I know what you’re probably thinking: What would ever possess someone to put a child in a refrigerator?!?! The answer is simple: He wouldn’t fit in the freezer.
Of course, the real reason is a bit longer and more complicated than just that, though. Doodle had an “episode” a little over 6 months ago that involved throwing up all over a house we were viewing then turning pale, lethargic and unresponsive before being rushed to the ER where it was discovered he had a pretty high temperature but nothing else was found wrong with him. They sent us home with a “just in case” antibiotic prescription (which I never filled) and no answer.
Fast forward to last week. We were visiting my in-laws in Massachusetts after a week in Dublin, Ireland and Doodle was fighting a small cold. He got up with a slightly elevated temperature after sleeping in 3 hours longer than usual but he wasn’t hot enough to make me worry.
We had planned a fun day out with Grandma and Grandpa to celebrate the girls’ birthdays but Grandpa had been up all night sick so it was just the 5 of us. We got some lunch at a local seafood place that was amazing then headed for mini-golf. Doodle acted fine throughout lunch, browsing the country store and even “drove” the tractor and fought with his sisters about it.
But as I teed up at hole two of mini golf, he started to get really whiney. We assumed he was just tired and not feeling well and debated going back to the car for the buggy. He wobbled over to me on unsteady legs and as I went to pick him up, he started throwing up everywhere. Another few spews as I tried to keep it away from his clothes and shoes and he got even wobblier.
I scooped him into my arms and he went limp. I looked into his face, his eyes were closed and hubby looked over too. “This is it!” I said shakily, “This is what happened last time!” There I held my boy, white as a ghost and blue lipped.
I sat on a bench with him while the girls continued golfing and we debated what to do. “What if this is just what he does when he throws up?” “What if there is really something wrong this time?” “What if this is not from the vomiting but something else is causing all of it?!?”
We decided to forego the ER since his color had returned and though he was still limp, he was responding to me calling his name by opening his eyes, focusing on my face and then dozing back off (last time he couldn’t seem to focus his eyes on me). Hubby and the girls finished out golf and we all loaded into the car. Again, the girls kept us posted on Doodle’s condition as we drove back to Grandma and Grandpa’s house.
Hubby got him out of the car and Doodle began fussing. I took him from hubby and he was as hot as fire. I went in the house and asked to borrow a thermometer (I couldn’t find my kids’ travel kit in the chaos of moving before our trip). My little guy clocked in at 104.1 under his arm and I know you generally need to add about a degree to an underarm reading for an accurate temperature.
Not having my stash of fever reducers that I always travel with, I sent hubby to the drug store and put a cool rag on Doodle’s forehead but as I held him, his breathing became heavy and his heart was racing. I knew we needed to get his temperature down quickly while we waited for the medicine. I headed for the freezer.
Doodle used to LOVE climbing in the freezer and hanging out at our old house so I thought I could just sit him in the bottom with the cool air, but he didn’t fit so I turned to the fridge instead. I sat him on the bottom and held him up as his breathing settled. After a few minutes, I took him out and laid him on my lap. By the time hubby returned with the medicine, I had moved him again to the couch so as to not add to his body heat and his temperature had dropped to 104.
We gave him a dose of the medicine then headed to the ER, just in case. His pulse was elevated and temperature still well above 100. After flu and RSV swabs, a chest x-ray and the medicine doing it’s job to reduce the fever and settle his pulse, we again left with no answers.
So for now, this is just our reality. The worry of will it happen again? When will it happen again? Why does it happen? What can we do to prevent it? What is causing it?
I took some pictures shortly after the incident this time once his color had started to return but I think if possible next time I’ll try to do a video immediately after to share the severity of the situation with our pediatrician. I’ve dealt with a lot of kids throwing up in my time and I know this is not normal!
