$3 pee and a $20 lollipop

Well, October has been very interesting and busy for us all in terms of illnesses and Drs visits (and September had it's fair share as well!).  We're hoping November is a little more healthy around here!

... Early in the month, Riley was ill with a tummy bug and fever and then Leighton had the fever part.  A couple of days later, Riley had a fever for one day.

... Then the kids and I all had our regularly scheduled annual appointments this month, so that was three trips to the Dr.  Those ones are all free (except for parking at my Dr).

... All our other visits are a $20 copay per visit.  NOT a problem when you need to get some relief for your little sick kiddos, like when both kids had sore/itchy/painful/bothersome rashes/infections.  These had us visiting the Dr for the very first time for Riley other than her regularly scheduled appointments - and it was only Leighton's 2nd time (his first was when he was 10 months old!).  Luckily Grandma had made the kids portable cloth chalk boards that I had yet to surprise them with, and they were the perfect thing to fill our time while waiting for the Dr to see us (especially since I had to take both kids solo while Roy was at home really ill and unable to be at work for the first time in AGES).  We left with prescriptions for both the kids, and we were very proud of how well they both did taking it for a week.

... I had the pleasure of having to return to the Dr to give a urine sample with Riley accompanying me.  It was the most amusing 3 minutes I'd had in a while.  She asked about a million times why I was needing to pee in a cup.  And how I'd pee in a cup.  And why the cup goes in the little silver door.  And then she proceeded to cheer me on the whole time.  It was a good laugh.  And $3 for parking.  To be inside for all of 5 minutes!

... I looked down to find both feet covered in fire ants at Leighton's school the other day.  I got the kids in the car and home in record time and started ingesting Benadryl as fast as I could.  Although I was itchy, I didn't have the sever swelling and prolonged itch that has been occurring lately.

... I managed to fight off whatever it was that Roy had, but came down with the sniffles for a couple days.  And I thought that would be it for the month.

... But then 2 days before the month was over, Riley ended up with a red bumpy rash ALL OVER.  WIth zero other symptoms.  And the rash wasn't bothering her at all.  I called the Dr because I was stumped on what it could be and they suggested we watch it for a couple days.  Overnight, it starting getting itchy and I was worried we'd have to avoid Halloween activities if she was contagious, so we ended up going in.  The Dr saw us really quickly and decided it was just the end of some virus she had.  Oddly, she exhibited no other signs - no fever, cough, snot ... nothing.  Just a rash.  They offered her a lollipop and we were on our way.  After I paid the $20 copay.  That's an expensive lollipop!  But, it was well worth it to know she was fine to be around other kids for Halloween.  And Luckily she was very practiced at taking medicine and happily took some Benadryl to control the itch. Not so lucky for me, however, was that some woman was paying ZERO attention to her driving in the parking lot and backed up right into our car as I was straightening us into our spot before going in.  I was pressing on the horn like a mad woman and tried to get myself as far into my spot as I could quickly, but the woman still hit me.  Luckily the damage is minimal and we weren't hurt, but I still am so confused what she was doing backing up without looking like that.  And she said she couldn't hear me honking the horn because her teenage daughter was talking to her.  I know kids can be noisy in the car, but really?  I wasn't being timid with the noise of the horn as I saw her coming toward me!