Thursday, March 18, 2010

In Isolation

Nolan, pouting at the park

There are a lot of viruses going around our area right now. In our local preschool and Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) group alone, there have been children with RSV, stomach flu, strep, and various other cold viruses.

If Nolan gets sick, we won't be able to do his MRI on Tuesday. It could take months to get another MRI scheduled. If he can't do his MRI on Tuesday, then we'll have to put off the tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy/PE tubes (T&A). If we have to put off the T&A, then we'll have to push back Nolan's repeat sleep study to October or November.

To prevent illness, we are in voluntary isolation. We skipped the library story hour, filled with runny-nosed two year old children. We are not going to MOPS or to Nolan's preschool. I am letting Matt go to preschool, but the children at his preschool do not seem to be as ill (possibly because they are four years old and aren't as liable to slobber on things). We're even going to the park in off-hours, to avoid sick kids.

My attempt at keeping Nolan well seems futile, however. We were outside at our neighbor's house, when another neighbor girl came over. She's in her teens, and was tickling Nolan and playing "chase" with Matthew. Then I noticed that her left eye was crusty and fused shut. She was coughing into her elbow.

"Erm... if you are sick, please stay away from Nolan. He has a medical procedure on Tuesday and he can't get sick," I explained to the girl.

Her response:

"Oh, I'm not really sick. My brother just has a really contagious cold."

This, dear people, proves that teenagers have brains which do not function on all cylinders.

I scooped up Nolan and headed home. So far, so good (no runny nose yet)... I am fervently praying that Nolan avoids the "really contagious cold."

Ugh.

5 comments:

Ericka said...

That park looks fun. Miles would love that race car! Miles woke up with a cold today. Good thing the germs don't go through the internet! Good luck keeping healthy!

Herding Grasshoppers said...

Oh my goodness... that's funny, but it's not! Coughing and an eye "glued" shut, but "I'm not really sick..."

Teenagers. Their brains (and hormones) are carbonated. Ack.

Drew's Mom said...

Great idea staying it - at least you'll know you did everything you could to keep him from getting sick.

For the teen, seriously? I am not looking forward to that age. But I think I blame her parents! They should teach her better!

xraevision said...

I remember several attempts to keep X from getting sick, so I am very familiar with voluntary isolation, reminding people to wash their hands and asking them to cough into their elbows! I used to run our house like a hospital, and it generally worked. Now that X is older and much more active, however, it is difficult to keep him healthy. Good luck!

tammy said...

Ya, I have one of those same exact teenagers and I'm keeping my fingers crossed his brain comes back sooner than later. Ugh.

I'll keep my fingers crossed Nolan doesn't catch anything either! Good luck tomorrow!