The fever

began last Thursday. Henry was in mid-playdate, laughing it up with his pal. Within minutes the happy chatter had subsided, and I could hear some quiet grousing. Then he left his room to tell me that his friend had to leave. "This isn't any fun," he announced. His face was flushed, his eyes glassy. Fifteen minutes before he had been fine. "Blargh?" I said, and felt his forehead, then took his temperature. 104.

His head kind of hurt, he said, but otherwise he felt okay. He had just realized that his friend was no fun and life was terrible, was all. I dosed him with Motrin. In the middle of the night I checked his temperature and it was 106. "Glorgh?!" I muttered, and gave him more Motrin, because it was due, and went on the Internet to see what I should do about a temperature like 106. Wouldn't that cause his brain to explode? But when I checked again it was back down to 102. I wasn't overly alarmed because he was so damned cheerful. Except he was awake, which was weird. All night, every time I checked on him. "Hi there!" he would call out as soon as I walked into the room. As if it was completely fine that he wasn't sleeping. Just lying around, waiting for me to visit him again.

The next day we went to the doctor, and everything checked out fine. His throat wasn't red; his ears were perfection. His eyes were still wet and bizarre, but he was his usual chatty self. The doctor concluded that he had a mystery virus, and we were sent home.

Saturday he lay around, watching television and visiting the Internet, his temperature hovering in the mid 100s, thanks to the fever-reducing medications. At 6:30 p.m., it was time to give him some more. "My eyes feel really hot," he said. It was the first complaint he had uttered all day, and I was alarmed. I felt his forehead and my hand burst into flames. I checked his temperature. It wouldn't even read on the thermometer. HI, it said. I couldn't figure this out. Was the thermometer saying hello to me? HI, it said again. HI. HI. HI. I kept rechecking. It gave me a number. 108. Then another, because that couldn't be right. 106.9. Then it was back over 108. Then it went back to telling me HI. I learned later that the thermometer will register HI if the temperature is above 111. One hundred and eleven degrees. What?

Within minutes I was putting him in a tepid bath, on order of the pediatrician, who had already called ahead to the ER. Scott was out getting the car, and Henry and I were wrestling in the bathroom. Henry was less than happy about the cool-bath idea, and he had heard me talking about the hospital, and he really felt strongly that the hospital was the last place he wanted to go. Get in some lukewarm water, then get hauled off to get poked? No, that was not in his plan at all. I told him he really had no choice in the matter. He begged to differ. This went on for a minute or two, a minute that seemed to stretch on forever while my brain screamed he's going to get himself worked up until his fever climbs even higher oh dear God. Our friend Jen was there, and can testify to the fact that as I persuaded him to get in the tub, he wailed, "The world is lost!" I would have laughed, except I wondered if it really was. Isn't this how it happens? It seems like a harmless virus--and then? I couldn't let my brain go to that place, but my brain was making plans to go there, picking up tourist brochures and hotel info for its trip to Fearville.

Somehow we got him dressed and found our way to the emergency room. Henry was already less feverish, thanks to the drugs, and chatting happily with the nurse and anyone else who would look at him. He managed to confuse the entire staff with his description of his symptoms. "My throat doesn't hurt, but it did feel heavy." "My stomach hurt up here [points to shoulder] but then it traveled down here and now it doesn't hurt but everything tastes thick." I watched the doctor on call admonishing a mom who was feeding her sick baby soda in a bottle. "If that's Coke, I don't know what I'm going to do," the doctor said. I loitered so that I could see what she was going to do. It was Coke. She gave the mom a significant look. It was disappointing. Minutes later, this same doctor said of Henry, "If this kid has a bacterial infection I will eat my hat." "I don’t believe you even own a hat, you liar," I said to her. No, I didn't. I thanked her and waited for the blood test results to come in.

I'm skipping right over the description of the nurse getting blood out of my son. You can't make me talk about that. I won't tell you how Henry cried out, "I'm begging you on my life!" when she blew a vein and had to try again on his other hand. You never heard that part.

