Poor Logan

Why do my kids always seem to get really sick right around their birthday?

My first clue that Logan might be coming down with something came on Tuesday morning, when he took a 3 hour nap. He would have slept longer, but I woke him up because I was getting a little nervous. He didn't have a fever... yet. He was happy as ever all day, but seemed to get very fussy right around 5pm. He even put his head down on my shoulder and fell asleep - I can't even remember the last time that happened. He hasn't napped on me like that since he was a newborn.

By 6:00, his fever was close to 100. For someone who's never had a fever before, that's high. I gave him some Tylenol, which he promptly brought right back up, along with his dinner (which, fortunately, was just yogurt, so it was fruity-smelling puke. Yum.) and took him right up to bed. I'm pretty sure he fell asleep before I was out of the room. Poor thing.

He was miserable all day Wednesday (yesterday). In addition to the 3 naps he took in his crib, he took at least 5 catnaps on me, with his little head on my shoulder. Is it terrible of me to say that I secretly enjoyed it? I mean, Logan is snuggly in general, but not like this. I felt closer to him than I have in a long time.

He did have two "happy" periods yesterday, which were truly enjoyable - he was his normal, happy self, playing with his toys and Ben. It was amazing to see, though, how quickly he deteriorated back to a miserable little lump who just wanted to be held.

In the evening, his fever spiked up to 102.7. When he woke up at 3am, it was 103. He had the chills. I was terrified, and thought I'd have to call 911 because he was having a febrile seizure. Luckily he calmed down a bit after a dose of Tylenol and a cuddle with me in the glider.

This morning I took him to the doctor while Ben was at school. I told the doctor that my guess was Roseola, as Ben had it last week. For some reason, the doctor really wanted to rule out a urinary tract infection. She said we could either do the test, which consisted of a catheter being inserted into Logan's urethra (ureter? I don't know.), drawing a urine sample to be sent to a lab. She said that it would be less painful than drawing blood. She said we could hold off a day if I wanted to, but I'd have to bring him back tomorrow if his fever did not go down. Honestly, the prospect of schlepping both Ben and Logan to the doctor tomorrow, when we're supposed to get blanketed in 6-10 inches of snow, was so not appealing... so I opted to do the procedure right then and there. The doctor was thrilled, I was terrified.

The whole thing was pretty dreadful. I had to hold Logan down, which he hates. Actually, "hold" is the wrong word. "Pin" is more fitting - I leaned my whole upper body down over him, gripping his forearms with my hands, and holding his legs open and back up by his sides with my right arm. What a terrible position for him to have to be in. He squirmed mightily when the catheter was inserted, screamed the entire time, and writhed again when it was withdrawn. The poor thing just wanted to be picked up and cuddled afterwards.

Ugh. I have a friend who has to do that regularly with her two-year-old daughter. She has always said that it's traumatic - now I really understand what she means.

Anyway... it's my hope that Logan's fever gets better over the next few days and that he eventually develops the red pin-dot rash of Roseola. God knows the poor thing doesn't need any more traumatic trips to the doctor!