My Least Favorite Part of Parenting

My least favorite part of parenting - hands down - is dealing with illness.

That may sound funny coming from a parent of children with physical special needs.  But I'm not talking about congenital issues and differences.  I'm not even talking about blooddraws...or implants...or daily, life-long medicine...or even surgeries.  We knew to expect all of those things when we identified - and pursued - each of our three children with special needs.

No, I'm talking about the illnesses and sicknesses that come along.  That may seem silly, or trivial...but it is those times that are enough to drive me batty.  It's those "little" decisions that seem so hard to me.  Is it time to go see the doctor, or not?  Time to call the doctor's personal cell phone, or not?  Time to go to the emergency room, or not?  Time to call 911?  

Most recently, it has been Daniel and Gabriel who have been sick.  It started this past weekend.  Daniel had a fever for 3 days.  G had a fever for about 36 hours, then was fever-free for 2 days...then it came back - in a scary way - on Tuesday night.  Like getting-ready-to-take-him-to-the-emergency-room scary.

As the children and I loaded up early the next morning to head to the doctor, Gabriel and Daniel were now no longer running any fever whatsoever.  Of course. Thankyouverymuch.  That is the way it always happens.  But I took them on anyway.  And I'm so glad we went.

The children had fun interacting with Dr. J.  We still don't know what Daniel had been dealing with, but he's over it now...good riddance.  Gabriel, on the other hand, had an ear infection.  Dr. J and I made a deal:  if G was still having trouble, or any fever, on Friday morning, we'd start antibiotics.  Thankfully, he's continued to be fine...so we were able to avoid antibiotics with our babe, again.

So, my two youngest boys had a rough week...so why do I feel like I'm the one who has been through the wringer?   Yep, not my favorite part of parenting.