Not Again

I just spent the better part of today running between the pediatrician's office and hanging around in Wal-Mart waiting for prescriptions.

Lemme tell ya: I had better things to do today than to blow 45 minutes perusing the aisles of Wal-Mart. Oh, add my cranky baby into the picture and the experience was, well, stellar. *snort*

I was honestly starting to believe I had figured out a lot of E-baby's cues but today I realized I don't really know much about anything. She's sick again. Not snotty nose sick, but 'don't hesitate to go to the ER tonight' ill. Back in late January she had a bout with RSV that nearly scared the life right out of me. If you can imagine what it would sound like if your child's breathing was similar to crinkling Saran Wrap, then that's what she sounded like. She's had a cold for the past few weeks that didn't seem to be getting better, but it didn't seem to be getting worse, either.

Yesterday she started sounding plastic-wrappy again. She always makes her nose dives while I'm away at work, thus making me feel like an asshole-extraordinaire for working 'because I want to.' Without that 'me-time' at work I'd be nothing but a cookie-snarfing, popcorn-munching slob. The job keeps me centered; well, at least as centered as I can be.

So what brilliance did I learn today? Another twenty-four hours or so will tell us exactly what's going on, but it's likely my tiny girl has RSV again. So back we go to terrorizing her with the nebulizer and forcing steroids down her gullet. I do not like wrestling my child with a nebulizer mask. She screams like I'm sawing off a limb with a dull fork. I did get a really 'handy' handout from the doctor which basically told me: go to the ER. Uugh. As if we didn't blow enough money on the first round of RSV. Unless I feel like my daughter's health is in jeopardy, I'm not going to the ER just so they can give her a steroid shot. I'll save that $300 and wait until the morning.

The last bout with RSV is still a really nasty memory. I still can't wipe E's nose or come near her with a washcloth without her throwing a tantrum. I thought when spring rolled around we were clear for these silly baby diseases?

Someone please, give me a shot of energy. I'm going to need it to make it through this again.