Influenza

Lily started with a runny nose and congestion on Friday. By Saturday, her nose was running non stop and she started with a slight cough and low grade temp. I was working Friday night and Jason said she had woken up crying early Saturday morning, so I called Dr. Russell's office when I got home from work on Saturday AM. The nurse told me just to watch her since her temp was low grade (101.6) and to call back or bring her in if she got worse. She did okay the rest of the day...just very whiny and clingy...totally not like her. She hates to be held and cuddles, but on Saturday this is ALL she wanted. She woke up Sunday AM at 3:00. She was burning up (temp 103.4) and crying, crying, crying with nothing but snot bubbles. She would not take a bottle and she would not take Tylenol or Motrin. I bundled her up and off we went to Children's ER...the only place for us to go in the middle of the night on a weekend :(. By the time we got to the ER her temp was up to 103.6 and she wouldn't stop crying. Poor thing. Jason and I took turns holding her and trying to rock her to sleep. We sat there for almost 3 hours. I told her that if she didn't take her Tylenol that she would receive a lovely dose in her backside...and she did. I'm trying to teach her at a young age to always listen to her Momma! The ER MD saw her and diagnosed her with influenza. No cultures or anything were run, but with the high temp and other symptoms the MD said this is what she has...it is everywhere. I asked how do I know if it is Influenza A or H1N1...the MD said it doesn't matter. The symptoms are the same and treatments are the same, and at this point they are opting not to treat with the Tamiflu. It would just have to run its course and Lily would be miserable for about 3 days. She had a fever all of Sunday and on Monday she was 102.5. I gave her one dose of Motrin on Monday morning and she has been fever free since. Today has been the first day she has really "played" and been more of herself. The past few days she has slept in until 11:00 and laid with me on the couch most of the rest of the day...when I was forcing food and fluids at her that is! I was warned that she probably wouldn't want solids, but it is still frustrating when your child won't eat! Anyway...we still have a snotty nose, a more crabby than usual little girl, but she is getting back to her old self by the minute...ORNERY! She is supposed to have the second half of her flu shot and the H1N1 shot on Thursday, but I'll have to call the office tomorrow to see if they will still do it since she has been recently ill. That is all...as I currently have a little girl having a major melt down!