It just doesn't quit...

2009 is not exactly starting out how I had hoped it would. Of course, we are ahead of last year in the fact that no one has had Rheumatic Fever...yet.

Last night I spent 3 (THREE) hours at InstaCare with Nash & Samantha. I took them in because Nash is still croup coughing after 2 weeks & Samantha after 1 week. Well, Samantha mentioned to me as we were headed in that her throat hurt...when the nurses asked me if I wanted to strep test her right off or wait until after the dr. looked at her. I knew better, so I said let's wait.

The dr. came in & took a look at Nash first...swollen lymph nodes but clear ears, nose, throat & breathing good.
Samantha up next...the dr. said that she could see white in the back of Sam's throat so we'd better strep test. It took 4 (FOUR) of us to hold that child down in order to get the strep test done. Mind you in the course of this battle she bit a tongue depresser in half & managed to break so many blood vessels in her cheeks that she now has giant red cheeks with tiny red freckles all over them. The dr. also looked at her ears - that child is as deaf as a post lately so I knew her tubes were blocked, AGAIN. The dr. said that one ear was completely blocked & she couldn't even see in it & the other was 2/3 of the way blocked & chuck full of fluid. GREAT. We finally left InstaCare with 4 prescriptions - 2 for cough medicine & 2 for Dexamethazone (steroid). Before we leave the dr. tells me that I need to call the ENT in the morning & get in as soon as I can (I told her that I had one scheduled for April 7th - 1st day of spring break but that was not soon enough). Strep test came back NEGATIVE.

Arrive at Smith's at 8 pm. Give the pharmacy the new insurance card we received from Trav's employer, Halliburton. They then ask me if I have a different prescription card because none of the numbers on the card I gave them are being recognized by their system. GREAT. Buy 4 (FOUR) prescriptions with NO insurance coverage.

Call the ENT this morning & am told I can get in at 3:45 and see one of the physician's assistant.

Prepare to leave school at 2 pm. Get 2 phone calls from Laura (my daycare girl) at 1:45 pm. Call Laura back thinking Nash has broken something or thrown up. She proceeds to tell me Caleb has a rash covering his entire body & it's been getting worse all day. The rash wouldn't be so bad EXCEPT he has this giant red squishy thing across the back of his head. GREAT!!!

Leave school at 2 pm. Pick up Samantha & am told by teacher that she has mentioned she doesn't feel well (maybe it's the new tongue depresser in her diet??). Pick up boys. Caleb has HIVES! Cover his ENTIRE body. Thing on the back of his head is freakishly huge & nasty squishy. GREAT.

Head to ENT. Physician's assistant comes in & Nash goes first. Ears are not infected, only 1 of 2 tubes are still in ears & 1 ear is totally nasty. Caleb is second. Both ears severely infected. GREAT. Why are we on antibiotics for almost a week & now covered head to toe in hives?? Caleb needs tubes..Nash needs new tubes (I swear we just paid off set #2 of his). Samantha goes last (surprised?) Ears are totally nasty & must be cleaned out.

Try to clean out Nash's ear first. Must soak with ear drops first because it is so crusted in there. Nash is much more brave than his big sister! Gets a "Good kid coupon" from dr. and gets to go pick out a treat from the pharamcy. Put Samantha on table. FREAKS OUT! Decide we should SEDATE her. Fabulous! Get sedative medicine in her & must wait 15 minutes for it to kick in. Meanwhile, fill out surgery paperwork & finish cleaning Nash's ear. Samantha because heavily inundated - acts like she's 3 sheets to the wind! Carry her to room where I must still lay on top of her & have another nurse hold her head still so physician's assistant can clean out ears!

Get a hugemongous piece of goober out. Physician's assistant asks how long her tubes have been in...3 years. Get told 3 years is the max they can be left in & still give the ear drum a chance to heal. Proceed to take out both tubes that are still in ears. Now has 2 holes in each ear drum (round 3 she had 2 tubes put in each ear so they could drain easier). One starts to drain some of the fluid out - wonder how long that will last?

Pre-register boys for surgery on April 9th (Spring Break here we COME!). Must wheel Samantha to the car because she is still three sheets to the wind. Drive home with Samantha crying the entire way (Specialty Hospital to Hyrum - 30 minutes!).

Make it home & get dinner in oven. Put poor Caleb in oatmeal bath - thank goodness he LOVES it! Get kids to bed - shake head & wonder why I keep having children & WHY on earth I want one more!