I've said it before, and I'll say it again, fevers are a good thing. So long as they stay low.

I spent the last two days monitoring Chloe for her fevers and her breathing with her croup. She got some nebulizer treatments, but that's it. Her fevers never got high enough (in my book) to treat. I tend to start treating around 102 - she hung out around 100, never exceeded 101. I swear back when I treated my kid for low grade fevers like this, the illnesses hung around longer.

Then again, this is what a fever is SUPPOSED to do, make an inhospitable environment for the germs, and therefore drive them out more quickly. I love our immune systems, they are amazing.

Interestingly enough, she is having hives - most likely as a result of the illness. She's only developed hives as an infant as a result of her food allergies... She had a few off and on for the past couple of days as the illness progressed, but today, now that the fever is broken her whole front torso is covered with them, as well as a few on her back, and a bunch down her legs.

Dr. Sears says:

Children can also get hives during a normal illness such as a cold or fever. Because this is an allergic reaction, you need to observe your child for other signs of a severe allergic reaction such as throat tightness, wheezing, breathing difficulty, or persistent vomiting. Go to the ER if these happen.

I was thinking maybe it is another viral rash, but they are classic hives, coming and going, welty, etc etc... of course, since she's wheezy from the croup, I have a hard time determining the cause of the wheezing, but she's not wheezy enough to be worried yet.

If only she'd sleep! I'm exhausted from her waking five times a night again, which she hasn't done in a year and a half. She's pretty exhausted from it as well. She doesn't nap much at home anymore - so she's not making up for the lack of sleep much. This too shall pass...

Chloe's been wheezing, and having labored breathing, for the last 24+ hours. This AM she has a fever, an elevated heartrate, and respiratory rate etc. We've all had a "cold" for almost two weeks now passed between three of us. I was reluctant to give Chloe a nebulizer treatment this AM, even though I'm certain her lungs feel tight (shallow rapid breathing) because her heartrate is so high. So I took her in to the ped to see if I was missing anything. She said croup, and to continue nebulizing her when she's wheezing.

My fear of croup extends to one of the members of the family who ISN'T sick yet - Phoebe. My asthmatic child was hospitalized in March '06, at the age of six, the last time croup swept through our family. I mentioned this to the ped, and here's where the visit was well worth the time and effort, she recommended we increase Phoebe's inhaled steroid, Flovent. She said to keep her on this until the entire family was healthy.

I'm hoping she'll stay healthy, of course, but most importantly, even if she does get the croup, I'm hoping we can avoid any hospital visits.

Off to snuggle with my small bug, who is currently a lump on the couch, watching "My Neighbor Totoro" for the second time through.

I really feel the need to follow up on Mark Goines as a member of the LASD Board of Trustees.

He's the board member I asked to recuse himself from the vote regarding the scenarios surrounding the boundary change. When I did so it was not a personal issue. I really really had great respect for him, and I still do.

When it came right down to it in the end he ignored my request. Further, he ignored my follow up e-mails. Then again, I don't blame him... a lot of negativity was coming out of it - certainly not my intent, but it happened. I'm a big girl, I can take that. HOWEVER, the board did consult legal counsel, which was my intent, to check into the issue and clarify any conflict of interest, and the decided he was fine to vote - and he did.

In the end, he was the only board member willing to look outside the "easy road" box. For that I have to give him a LOT of credit. He was willing to explore a school for the North end of the district. He was willing to look at a K-5, 6-8 grade division option while all the others were not. He was willing to push further than the other members were.

I wanted to give him his due respect - since mostly on this weblog I've talked about what the Board has NOT done... and Mark was willing to look further. He was willing to do something.

I've been fighting back a cold... and I DO think I'm winning (HA, take THAT). I've touted the benefits of Sambucol in the past, however with the cold I got at Christmas time I found out that Sambucol had been recalled!!!

The gist of the recall is that the ingredient list wasn't complete - additional preservatives and flavors were found in the syrup.

I found another elderberry concoction called "Sambuguard", or rather my dear friend, Gigi, found it for me. It works just fine, but I can't help but feel that the Sambucol did it better - so here's hoping they fix their labeling issue.

No, not really... I contributed to this book. I wish I could remember how. I've been interviewed a few times now for magazine articles and the like regarding childbirth, and infant issues. But I received this e-mail today.

Greetings!

It's been quite a while since you heard from me, but I'm finally writing
to tell you that the book you helped create, "The Real Deal Guide to Pregnancy:
Fresh and Practical Advice For Navigating The Next Nine Months," is being released
into bookstores nationwide in early March!

You can check out the cover on Amazon.

I believe that The Real Deal Guide is truly fantastic, honest, empathetic, funny,
and extremely useful thanks to your invaluable contribution.

There is no way that I can express the depths of my gratitude, or the gratitude
of the thousands of women who will benefit from your insights while going through
their pregnancies. But as a token of my appreciation, I would like to send you a
copy of the book.

If you would like to receive one, please respond to this email with your name and
mailing address.

Thank you again and warmest wishes to you and your family,

Erika Lenkert
www.therealdealguide.com

You BET I'm getting a copy! :-)