Sick kids...

Our four year Anica has been congested for a week now.  Last Friday night she started wheezing (which is pretty typical for her when she's sick), so I started her on the nebulizer treatments.  They certainly seemed to be helping her to breathe easier.

We talked about Ali as we used her oximeter to check Anica's O2 levels.  Anica was consistently in the low to mid-90s over the weekend (also not surprizing when she is sick).  We talked about Ali as we used Ali's nebulizer dragon mask.  Anica loves to talk about Ali and is always asking questions and dreaming about what Heaven will be like.

Anica seemed to be holding steady all weekend until Sunday night.  All of the sudden she spiked a high fever and was unusuallly groggy.

Our doctor has always told us that it is usually ok to treat the symptoms of a viral infection at home but if the kids suddenly spike a fever we need to get them on antibiotics because it could be a symptom that it has turned from viral to bacterial.  I took one look at Anica and...

AND I PANICKED!

In my mind I envisioned hospital stays and tents and pneumonia...

I told Al I wanted to call the doctor and I thought maybe we needed to take her to the hospital.  He seemed surprised and didn't think that Anica was acting sick enough to need a hospital stay, but encouraged me to go ahead and call the doctor.

I told the doctor all that I was seeing.  And he agreed that she needed antibiotics.  He also thought that we needed to try bring her high fever down, but none of her symptoms were concerning enough to rush her to the hospital.  He gently told me just keep an eye her and pick up the antibiotics in the morning.

I didn't realize that I was reacting completely emotionally until I got off the phone with the doctor and then suddenly I realized I had been panicking.  I was taking care of Anica and concerned for Anica's health, but subconsciously I was thinking of Ali.  I pictured Anica in the hospital room where Ali was when she had pneumonia the first time.  And I was picturing Anica in the tent where Ali had been treated.  I pictured Anica being very very sick like Ali had been.  And I was SCARED.

Thankfully Anica is much improved and she did not need to go to the hospital. Unfortunately though now Moises and Ariel have the same cold too.