Sick of sick

Almost a month ago, both girls came down with ear infections. The baby went on antibiotics (already her second course in her short little life), and i let amelie's ride it out--which it did. Thinking i'm smart, i stopped the baby's antibiotics on day 7 due to a yeast infection (versus doing the full course of 10 days) because her ears were clear. I peaked in her ears 3 days later and they are red and angry again. Damn it.

As soon as amelie's ears cleared up, she came home with a fever, and a miserable night and woke up last w/e with a rash. Because i know my childhood fever rashes so well (ah hem), i diagnosed her with coxackie virus and let it be. Then her day care told me that 3 kids came down with the chicken pox. Although amelie was vaccinated, it is possible to come down with a milder infection, and because the baby has not yet been vaccinated, i worried about her exposure. So, worry i did. Should i bring amelie in? Have them culture her lesions? Draw blood and see if it truly is coxackie? Fret, fret, fret (it's what i do).

After consulting 3 pediatricians that i work with, a nurse practitioner, who is my friend and amelie's own pediatrician, i have come to the conclusion that it was probably coxackie and either way, it has come and gone and she's fine.

Also, the girls' father has had a cough >2 weeks, and pertussis is running wild in this community.

And so, the baby goes back on antibiotics (and perhaps some lactobacillus this time), and i'll watch for signs of chicken pox. Amelie seems to have recovered, even though people are wary of her healing rash. And the hubs? He thinks i give all my empathy to my patients and have none left for my family. He might be right.