We are gonna need a note from the doctor...

It all started innocently enough last Monday. MonkeyBoy woke up with a fever and headache so I kept him home from school. He was home Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday complained of a headache so bad that it was making him nauseous.

So Thursday afternoon we went to the Urgent Care clinic. Lucky for us my cousin and the Dr. she works for were running the clinic that day. While we waited for some of the test results to come back the Motrin I had given MonkeyBoy hours earlier began to wear off. His fever and headache came back and he looked horrible. The Doc became very concerned when he came back in the room. The tests for Strep and Mono had come back negative and he didn't like the way MonkeyBoy looked.

The Doc made a few calls and determined that we should go to the ER. They felt that there were a few tests that needed to be done that could only take place at the hospital.

***Those of you who live in this city stop yelling at your computers. I know the hospital stinks...we only went for tests...tests that would be done with my supervision. Plus I had already called my Dad (a doc) and discussed this all with him. So stop clucking your tongue and shaking your head...

For those of you who have no idea what the above paragraph is about...our local hospital - Edge Memorial is nicknamed Edge of Death. People joke about only going there if they are dead...or so close to death that they are unable to protest. In the last few years they have changed management and have attempted improve their service. I can say that the nurses and techs were VERY good. The Doc, who for this story will be called - DrDingus, is a prime example of why it is important to cull your nuts.

DrDingus acted as though he had an ER filled to capacity instead of just a few patients. He appeared overwhelmed and seemed to be unable to focus on the task at hand. He came to our cubicle, did a physical exam, ordered a battery of tests and we did not see him again for hours...when all of the results were back. He said that based on MonkeyBoy's X-ray that he had acute bronchitis/pneumonia. I, of course, questioned this diagnosis. MonkeyBoy had been sick for a week...but in that week as he got worse he never coughed or had so much as a sniffle.

DrDingus did not care for my questions. Before he could leave I asked him about the headaches that were so severe that they were causing MonkeyBoy to be nauseous. He blew me off and would not even write MonkeyBoy a prescription for something for the nausea. I left with a prescription for antibiotics and a decongestant.

Later that night, or should I say early Friday morning, MonkeyBoy woke with a severe headache that caused him to vomit all over his bedroom floor. DrDingus is very fortunate that it was 1:30 am and I could not get my hands on him.

By Friday afternoon MonkeyBoy was even worse. His head was pounding and his legs hurt so badly he didn't want to walk. I ended up taking him to a new doctor. A really good pediatrician that my Cousin was able to get us in to see. The new doctor, who we will call DrAwesome, finally made me feel like things were going to be OK. He wanted to test for Flu before anything else was done...the Flu test was negative...

I have written and deleted this part 5 times. Each time I write it it just seems so dramatic and that just makes me feel silly...but being told that your child will need to be admitted to the ICU and that they will need a Lumbar Puncture is dramatic.

MonkeyBoy was admitted to the ICU Friday afternoon and was having a LP later that evening. Everything about his spinal fluid was fine...they were able to rule out bacterial meningitis. We were released late Saturday afternoon...

They are pretty sure that he has Viral Meningitis. We won't know for sure until the lab reports come back...and that could be a while. He is still staying home from school. He is tired and still has headaches and leg pain. I think the worst of this is over...he no longer has fever and he says that the headaches are not nearly as bad.

So we wait.

BTW-when MonkeyBoy was released from the hospital they told me that the X-Rays were clean-unremarkable....yes...those would be the X-Rays taken in the ER. DrDingus indeed.

Also...after all of this I failed to get a single note from any doctor to make sure this is an excused absence....