A Comedy of Errors

But not that funny actually. Ben came down with a headache, fever, and sore throat yesterday. This morning, after being very suspicious that he has strep, I decided to take him over to the pediatric urgent care clinic (I don't think I should say which one - LOL).  Joel stayed at home with Rebecca and Caroline, claiming he's had his fill of doctor offices this week - a fair point.

Error #1 - the nurse got Ben's weight and then wrote "32 lbs" in his chart, instead of "32 kg". I happened to spot that one and corrected her. If Ben weighed 32 lbs we'd have a bit more of a problem than just strep....

Error #2 - after doing the strep test the nurse apparently got it mixed up with another strep test that had been done just prior to Ben's, so the doc came in and told us his test was negative. I was a bit bewildered because I was pretty darn sure Ben had strep. Fortunately Ben asked for a popsicle, which delayed our exit long enough for someone to catch the mistake. We were herded back into the exam room, given the proper set of patient education materials (the ones that say "Strep confirmed") and a prescription was called over to our pharmacy.

Error #3 - Joel offered to go out to get his prescription once we got home and soon discovered that the doctor had prescribed giant amoxycillan pills. Yes it's true that Ben can swallow pills, but of the small capsule type variety. Joel had to get them to change the prescription to a liquid. Then to be on the safe side he double checked the dosage and the weight that the pharmacist had listed for Ben to make sure everything was correct.

I think we may not be visiting this particular urgent care facility again ;) Also Joel knew the physician who saw Ben, and I will leave his opinion of her out of this post! Apparently Joel thought I was taking Ben to the regular urgent care right across the street from us. I presumed a pediatric one would be better for him. Apparently I was wrong ;) At least now he has his medicine - I shudder to think about how miserable the next few days would have been if we'd been sent home thinking he did not have strep....

Getting Reacquainted

Lap Dog

Clara thinks she is a lap dog. There is a big doggy butt in my face.

Update

So we came home from the hospital yesterday around noon, everything was fine, Joel showered, got a hair cut, ate lunch, played with the kids, etc... Unfortunately all was not fine for long and he started bleeding again during the night, though not as bad as earlier this week. He ended up back in the hospital, where we thought maybe we could find a surgeon to do a once-and-for-all operation to fix things (which we'd been putting off before now because it is, you know, like surgery). However due to the holiday weekend the preferred surgeons are not around, and since it's not an emergency (he stopped bleeding again), it looks like we'll wait at least till next week to talk to the surgeon and find out when we can do this. He's still at the hospital but if all goes well he can come home tomorrow. Again. I am learning my way around that place way too well. Which for me (directionally challenged that I am), is saying something - I have been there WAY too much lately!

The good bit of news today was the return of Ulysses! Who apparently Ben spotted sitting on a neighbor's front porch, and scooped him up and brought him home. Ulysses has been missing for 2 months, and I had given up hope to the extent that I had put away his food and water dishes and thrown out his cat litter. So I had to go borrow cat litter from a neighbor when I got home from the hospital. I have a theory which is that a couple of days ago, some missing cat flyers (without picture) went up in the neighborhood, and I am wondering if someone "found" Ulysses and took him in as a stray and then lost him again. Hence his appearance back home roughly coinciding with the lost flyers going up. I called and left a message at the number on the flyer, but no return call yet. In the meantime I need to get Ulysses a collar (though he has to date refused to wear one) and possibly get him microchipped and maybe tattoo my phone number onto him someplace LOL... I do not want to lose that cat again! So happy that he has returned home, and just a couple days before his 11th birthday, which otherwise would have been a sad occasion!

The Prodigal Son Returns

After a two month absence we are shocked at this minor miracle! And wondering where he has been hiding!

Bottom Dollar

Ben's down to his last dollar in a fierce game of Monopoly Jr.

Shadow Puppet Theater