So we waited for a long time while Henry lay there, an IV line in his hand in case he needed antibiotics, Scott reading to him from A Field Guide to Monsters, me trying not to imagine all the terrible diseases that were probably wrecking his little body. But then all the blood and urine test results came back negative. Once again, the diagnosis was a virus, and all we could do was wait the damn thing out. Sunday the fever once again went up to 106, but yesterday it only went up to 102. Today the strep test results came back negative, but we figured that because his fever was gone. Gone! And now we are done being sick for the next two years at least. We've paid our dues. I'm pretty sure that's how it works.

Comments

[Sprite's Keeper]

I hope whatever he contracted, he killed saving the rest of the kids around the world from missing out on play time. Tell Henry "Thank you" and I hope he's 100%, not 100 degrees.

[cagey]

Oh my, Alice. That is all very scary! We just recently did an inaugural trip to the ER for what a refer to as the $100 Band Aid, but never did I think there was real danger.

Thankfully, everything seems to be getting better.

[Sharon]

The removing blood from veins...ugh...I believe the incredible hulk was based on watching children have blood taken. Glad he's feeling better.

Wish us luck. Tomorrow we have to take our egg allergic boy to the hospital to get his MMR booster - which means having three smaller shots instead of one.

[Springsteen fan]

Poor you and poor little Henry. Sucks sucks sucks. But I'm so glad he's on the mend from the sound of it. Good mom for being so on top of things! So sorry you went through this. Isn't this supposed to be your Brooklyn honeymoon period where nothing bad happens for at least a month?

[Kathryn]

I read this with my heart in my throat. I've been there, with similar results, but that 'not-knowing' period is the worst time of my life.

Said a thanksgiving prayer to God for this one.

[Molly Chase]

Our 3-year-old developed pneumonia over inauguration weekend (we live in the D.C. suburbs! What a truly excellent time and place to desperately be in need of emergency medical services!) I'm telling you, you have not truly experienced wrenching terror until you've seen a member of a D.C.-area hospital staff behave with that much urgency.

The sight of your pre-schooler naked in an emergency room bed surrounded by cold packs: also scary.

Glad Henry is feeling better. I love his descriptions of his symptoms.

[Kelly]

Oh, so scary! When my daughter needed an IV at the hospital, she fought off three sets of progressively larger nurses. She was but a wee 20 months old. Feverish children have enormous strength.

[Kelsey]

Oh I'm so glad there was a happy ending there - I was nearly panicked just reading about it.

[Angela]

It's so frightening, isn't it? Not knowing what's wrong with your kid. Not being able to help them feel better. Having to make that decision to go to the ER.

I just found my first gray hair tonight. And I'm convinced that it was my kids that did it to me. All that worry.

So worth it though.

[Carrie]

Oh my God. Those kind of temperatures are terrifying. I'd say throw out that thermometer -- who wants that kind of news?

[Mauigirl]

OMG, poor Henry and poor you! I'm glad he's OK. That must have been really scary!

[Becky]

My kids had that exact same thing last week. All four of them. Its crazy, I know people on the east coast, west coast and a few towns in between whos kids have had this exact virus. You would think that something like that would be localized and not hit the entire US at the same time.

[Carolyn]

Good grief. I would have been absolutely beside myself. I'm glad it's behind you now. Just reading this post made me shudder....

[beyond]

good grief. scary story. but you have such a great sense of comedy and you write so eloquently that you made me chuckle out loud. don't take it the wrong way. glad all is well.

[Becky]

Oh goodness. Oh my goodness. There is no feeling like that panic, absolute panic. So glad he's better!

[Karen Sugarpants]

And just WHERE was Dr. House during all this?

Bizarro. Glad it's over.

[Sara]

I'm delurking to tell you I'm so sorry you had to go through this! Fourteen years ago I was the little kid and my diagnosis was a bit more frightening. I say this only to tell you that it's great you were cautious and went to the hospital. At least it wasn't bacterial?!

[Smalltown Mom]

That's a frighteningly high temperature. Poor little guy! I'm so glad he's ok.

(delurking here)

[Alison]

Another delurker saying I'm glad Henry's better. It nearly took a year off my life just reading that, so I can only imagine how you felt.

[Meredith]

How scary. Glad everything turned out alright.

We've had it all this year: stomach flu, ear infections, strep, MRSA. I'm with you on having paid sick dues. We done paid them. That better be how it works.

[kaylen]

HI? The thermometer changes to words at a certain point??
I hope he's feeling better. It's so hard when they are so sick and you're just helpless....

