Why we didn't go to the doctor yesterday. A short story.
Backstory #1: There's a measles outbreak in California.
Backstory #2: Nick has been sick with a cold, and has a lingering cough that sounds awful (but doesn't really bother him)
8pm: The child complains about being itchy. After ignoring him several times, we finally take a look and discover that he's covered in a red rash with welts. It looks like hives, so he must have eaten something, or wandered into poison oak while hiking. He's scratching and miserable, so we decide to pack him into the car and take him to the doctor to see if they can give him something for the itch.
8:25pm: We are in the car on El Camino, stuck in traffic (because Bay Area), and finally have a few minutes to think carefully about the situation. We suddenly think about the conversation that will happen at the doctor's office when we arrive.
Nurse: So, what seems to be the problem?
Parents: He has a rash all over.
Nurse: Have you been traveling?
Parents: Well, yes...
Nurse (suspiciously, backing away): Really? Has he had a fever?
Parents: Well, yes, a few days ago.
Child: Hack, cough, wheeze, hack, sneeze, snort, hack.
*many people in white uniforms arrive, take us away into a clean room, and don't let us out for many hours as they test everyone for measles exposure*
Parents: Please! Let us out! It's just an itchy kid!!!
8:30pm: We decide that itchy hives was still better than being stuck in the hospital for hours while they rule our measles, turn around, go to Walgreens, get some anti-histamines (in case it's hives) and calamine lotion (in case it's poison oak) and return home.
9pm: Apply calamine lotion all over itchy child. Child stops itching temporarily and goes to bed. Hives are mostly gone by morning.
Obviously we guessed right. But I really would have felt better if a doctor looked him over first and then told me to put something on it and go to bed. But because there's a disease that should have been eliminated through vaccines running around California, I am terrified to go to the doctor with a rashy kid because they might not let us out again. Please, people, vaccinate your children, because I want to actually be able to go to the doctor again!
Backstory #1: There's a measles outbreak in California.
Backstory #2: Nick has been sick with a cold, and has a lingering cough that sounds awful (but doesn't really bother him)
8pm: The child complains about being itchy. After ignoring him several times, we finally take a look and discover that he's covered in a red rash with welts. It looks like hives, so he must have eaten something, or wandered into poison oak while hiking. He's scratching and miserable, so we decide to pack him into the car and take him to the doctor to see if they can give him something for the itch.
8:25pm: We are in the car on El Camino, stuck in traffic (because Bay Area), and finally have a few minutes to think carefully about the situation. We suddenly think about the conversation that will happen at the doctor's office when we arrive.
Nurse: So, what seems to be the problem?
Parents: He has a rash all over.
Nurse: Have you been traveling?
Parents: Well, yes...
Nurse (suspiciously, backing away): Really? Has he had a fever?
Parents: Well, yes, a few days ago.
Child: Hack, cough, wheeze, hack, sneeze, snort, hack.
*many people in white uniforms arrive, take us away into a clean room, and don't let us out for many hours as they test everyone for measles exposure*
Parents: Please! Let us out! It's just an itchy kid!!!
8:30pm: We decide that itchy hives was still better than being stuck in the hospital for hours while they rule our measles, turn around, go to Walgreens, get some anti-histamines (in case it's hives) and calamine lotion (in case it's poison oak) and return home.
9pm: Apply calamine lotion all over itchy child. Child stops itching temporarily and goes to bed. Hives are mostly gone by morning.
Obviously we guessed right. But I really would have felt better if a doctor looked him over first and then told me to put something on it and go to bed. But because there's a disease that should have been eliminated through vaccines running around California, I am terrified to go to the doctor with a rashy kid because they might not let us out again. Please, people, vaccinate your children, because I want to actually be able to go to the doctor again!
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