Our Little Miracle

On Friday we took the kids to the OMSI (sans camera, GASP!). Ballerina was being cranky and tired and even rode in the stroller for a little while. By the evening she was running a fever, complaining that her hip hurt (just below her ribs) and she threw up. So Handsome Husband and I cancelled our babysitter and wouldn't have gone out on our date had Jeana not come over and insisted that she could handle it and shoved us out the door so we could get a date night. When we came home and Ballerina was getting up frequently to use the bathroom I knew it must be a bladder infection or something. I borrowed Jeana's thermometer since all mine were out of batteries(it really is SO convenient to have her as a neighbor) and Ballerina had a temperature of 102. I called the advice nurse who told me to give Ballerina a baking soda soak.

On Saturday morning I took Ballerina to the urgent care while Handsome Husband took the other kids to a pumpkin patch with the Nunez's. Unfortunately, none of the pictures they took turned out because the camera hadn't been switched from manual to automatic. Looks like we'll be going to a pumpkin patch again, which I'm ok with since I was sad to miss out on it in the first place. Anyway, so we waited for at least an hour and a half at the urgent care. Ballerina dozed in and out. When the doctor came in, she announced that Ballerina had a kidney infection and that she would need IV antibiotics. (A tendency towards kidney infections runs in my family) Then the doctor said that we might be able to do it as a shot instead. And Ballerina freaked out. All the way to the doctor's she kept telling me that I needed to tell the doctor that she didn't want a shot. And I kept reassuring her that she wouldn't need one (because I thought it was just a bladder infection). Go figure. So they tried to explain what an IV was and gave her the choice of an IV or a shot. She went for the IV, thinking anything would be better than a shot.

I reminded her of the story of when Joseph Smith was a little boy and needed to get his leg operated on and he said that he would be brave if his dad would hold him. So she said that she wanted me to hold her and she would be brave, too. She was still running a temperature of 103, even on Tylenol, so she was hot to hold. I told her it was ok to cry. So she was practically screaming when they actually put the IV in. I cried too as I held her, although she didn't see me. Halfway through the drip she needed to go to the bathroom and she started crying, asking if it would hurt when they took the IV out. I explained that she could just take the IV with her. I told her the story of Hansel and Gretel and then she just wanted to relax, so she dozed. When it was time to take the IV out she screamed just as badly while they took the tape off. I don't think she was screaming out of pain as much as out of panic. I put her in a wheelchair to get her to the car and she fell asleep in it while we waited in the pharmacy for her oral antibiotics.

We ended up spending about four hours at the urgent care. I told Ballerina I'd take her to get ice cream, but we drove past an A&W and given the choice between ice cream and a root beer float, she went with the root beer float. But she only took a few sips and said she wanted to share it with her dad. She fell asleep for the rest of the car ride home.

We relaxed at home and Babydoll's mom called to ask how we were doing and she offered to bring dinner and to get someone to conduct the Primary Program for me. (I am the Primary Chorister and the Primary Program happens once a year and it was this weekend. I had already missed the practice that afternoon.) I started crying because it was such a relief to have someone offer to take that off my hands. I had to take Ballerina back to the doctor the next day for more IV antibiotics and I would've had to send her with Handsome Husband. I felt so relieved that I would get to go with her and not be leading the Primary Program thinking about how Ballerina isn't there and isn't singing and isn't doing her speaking part. And it felt so nice to have someone come in and just scoop the burdens off my shoulders and offer to take care of me. Jeana came over and took Sweetie to her house for a while and when she came back all the kids had made Get Well cards for Ballerina. When Babydoll's mom came to drop off dinner she also brought popsicles and her son brought a balloon that said Get Well for Ballerina. She felt very loved.

As I was explaining to my friends that Ballerina would have to go back and get more IV antibiotics the next day, Ballerina heard and started to panic and cry and say that she didn't want to go back. And she said, "I want Daddy to give me a blessing so I don't have to go get more medicine!" So Handsome Husband and Fernando gave her a healing blessing and in it Handsome Husband said that she would be made whole.

Ballerina's fever got up to 104 and didn't break until 9:30am this morning. She started sweating and she complained of being wet. I said, "Oh, that's good news!" She perked up and starting hoping that she wouldn't have to get the IV or a shot. She had been dreading the doctor all morning, telling me that she didn't want to go back. When we got to the doctor she was pretty much acting normal. We brought all sorts of things to keep busy: books, a leapster, her stuffed animals. But the wait was super short in comparison to yesterday. She was very good for the nurses.

She brought Baby Bolt and the Aristocats cat that my mom bought her.
The doctor said that with her temperature back to 98 and with the way Ballerina was talking her ear off, that she seemed to be getting better quickly. So she said that Ballerina didn't need any IV antibiotics or shots today! I told Ballerina it was a miracle and I talked with her a lot about her faith and about the power of God's priesthood. She was practically floating on air, she was so happy that she didn't have to get a shot or anything. (Here she is jabbering to the doctor about the Leapster game)
I am so grateful for friends and family who love us and are able to help in times of need. They are such examples to me of how I should be. They are my ministering angels. And I am so grateful for this experience that gave the Lord the opportunity to show us the healing power of the priesthood, to strengthen our faith in Him. I'm so glad to have my happy, chatty Ballerina back.