[Amy]

"It's a virus," is totally doctor code for, "Eh, I have no clue and there's nothing I can do, so, um... Your best guess is as good as mine."

[Leeann]

Holy CRAP!! This was a frightening post to read, so I can only imagine how it must have felt to you.

I'm glad the fever is gone, I hope it STAYS GONE!!

Big hugs,
Leeann

[alianora]

Whoa! 111! And I thought my kid was obnoxious when it came to fevers - when he gets sick, he tends to hang out around 105.5 and NOT RESPOND TO MEDS just to watch my head spin around.

You know when that's really fun? When he's less then six months old, and you're six hours BY PLANE from medical care. Wow! I really don't miss living in Alaska!

[Marinka]

How terrifying. I'm glad that he's ok and I hope that you are recovering from the scare as well.

[hi kooky]

I would have packed my bags and gone to Fearville, too. Viruses are freaky. I'm so glad he's well now!

[Lisa C]

Wow. And it took two arms to find a place to put an IV in my three-year-old last year. I still wonder how I made it through that. So glad to hear he's okay now.

And I did laugh out loud at "The world is lost!" He is SO hilarious!

[Nancy K]

About a month ago we had a similar scary experience with one of our 4-year-old twin boys. Of course, it had to be the one who refuses to take any kind of fever-reducing medication! Our first trip to the ER (yes, I said "first") included multiple tests which all came up negative - including a urine test via catheter (Ouch - poor guy).

So then they sent him home - without testing for strep! Well,that's what he had (discovered upon second ER visit). My kid doesn't like to be touched, so you can imagine he wasn't very happy to see anybody in scrubs or a white coat come into his hospital room.

I'm glad everyone's okay, now. And I hope you're right about having paid your dues.

[KS]

How freakin scarey! This is why I cannot have children. That story scared all my eggs back into my ovaries for life!

Of course I freak out when my cat throws up - and my cat throws up all the time.

[Angela]

Good lord, Alice. What an ordeal. I'm so glad everyone's okay!

Here's to no more fevers...

[tuckova]

I enjoyed reading this so much. Thank you for taking what had to be a hellish situation and describing it clearly and yet managing to make it funny.

[edj]

AUGH! What an ordeal! I'm so glad he's better. What a horrible experience! I would sympathize for Henry but I'm sure it was actually much more traumatizing for you.

Once my kid Abel had a temp of 104 (which seemed high at the time but 108? 111? Sheesh) but was still running around and bouncing off the walls. He was fine. It was so weird. I gave him Tylenol and it went away. So bizarre, these kids and their fevers.

[MiniHipster.com]

why is it that our babies always seem to get THE WORSE kinds of sickness? the most panic type of illness, the 'oh my goodness is he going to ever be ok again" fevers / colds/ vomitting........

my theory - its preparing & strengthening their immune system so they never get as sick again (my theory)
MiniHipster.com

[Fairly Odd Mother]

Whoa, 111!? That is truly some scary stuff! I hope he gets over this quickly.

(and really, coke in a baby's bottle? although it sounds like something my mom would tell me to do---for some reason, "coke" was the magic elixir when I was young).

[Barb]

My son used to get what I thought were scary fevers...but 106? 108? 111? Um, no. (I think his highest was 104.) Henry wins, hands down. He is the King of the Scary Fever. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. It's about the worse thing imaginable to sit there while your child is sick or injured and be helpless to make it go away. Glad to hear he's on the mend, and I agree that you shouldn't have to deal with illness again for at least two years.

[Michelle W.]

Wow! I think I would have been running in circles screaming Aieeeeee! 111?!!! That must have been very scary. I am SO glad he is ok though! It is frightening how fast they get sick though isnt it?

[alexandra]

Oh,you poor thing, we have been there. There is nothing like it, and when you're mind starts to race out of control: bad, bad bad. So grateful he's better. You take a deep breath, and relax.

[Kathryn]

Holy mother of god I would have crapped myself. I'm so glad everyone's OK.

[famousamy]

Been following your posts on twitter about this... Glad to hear all is well.

[Sonya]

That is TERRIFYING. I am so glad all is better.

