibiotics, a marshmallow.  :)

Oh and on an unrelated note...remember how I mentioned in a past blog that Gracie is out growing all her clothes...well she lost 2-1/2 lbs....how does that work?  She must be getting taller.  She wouldn't cooperate for getting her height checked yesterday, so I'm anxious to see how tall she is.  I keep telling Jeff that her legs look longer.

Stay healthy!

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie