School's Out: Summer Vacation
Last week was a week of endings and beginnings. My son brought home his Mead Five Star Flex Binders. Sorry Mead, I know you say they'll last the school year, but:
I'm not saying they are NOT good products; they ARE good. They made it a couple of months before the rings slowly started to break. Most of them made it to the end of the school year with only two rings broken. The only one that survived was the one that I bought 2 months ago. (And you can bet that I'll be making him use it again next year.) Yes, Mead DOES make high quality products (and they stand by them; they have in the past sent me a free binder when I complained and I give them props for that), but nothing can stand up to a middle school boy, his locker and his backpack. Keep on trying Mead. You'll get it some day. (Though that day may be too late for me.)
My son's last day was a Tuesday. Other schools in the surrounding towns let out on Wednesday, Thursday or even Friday. They all were hot ones, so I'm betting everyone is glad to be out. (Living in the Northeast, A/C is not common in the school system.) My fingers are crossed that the nightmare traffic that I face nearly every day on my journey to work will be whittled down as bit as people take vacations and there is no slow school traffic. Maybe it's just a pipe dream, but...
So school's out. We have plans with my in laws for a great vacation on Cape Cod. My son has never been and my husband and I haven't been in at least 10 years (probably more like 15) so were really looking forward to that.
But before the vacation could begin, my in laws experienced the death of their computer. Which meant purchasing a new one under the guidance of my (brilliant) techie husband. The computer arrived at their house on the last day of school. So the next day (Wednesday), they came out to our house, picked up my son and husband, drove back to their house where my husband worked on getting everything set up and restored for several hours and then they came back here. It was a long day with a lot driving. The picked up my boys around 10 and they didn't return until after 5.
So no one was too surprised when my son was tired. But I was a little concerned when he fell asleep on the sofa around 6. This was a big red flag. My son NEVER falls asleep during the day unless...
Then I find out he fell asleep at my in laws. That he didn't finish his burger at lunch. That he's been complaining that he's cold. He has a fever. This is not starting off as the best summer vacation.
The next day, before I head off to work, I check in on him. He still has a fever. I give him some more ibuprofen before I head out. That afternoon my husband calls and says he STILL has a fever. So we call the doctor's office. And wouldn't you know it, they were closed for a staff meeting! So we waited and waited...the phone were still turned off (pushed to an answering service) for over a hour. I didn't deem this to be an emergency, so we waited and waited...When you are a parent with a sick kid, every minute is an eternity.
Finally an hour and forty minutes later we were able get an appointment for a hour later. It's 80 some degrees out and my son is wearing jeans, white t and "pleather" jacket because he is so cold. At the doctor's office he is tested for flu and strep and the results come back...he's got strep!
Note to you all: just because you have strep, doesn't mean you have a sore throat. (I knew this, but never saw it in action.) We pick up antibiotics and head home. The kid takes a hot bath (yes, it's summer) and climbs into bed.
Meanwhile, hubby is freaking out because he finished my son's burger at lunch. All those lovely germs.
Do I need to tell you that Friday it was back to the doctor's office for my husband? Although he did not test positively for strep, he was given a prescription just in case. And when his throat started to bother him later in the day...
Let us not forget that we were supposed to go on vacation with my in laws starting June 25th. With two out of three of us on antibiotics and the cancellation clock ticking, we had to make a decision. I was vacillating back and forth and finally decided that we needed to forgo the trip. I knew my in laws would be upset and they were. I was hoping THEY wouldn't cancel too, but they did. However, they DID reschedule for August when they were supposed to take the boy to Virginia. (This would not be the first time they had gone.) So instead of Alexandria in August, the three of them will be in Hyannis. My husband and I miss out, but that's okay. I'm a big believer in kids spending time with grandparents and traveling to new places when they can, so overall this looks good.
PLUS, I asked my in laws if they might want to spend some time with him later in the week, after he had finished his course of antibiotics. I figured they could do day trips and such. They were up for it, so all is not lost.
EXCEPT....(You knew that something had to happen right?)
Last night, I noticed a slight rash on one of my son's arms. No biggie. It didn't itch, but...
After he took a shower that night, he noticed that it was also on his torso. And I saw it on his back. It was faint, but...
So...Sunday night and Google is a girl's best friend. Strep + rash = Scarlet Fever!
So it's back to the doctor's office we go today. (Once again, no doctors are available at our location; Physician Assistants are becoming my best friends.) And the results are: NOT Scarlet Fever. PA has determined that it is an allergic reaction to the medication. Since today is the last day for the antibiotic and the reaction is mild, he will take the last dose along with some Benedryl. We will keep an eye on him and the rash and definitely NOT take the same antibiotic again. (Let's hope we don't need antibiotics for a LONG time!)
So here we are not quite a week into summer vacation. Three trips to the doctor's office; multiple prescriptions and no Cape Cod. Here's hoping that the rest of the summer goes a little smoother. (Fingers crossed.) Because you know it's going to fly by and pretty soon I'll be back at the office supply store picking up some more Mead Five Star Flexs for the next school year.
My son's last day was a Tuesday. Other schools in the surrounding towns let out on Wednesday, Thursday or even Friday. They all were hot ones, so I'm betting everyone is glad to be out. (Living in the Northeast, A/C is not common in the school system.) My fingers are crossed that the nightmare traffic that I face nearly every day on my journey to work will be whittled down as bit as people take vacations and there is no slow school traffic. Maybe it's just a pipe dream, but...
So school's out. We have plans with my in laws for a great vacation on Cape Cod. My son has never been and my husband and I haven't been in at least 10 years (probably more like 15) so were really looking forward to that.
But before the vacation could begin, my in laws experienced the death of their computer. Which meant purchasing a new one under the guidance of my (brilliant) techie husband. The computer arrived at their house on the last day of school. So the next day (Wednesday), they came out to our house, picked up my son and husband, drove back to their house where my husband worked on getting everything set up and restored for several hours and then they came back here. It was a long day with a lot driving. The picked up my boys around 10 and they didn't return until after 5.
So no one was too surprised when my son was tired. But I was a little concerned when he fell asleep on the sofa around 6. This was a big red flag. My son NEVER falls asleep during the day unless...
Then I find out he fell asleep at my in laws. That he didn't finish his burger at lunch. That he's been complaining that he's cold. He has a fever. This is not starting off as the best summer vacation.
The next day, before I head off to work, I check in on him. He still has a fever. I give him some more ibuprofen before I head out. That afternoon my husband calls and says he STILL has a fever. So we call the doctor's office. And wouldn't you know it, they were closed for a staff meeting! So we waited and waited...the phone were still turned off (pushed to an answering service) for over a hour. I didn't deem this to be an emergency, so we waited and waited...When you are a parent with a sick kid, every minute is an eternity.
Finally an hour and forty minutes later we were able get an appointment for a hour later. It's 80 some degrees out and my son is wearing jeans, white t and "pleather" jacket because he is so cold. At the doctor's office he is tested for flu and strep and the results come back...he's got strep!
Note to you all: just because you have strep, doesn't mean you have a sore throat. (I knew this, but never saw it in action.) We pick up antibiotics and head home. The kid takes a hot bath (yes, it's summer) and climbs into bed.
Meanwhile, hubby is freaking out because he finished my son's burger at lunch. All those lovely germs.
Do I need to tell you that Friday it was back to the doctor's office for my husband? Although he did not test positively for strep, he was given a prescription just in case. And when his throat started to bother him later in the day...
Let us not forget that we were supposed to go on vacation with my in laws starting June 25th. With two out of three of us on antibiotics and the cancellation clock ticking, we had to make a decision. I was vacillating back and forth and finally decided that we needed to forgo the trip. I knew my in laws would be upset and they were. I was hoping THEY wouldn't cancel too, but they did. However, they DID reschedule for August when they were supposed to take the boy to Virginia. (This would not be the first time they had gone.) So instead of Alexandria in August, the three of them will be in Hyannis. My husband and I miss out, but that's okay. I'm a big believer in kids spending time with grandparents and traveling to new places when they can, so overall this looks good.
PLUS, I asked my in laws if they might want to spend some time with him later in the week, after he had finished his course of antibiotics. I figured they could do day trips and such. They were up for it, so all is not lost.
EXCEPT....(You knew that something had to happen right?)
Last night, I noticed a slight rash on one of my son's arms. No biggie. It didn't itch, but...
After he took a shower that night, he noticed that it was also on his torso. And I saw it on his back. It was faint, but...
So...Sunday night and Google is a girl's best friend. Strep + rash = Scarlet Fever!
So it's back to the doctor's office we go today. (Once again, no doctors are available at our location; Physician Assistants are becoming my best friends.) And the results are: NOT Scarlet Fever. PA has determined that it is an allergic reaction to the medication. Since today is the last day for the antibiotic and the reaction is mild, he will take the last dose along with some Benedryl. We will keep an eye on him and the rash and definitely NOT take the same antibiotic again. (Let's hope we don't need antibiotics for a LONG time!)
So here we are not quite a week into summer vacation. Three trips to the doctor's office; multiple prescriptions and no Cape Cod. Here's hoping that the rest of the summer goes a little smoother. (Fingers crossed.) Because you know it's going to fly by and pretty soon I'll be back at the office supply store picking up some more Mead Five Star Flexs for the next school year.
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