Crazy Thursday !!

I had another first this week. When Henry woke up on Thursday, he had a slight temp of 100 F and we concluded that this was a delayed reaction to the vaccinations he recieved on 4/23/12 at his 15 month appointment. This was exactly 10 days after his shots, and fit right on the timeline for any reactions to manifest. This did happen last time, at his 12 month appointment with his vaccines, so we were not surprised to see it again.

At his 15 month appointment, the vaccinations he received were: MMR, HIB, and DTaP.

Okay, back to the "first." Before we took Henry to daycare, we pumped him full of Little Fevers Tylenol and hoped that this would take him through the day and keep his fever down.

Well, we were wrong. After he woke up from his nap, around 1:10 P.M., his daycare called my cell phone to tell us he woke up screaming, and had a fever of over 101, which by their policy, means he needs to be sent home ASAP. This was the first time I had to figure out what to do. I had dreaded this moment since going back to work when Henry was 3 months old.

Since I spend most of my working hours in the courtroom, I did not receive this message until 1:45 P.M., when we took a break, and I panicked. I didn't know what to do because Jordan was on campus, teaching a discussion section, and I was expected to go right back into court.

After a few moments of panic, I walked over to my co-worker's office, who is older than me and a mom herself to three boys, and assured me that I had to go get him and that she could cover the rest of the hearing for me. Then I was worried about 3:00 P.M., because we were both supposed to be in a hearing, what were they going to do? Again, she reassured me that it would be fine, and that I needed to go. I was so glad to have her there to talk me through this!

I called Henry's daycare, told them I was on my way (afraid they were mad at me for taking so long to get back to them) and I took off. To add more insult to injury, I had after-work dinner plans with a former boss and co-worker, and I had no idea if I would be able to make it, and if my ever increasing level of mom-guilt would let me go.

I quickly phoned Jordan before his class began and explained the situation. He, amazingly, told me to bring him to campus and he would just teach the discussion sections while holding Henry. When I asked him if he would care or would he get in trouble, he assured me that he didn't care and this is what we had to do. I was so thankful for this !!!!

I rushed over to daycare, scooped my little guy up, who was in good spirits, and was met by his teacher who I could clearly tell felt bad for making me leave work to pick him up, even if the fever was due to a reaction to the vaccinations and not an actual illness.  I appreciated this, as well as her telling me that I could bring him in the next day, if he was feeling up to it.

I flew down to campus, parked illegally, hauled Henry and his carseat up to the 3rd floor of the building, handed him over to Jordan, and left my little guy to enjoy his first grown-up college discussion section, mixed with "awwwws" by all of the students who were clearly excited to spend time with an adorably cute little man.

I even made it back in time to work for my 3:00 P.M. hearing, and went out with my friend and former boss to an amazing Mexican restaurant, and sucked down indulged in a delicious watermelon margarita. It was an early Cinco de Mayo celebration. Henry and Jordan made it home, safe and sound, he slept well through the night, and woke up on Friday with a pretty normal temperature, but we still gave him Tylenol. He got to sleep-in a little late, and then we brought him into school. He got to stay the whole day, and it looks like he is fine now.

Ah, the many joys of parenting :)

Henry and Daddy enjoying the sun :)

No more fever, Mom!!!