What a nasty little set of viruses. Two weeks ago Matthew fought off a fever and then developed a rash called roseola. The rest of us are still struggling with that. William and Maxwell developed fevers and then had runny noses for a while. Max had the added pleasure of a distended scrotum that signals a hernia, and William has the worst case of diaper rash we’ve ever seen. Our nanny Martha and both Curtis and I developed nasty coughs and fevers; we are all still sick some two weeks later.
Our pattern is that whatever Matthew gets, I will get worse and for longer, presumably because I’m old. Last week, I was coughing so much at night that I pulled a muscle in my ribs, which makes further coughing exceedingly painful. I had to cancel two doctors’ appointments for myself. What a pain in the ass.
On Friday morning I was running with Matthew toward the kitchen when he fell. As he fell, he tripped me and I fell onto my ribs (the same ones I had already strained) and hyperextended my shoulder. I spent some quality time at Urgent Care the next day. “You should rest, Paul.” F$#% off. If I could rest, I could heal and I wouldn’t be in so much pain. I got a z-pack and some narcotic pain relief (so I could sleep) and an inhaler. I started to improve. It was at a glacial place, but it was improvement.
Yesterday I awoke with a headache that developed into the worst pain I’ve ever had. I drove to our walk-in health clinic, where the doctor looked at me for ten seconds. “You have an ear infection.” I have a course of antibiotics to run through.
Curtis is still sick, as is Martha. Does it seem to you that this happens a lot? It seems to me that it does. I am a numbers guy, so I went to my healthcare portal and tallied it up. Since we moved to San Diego, I have seen a healthcare professional thirty times, which includes yesterday’s walk-in clinic but does not include dental visits. Thirty. Each one has a copay of $45 or $50 and a few have copays that are double. In comparison, Matthew has had twenty-two visits (including today’s), William has had twenty-two, and Maxwell has had sixteen. I’m taking Maxwell to see a pediatric urologic surgeon on Friday morning. Next week, I’m seeing a dentist and an orthopedic surgeon. Next week William has a fifteen-month well-child visit with his pediatrician. The following week I’m seeing a dermatologist and Matthew sees a dentist. I wonder if it would be easier if I just got a room at the hospital and they came to see me?
This morning I took Matthew to his three-year well-child check with our great doctor. At last year’s two-year check, we were worried that Matthew’s verbal development was running behind; at today's appointment, we both agreed that his verbal development is on track. (That means he talks too much.) Matthew explored the room while the doctor and I spoke. And Matthew is growing and learning; the doctor predicts his height will be 5′11″ or 6′0″. And we had no shots!
You poor guys just can’t seem to catch a break- only viruses 🦠
🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗 hugs for everyone plus 🐶 🐶
Feel better! Maybe the warmer weather will help 😬