Crying Wolf

We have had the last two Monday's off in a row. My daughter has somehow contracted an illness which causes her to need to miss the Tuesday's also. She had two four day weekends, without homework, and no specific or treatable ailment. This week she was miraculously better, while the rest of the family was ill.

I chose to ignore the congestion she was experiencing, writing it off as a common cold to be treated with over the counter drugs and huge doses of TLC. She never complained, until Thursday at 3:00 a.m.

She woke me, complaining that her jaw hurt. I don't know how to help with hurt jaws, and in a curt manner, offered Advil and a cold compress. She couldn't understand why I was so curt. This marked the forth time I had gotten up. At the time I felt as though I were swallowing razor blades and nothing took away the pain, but now I am good. I am not so curt.

Although she woke up to go to school, she was tired, (a given...so was I) and needed more pain medication. The sores on her mouth and nose were increasing in redness and goo was billowing. I dismissed the goo entirely, again, citing a common cold as the culprit. By 3:00 p.m. I sensed her discomfort and thought I should call the doctor at that point, instead of making an urgent care visit on the weekend.

Bad Mom Award=me! The sores on her face were a strep infection, she has bronchitious, and an infected gland. Ooops. She is on a stronger antibiotic than the rest of us, and may need to be seen again on Monday if the swelling in her gland does not subside.

She cried "wolf" one too many times. When complaints are slathered in drama, the real pain is often hard to uncover. I have learned my lesson: When she complains and cries, the pain is minimal. When she barely complains, she is in need of a hospital visit. This only took 14 years to discover her illness language. Can you say S-L-O-W? Next time I may get it right.

Comments

First of all...you will NEVER be able to steal the "Bad mom" award from me! Second, you have seen nothing yet, remember our talk last week? Teen life is just starting, she will still cry wolf when girls are mean, boys won't talk to her, etc etc, AND THEY GET BETTER AT IT!! Sorry! Glad you are feeling better and YES I REALLY REALLY HOPE she is feeling TONS better! That is a bad one! Prayers going up...NOW!!