105.2

Here's a hint--that's not a beta # you're looking at up there. It's how high J's temperature got on Wednesday, a mere 4 hours after being seen at the doctor who diagnosed her with an ear infection and some crackling in her lungs. And when I inquired what the crackling meant specifically (bronchitis? upper respiratory infection? pneumonia?), I was told, "Oh, it'll clear up with these antibiotics for her ear." End of discussion on that topic. Considering it seemed like an innocuous ear infection, I took her to daycare after the appointment.

Fast forward 4 hours when the daycare calls me to say she's at 104.2 under the armpit, which is inaccurate to the tune of a degree, so she's really 105.2. They've stripped her down and have her in a tub of cold water. I race there, fighting panic the whole 7-minute drive, calling the doctor's office on the way to find out what I need to do to help my child, only to be told they'll check with the doctor and call me back--and with infant m0trin in hand so I can dose her as soon as I get there.

I arrive, leaving my car directly in front of the walkway and the 'no parking' sign and rush to the infant room where I find...wait for it...my girl standing in the tub, laughing hysterically at a teacher tossing the ball around in the air for her (something A does with her every night that she loves loves loves and laughs laughs laughs at) while another teacher is running cold water down her back with the washcloth.

This kid, she is something. Despite a temperature that could have sent her into febrile seizures, despite being so congested she cannot breathe out of her nose at all, and despite the fact that drinking a bottle takes forever as she constantly has to stop and open her mouth in order to breathe, she has remained her cheerful, laughing, happy self. Mind you, if it was me who was dragging ass with a 105.2 temperature or thereabouts and unable to breathe, I'd be one miserable bitch--well, more miserable than usual, that is. But not her; she soldiers on happily, almost as if she's as grateful for this life as I am for hers.

This morning, the fever broke (thankfully, never going as high as that terrifying incident but instead fluctuating between normal and 101 to 102). The congestion remains as do her high spirits. These babies, they really are amazingly resilient--for the most part, aren't they? Amazing stuff.

Oh, and as for the reply from the doctor's office about twenty minutes after I called about that crazyhigh fever? "Oh, it's okay, the doctor says it's not unexpected for it to spike so high given that she has an upper respiratory infection." Well, that's nice, there's a little tidbit he didn't deign to tell me when we were there. She simply was "a little crackly" in her breathing. Had he said URI and that she may be prone to high fever as a result, well maybe my complete and absolute terror wouldn't have been so acute...or maybe not. That number, jebus, scary shit.