Luckily, Clark and Dean go to daycare at Kid Logic Learning in South Burlington three days a week. The best part of my day is usually when I go there to pick them up and I sneak up and watch them playing. They have no idea I am watching and it’s great to see them interacting and enjoying their time away from Mama.
Yesterday I picked them up and instantly my heart dropped. Dean was happy to see me but then was crying and crying and crying . . . which just isn’t like him. Have you had that moment when you wonder – What’s wrong? How can I help? You feel so helpless because they can’t tell you what’s wrong with them.
We got home and I got their dinner together and started feeding them in their high chairs. Dean just cried – he barely ate. If you know Dean, you would know that’s not like him – he loves to eat. I called Essex Pediatrics and spoke to a nurse because I was worried he had an ear infection. The last two times I brought him in thinking he had an ear infection – he didn’t have one and I felt stupid. The nurse said it was my call and I said I wanted him seen by a doctor.
We arrived at 7 PM and I told the nurse all of his woes and she said the doctor would be in soon. I asked her if there was a spot in my kids chart that said “Their mother is a hypochondriac and brings them in for nothing”. She laughed and said she hadn’t seen me in a long time and there were some kids there every week! Dr. Jean Coffey came in to examine Dean and of course, he was screaming. Turns out – he had at least one ear infection. I almost was relieved knowing that he would soon be out of pain once the antibiotics started to work.
Dean fell asleep in the car and slept through me carrying him in and out of the pharmacy. He even slept through coming home and took his medicine while he was sleeping. I put him to bed in his clothes and kissed him goodnight praying he would feel better in the morning and be the loud energetic guy I know him to be.
As a mom we wish we could take away all of their pain so they don’t have a second of unhappiness. As I was leaving the doctor’s office Dr. Coffey said something that I am forever grateful for. She said, “Being a parent is hard work and you are doing a great job. Keep up the good work!” Please try to remember what she said when you are having a hard day or you have a sick child – keep up the good work ladies!
