How Easter, quite literally, went down...

I once again have been taught a lesson by the universe, 'Follow your gut, H.' {H is my maiden name and I refer to myself by my maiden name when mentally berateing myself. For example, a sarcastic 'Good one, H!' when I pull something stupid.}



But I digress. SO...Easter.



All day Saturday, Little d had been sneezing which I pay attention to because she doesn't have allergies. And I wondered if it was my mom's (dusty) house (she'll get a kick outta that) OR maybe the pollen...my dad's been clearing tress. Or...sigh...a cold. And we are one long hour from a doctor. And Little d has a tendency to throw up when she gets a cold. And she gets carsick. Easily. In a short period of time, like less than half an hour. We only travel with her at night after dosing her with Benadryl and making sure she is extremely sleepy. Per orders from a pediatrician. (Two pediatricians, lest you think we weren't thorough.) So you can (maybe) see why I was stressed.



Where was I? Oh the sneezing. So Sunday morning she's kinda mopey, sneezing, saying her tummy hurts, and her throat. Bad signs all around, right?



So I decide to forgo the annual Easter celebration at my Grandma's house. It's a doozy too. There are so many kids they divide the hunt into sections by age. There are hundreds of eggs, tons of food, good times. But I am one of the few people who won't take my sick kids out in public to spread the wealth. You're welcome.



I agonized over the decision, because while I care about not infecting others, it seems no one else at Grandma's does. So if Little d wasn't really feeling bad it wouldn't hurt to take her right? And she wasn't feeling bad. She ate fine and didn't even have a runny nose, no fever. And when she found out she couldn't go hunt eggs or crack confetti eggs over anyone's head...well that's what did it to me. Her tears.



So I squashed the gut instinct and called my cousin/BFF. She said she would call when it was time to hunt eggs. I would take the girls over for that. And then probably bring them back shortly thereafter. Little d was stoked to say the least. "And Mo-ommm, quit asking about my tummy." 'kay.



So we go hunt eggs. Little d hunts with the five year olds, because 'N is over there mom!' I take Little m through the toddler hunt. She is a bit bewildered. It is a bizarre tradition after all. Anyway afterwards as Little d sat under a tree examining and eating her loot, I got her a cup of slushy punch. It was hot out there.



I left the kids with my parents and headed to the house to change into shorts. It was hot...did I mention? While at home (Mom and Dad's house is literally one minute away) I get a call.



"Mere, bring the mosquito spray." It's my BFF on her cell.

"Ask J, he has some-" I answer.

"No wait...she's already been bitten, bring the Benadryl."

"Okay."

"Wait...get over here now." And the phone goes dead. Yeah it was like that. I guess I was grabbing the Benadryl cream at the time because it was in my hand. I shoved my feet back in my untied tennis shoes and hauled ass back. No seat belt. No speed limit. No breathing.



I saw the group under the tree as I drove up and scanned to see it that's where I needed to run. Looked like it. I ran up and saw Little d, white as a sheet, on the ground, leaning back against my BFF. (She deserves an initial...K)



"What happened?" I breathe out. I'm behind the crowd and no one answers they are talking amoungst themselves.



"What happened?" Again. No answer.



"CAN SOME ONE TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!!!" I'm yelling. My aunt, an RN, turns to me and sees me for the first time. The crowd parts and there she is. They think she almost fainted. She just kind of collapsed. Probably heat. Dad is there with a cool rag. He lifts her effortlessly and carries her limp body to the house. We need to cool her down. Mom had removed her shoes. On my way in with Dad another aunt hands me a tall glass of ice water. "Here, Meredith." Her voice is calm. I am thankful.



We lay her on the bed in Grandma's room. She is still pasty white and drowsy looking, but she takes sips from the cup. Slowly the color is coming back and she is starting to talk and smile again. Her friend N sits quietly and keeps her company. Then she shows her a doll-locket that she got in her Easter basket that morning.

After a bit we went home and relaxed. She rested beside me on the couch and we read a couple of books. Then she ate a snack and was back to bouncing on the furniture and running around. I still don't know what caused it exactly. She's not sick. And she plays outside alot and never has this reaction to heat. I guess she usually drinks more water outside when she hangs out with D in the garage.

I am beginning to wonder if it was partially a reaction to the mosquito bites. She gets horrible welts and swelling with mosquito bites and if we don't get cream on them right away they get bad. I counted and she had seven new bites on her lower legs that afternoon. So maybe that combined with the heat was some sort of reaction. It worries me because D is deathly (as in carries an Epi pen so he doesn't die again) allergic to bee stings. I will definitely be calling the pediatrician when we return home to see if she needs to be tested. For now we are watching her closely. And this momma is back to trusting her gut instinct.

PS That picture of her pasty white and limp little body is what I see when I close my eyes at night.