[Kelley]

We had the SAME thing here in Texas. SUper high virus with no other real symptons. One minute my son would be laughing and playing and the next he'd be shivering and pale. Repeat every hour or so. He spent most of a day in the bath or in bed with me and then 36 hours later...all gone! Like it had never even been here. Then of course I got it and spent a bizarre 6 hours with a 104 plus fever acting all sorts of crazy until the advil finally helped knock it down to 102. This bug is crazy! Glad to see Henry is fine and that you didn't catch this!

[Erin]

Holy crapoly. I would have been freaking the F out as soon as I saw something over 102. I felt some serious anxiety just reading that, and darnit, couldn't the drs have figured something out to explain the crazy-making temp? Please keep that bug over on the east coast, or I will be hitting the ER up myself with my 2yo.

[Keetha]

Wow. Scary. I think karma has you done with sick for yeah, at least two years. Hope he's all better.

[Nicole]

Holy crap, Alice. That is some scary stuff. Here's to many years of karma-induced wellness and an utter lack of doctor's visits.

(The last time we had to have my son's blood drawn it was about two months after he'd been in the hospital and had had to have an IV inserted. It took three nurses to hold him down for the blood draw, and when it was done, he was told he could have whatever bandaid he wanted. He chose Scooby Doo and when they told me they didn't have any more of those, I punched the nurse in the face. OK, not really, but I really really really wanted to.)

[Claudia]

Oh wow. I'm glad everything is looking up (not in terms of temp, of course.) My friend's kids had this last week here in MN - temps in the 105-106 range. Multiple urgent care visits. A rather large handful of kids in my boys' classrooms also came down with the SuperFever with no other symptoms disease. No diagnosis. "Virus." The children are better now, but the parents may never full recover! I have no idea what the #$%^ this thing is, but it's definitely the malady du jour across the land and I pray daily that it stays away from my house.

[Kelli]

Hi Alice!

I just recently found your blog and I am seriously, seriously convinced that Henry and my daughter Ella are destined to be best friends.

"I'm begging you on my life" Henry

please meet

"I'm trying but I can't be happy" Ella (she said this in response to me saying no she could not have 10 million pounds of mango and I would appreciate it she stopped screaming)

I don't know if people have been saying this for a long time, but he is hysterical-and even though Ella is younger (she's 2 1/2) I hear the same sort of stuff every day!

Maybe they can be pen pals one day-we're in San Diego.

[Kendra]

Oh, God, how scary. A few years ago, a virus went around our house and the kids I watch (I do day care). I called the nurses line and explained that they had woken up with a "high fever" (103). She explained that a parent's perception of a high fever is often different from that of a medical professional. So that was fine, some Tylenol and they were better in a couple of days. And that was just 103, once or twice. But I was kind of freaked because they don't tend to run fevers really at all.

I would have been sobbing on the phone to 911 after that temp reading! I can't believe you held it together that well--and were able to admire the ridiculousness of a world where the other mom in the ER is giving her sick baby Coke. I'm so, so grateful that he's okay. My 5-year-old screams and cries if we so much as mention blood; I don't even want to think what that trip must have been like. I hope this really does mean you're in the clear, illness-wise, for a long, long time!

[Marcy]

You poor, poor thing. We made 3 trips to the ER with our son before he turned 6 months old. I had to sit and watch my poor little baby get his blood drawn SEVERAL times, oh the horror. We luckily have avoided any further trips since then (he's now 14months) and I hope we get away with no more ER for a long long LONG time.

[houpley]

i'm so sorry to hear about your feverish madness! i am also blown away at how calm you seem to handle it all. when i have heard the thermometer start crazy-beeping when thing are over 101 i start to lose it. i hope henry is on the up and up. thank goodness it is all over.

[Kristin]

I was going to try to come up with a witty comment, but all I could think of was "Good God."

I do hope Henry's feeling better soon. I remember sitting up one night when my little guy woke up with a high-ish fever. Not 111 (Good God) but significant. He wasn't talking yet, so it was fun trying to figure out what was going on, but he was doing that cheerful thing you mention Henry doing. He sat on my lap babbling at some imaginary person across the room, and then let out what I can only describe as an evil cackle.

I said to my mother, "I know his temp isn't THAT high...but does he seem a little...ALTERED?"

Best wishes for a speedy recovery --