I took Bean to the doctor today. Her fever shot back up, she was lethargic, and seemed to be struggling for breath. And after last night’s febrile seizure, I was concerned. (She’s fine now. Doped up, but fine.) Side note: Why is it that kids get so sick on the weekend when regular doctors are off and urgent care centers charge such high rates?
The funny thing is, when I told the nurse today about her febrile seizure last night, the nurse was scandalized by the fact that I didn’t rush her to the E.R. But then I told her about Liam and how know the ins and outs of seizures. And I went through the ‘logic’ behind my decision to keep her home. Her seizure lasted under 3 minutes and didn’t involve convulsions, making it rather mild as seizures go. The lethargy afterwards lasted for 12 minutes, then she was alert. She completely recovered from it before settling into a peaceful slumber. Why would I disturb her sleep only to have her poked and prodded for hours – only to find that her febrile seizure was harmless and didn’t require medical attention, just like 99.9% of febrile seizures under 3 minutes?
Before my explanation, the nurse’s expression was one of disapproving incredulity at my ‘neglect’ for my daughter’s precarious situation. After I explained, the nurse gave me an “Oh, yeah, that makes sense,” complete with smile and gentle nod of the head. Approval gained. And somehow, the approval of a medical professional can make a mommy feel so much better.
