We are at the tail end of Influenza A in our household.
As surprising as this sounds, for 6 years now, we've had 1 bout of stomach flu and minor coughs and colds from our daughter. Nothing major like last week! We like to call it Orphanage Immunity. And friends, it was eye opening for this RAD mom.
I received a call from the school on a Wednesday saying Quiet Tiger had a fever and I had to go pick her up. I was on my way to a client's house to let their dog out and couldn't reschedule, so she had to wait for me in the nurse's office for about 40 minutes. The fever was 102 and we immediately went home for the Tylenol.
Day two and the fever spiked to 104 and QT said she had a sore throat. I immediately thought: strep!
Day three and the fever was down to 101 and falling, so I didn't take her in. She was feeling better.
Day four and she was fever free! I thought our return to school would be right around the corner.
But day 5 and the fever was back up to 102, so I took her into the clinic where she tested positive for Flu A. There was nothing to do but ride out the virus. Yet I did get that all important note from the doctor so the school wouldn't get on my case about her missing so much school.
The fever yo yo-ed back and forth over the next week. Sore throat, congestion and a nasty cough were also in the mix. She was miserable and I don't blame her one bit!
Here's where the RAD really played in. She got mad at me with every medication I gave her. I get it. They don't taste good. And she felt horrible, so I just dealt with her anger. Then at the clinic, she glared at me over the swab tests for the flu and strep. Those aren't fun either and she'd never experienced anything like that before. I just told her she was safe and that I trusted the doctor to know what she was doing.
Where I had the biggest issue by far was at night when I tried to put her in a hot, steamy bath to help alleviate the cough and congestion for just a little while before bed. She normally loves the bath. But this time she screamed bloody murder at me. Rage! Pure rage! She insisted the water was too hot, despite me testing it repeatedly. She refused to hold a hot, steamy washcloth up to her face and breathe through it. Absolute refusal. She never did sit in the tub. She did the Asian squat. And she only used the washcloth for about 2 minutes. After that the raging stopped too and the bath did help her breathe, but what a mess is caused.
When a lot of us feel lousy, we want mom. Moms make everything better.
Not for a RAD kid. I saw nothing but 200% distrust in me that night.
I tell you, it makes a RAD mom feel empty, unable to offer any comfort to my child.
I'm just glad she's past the fever and now just trying to beat the cough and congestion.
