UTI

You know how Abigail has been getting high fevers on and off. Well, when I told the pediatrician at her 2 1/2 year check up that she had five fevers reaching 105 and lasting well into three days and sometimes into four, he decided that maybe the four diagnoses of virus should be questioned. There was that one time at Mother's Day when I didn't take her anywhere waiting for the fever to break then waiting to see the real, as in not Urgent Care, doctor.

Anyway, he sent us home with two orders for clean urine specimins. One to be done while she was healthy. We did it right away. One to be done the next time she had a fever. We waited, probably because she was put on antibiotic for an ear infection, longer than I thought we would as her fevers were coming about once every four weeks. Well, this week it happened. Lots of little accidents with crying that she couldn't pee in the potty left me on frustrated mommy. Then the fever hit, growing from low-grade Sunday to full fledged Tuesday. She went in the second cup after promises of chocolate and "Target's special drink." Actually she missed most of the cup.

So to the hospital we went with doctor's orders in hand. After waiting with a fevered toddler for an unreasonable amount of time, we were told that more cup-peeing was necessary. Into the bathroom we went and I just prayed that she could balance on a full-sized toilet while I held a cup to catch urine. Not a pretty sight. She balked claiming that she couldn't pee and that she didn't want to so I promised her a car from Target. Hey, we were going anyway. She went and I caught it.

I didn't hear anything back from the analysis so today when the fever raged on I called to make an appointment to see the pediatrician. I was put on hold for 25 minutes while Dr. P read the results and formulated a course of action without seeing the child. She does have a urinary tract infection and is on antibiotics. Another trip to Target for said medication, but we escaped without a visit to Starbucks of the special drink. (She gets flavored milk. I get iced tea.)

She has a visit with Dr. P next Thursday. Maybe by then I will be less frustrated and better able to formulate questions that don't start with "Every time I have taken her to the doctor for a high fever, you all said she had a virus. No one mentioned that she could have been having urinary tract issues all along. You are idiots, why should I keep bringing her to you for treatment?"

I'm sorry. It's late. I'm tired. I read that undiagnosed UTIs can lead to kidney damage. Abigail has been clingy, needy, and irratible. Though I can't blame her, I am at the end of my energy. Everything left is from the Lord.

Please pray that we get some good idea of what is really going on. I know UTIs are not normal for children prior to potty training and though this one has occurred after potty training, it is the first long lasting fever she has had since potty training.