When It Rains It Pours

Not in an entirely new stroke of fate is another issue with Leo's health. He is a happy child, thank goodness for that, because between his milk issues, spitting up, gas attacks, diaper rash(okay that was only once but it was really bad!!), and eczema issues he has had quite a dramatic 4 months! Incidentally, for those not keeping track, today is his 4 month birthday and I thought I'd be having a whole different kind of post! But, here's how our day unfolded instead...

Scene 1: Leo's bedroom
I was changing his diaper after another nice long sleep on his part (could this be the beginning of the sleeping through the night?? Let's not jinx it...) when I noticed his penis was quite red and inflamed. I, not having a penis of my own and not exactly sure how to trouble shoot when a problem arises (pun definitely indeded!) with one, became immediately concerned. I called the pediatrician's office right away and explained to the nurse that I would like an appointment, I would not like to be triaged, and although I didn't have a penis, I know when one doesn't look quite right and could I please just see the doctor. Thankfully, she obliged.

Scene 2: The kitchen
Mom had dropped Sophia off from a sleepover last night and as I was holding Leo she remarked on how the back of his ear was a little red. I told her yes, and that he had scratched it a few days before and after we applied some ointment it looked a bit better. She looked at me sort of quizzically which made me investigate his ear a little more...yikes. Tucked way under his ear was a very grody, very gooey patch of flaky skin. Hmmm....good thing I was already going to the doc.

Scene 3: The Doctor's Office
Doctor: what seems to be the problem with Mr. Leo?
Me: Well, his penis is very red (here Sophia interjects with see Dr. Grossman, his penis is red) and swollen. It just happened this morning. Oh, and he has something gross behind his ear.
Doctor: after inspecting the little guy...Hmmm. It looks like maybe he had some eczema behind his ear that turned into an infection. That's pretty common. Maybe it's a little staph infection.
Me: Oh. a sort of quizzical, but satisfied with a diagnosis, but yet still concerned 'oh'
Doctor: have you ever heard of "something medically and Latin sounding"
Me: Ummm, no, I'm not familiar with that.
Doctor: Some people call it MRSA.
Me: WTF???!!! Okay, what I really said was Oh. a definitely much more concerned sounding and no longer satisfied with the diagnosis 'oh'
Doctor: Now, I don't think it's MRSA, probably not, but I can't be sure. There's nothing to culture, so I'm going to give him some antibiotics.
Me: oh.**
Doctor: If these antibiotics don't make things better you'll need to bring him back on Thursday. If they don't make it better, it's MRSA.
Me: Awesome.
Doctor: Don't go home and look up MRSA on the internet. It will just scare you. It might not even be that. Besides, on the internet they only put the worst case scenarios. Just watch him. And bring him back on Thursday if it's not better. (I did not mention that there was no need to look it up because I was already quite familiar with the scary, "worst case scenario" stories to which he referred)
Me: Okay. At this point I was so frazzled that I couldn't think of anything else important to ask. Besides, Leo started fussing as it was just about time for him to eat and Sophia was being, well, Sophia. Plus, it was her lunch time and closing in on her nap time too!
Doctor: Oh, and see those other little spots on his face...those are impetigo. Don't look that up on the internet either. The antibiotics I prescribed will take care of both the staph and the impetigo, so don't worry. (um yeah, me worry?? Please.)

**this is the point at which I also began thinking Oh shit...now I totally have to disinfect my entire house! I have to wash his sheets, his hat, his blanket, the car seat cover, etc. etc. Then I remember...oh wait...when we went to do laundry last night at 10:30, there was an issue with what some people call "standing water" in our basement. Awesome. At least it wasn't sewage! Yes, in fact, I had to reschedule the plumber as he called on our way to the pediatrician's office and he nicely volunteered to come back later. Thank goodness for nice plumbers. So, no, I would not be doing any laundry when I got home as it was darn near impossible.

Scene 4: The Pharmacy
It is now officially past Sophia's lunch time and officially her nap time has begun. On the way to drop of the prescriptions I swing by the refrigerator case and pick up a milk and a Lunchable for Sophia to eat while we wait. I drop of the scripts and have to give all our info again as Leo is a new patient in their system. Then I take Sophia over to the waiting area which is surely germ infested from all the sick patients that have been there before us and attempt to clean off a chair with a baby wipe so that she can use it as a table for her lunch. We wait probably about 20 minutes before the Pharmacist tells me that my total is $137....WTF??? Okay, well I suppose the nastier the infection the steeper the price?? Anyway, I leave, pack up a poopy Sophia because I was not about to haul everyone into the gross Walgreen's bathroom to change her diaper. She proceeds to pass out on the way home, which is good, but now that poop has to say in there even longer, and that is not good.

Scene 5: My kitchen
Sophia was tucked into bed and sleeping soundly. I get out Leo's prescription to start him on it right away, when, what's that I notice??? The label doesn't say the same name as what the doctor told me he was prescribing. Naturally I call Charlie and ask him...no, he says, no in fact that is not the same drug at all.
Me: sonofabitch
Charlie: I'll take care of it. when he speaks in his stern voice, watch out, cuz I know someone's in trouble! ;)
Charlie called the doctor to confirm the prescription and then called and chewed out the pharmacist. He was definitely the right man for that job!

The plumber then called back and said he was on his way over. Okay. BUT...I had one sleeping child, one backed up pipe, one sick baby, and one wrong prescription.
enter Brother...
Thankfully Stacy arrived, stayed with the kids, paid the plumber, and cheerfully changed diapers while I was away getting the new prescription. The pharmacy refunded the old amount and then comped the new amount (which incidentally was the same price). I felt that was the least they could do!!



I am now home, Leo has had his first dose of antibiotics and Sophia happily agreed to watch Wonder Pets as I de-stressed and vented into cyberspace! My day can really only look up from here, right?!