Peter Pandemic

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

Caroline’s fever began Sunday morning.  Just started out of nowhere, really, reaching around 102 and accompanied by a cough and sniffles.  We figured it was a cold.  Nevertheless I stayed up the night with her, with her on the living room couch and me sitting nearby and working and monitoring her fluctuating temperature and trying to keep it low.  Slept maybe an hour until Kath came down to relieve me at 6:30 AM.

By Monday morning it was no better.  We made a doctor’s appointment for 4:15.  By noon her fever spiked to 104 and wasn’t coming down.  I called the doctor and told her we were coming in right then and not waiting.

Some weeks ago we had Caroline get the standard flu shot and made an appointment some weeks later to get the H1N1 vaccination due to the Doctor not having the vaccination yet in the office and not having it much before thanksgiving from what they were told at the office also the two vaccinations had to be separated by a couple of weeks. So she got the one and was scheduled to get the other at the beginning of December.

She’s been diagnosed with swine flu so we canceled the December appointment.

To make things even more exciting, drug stores are running out of the medicine that’s prescribed for it.  Two CVSs were out of it completely; the third is prepping it but they’re backordered so far that even though I went in at 3:30 PM, it won’t be ready until after 8 PM.  So I’m working with the medications at hand to keep her fever down (plus a few other tricks I know) and waiting for the pharmacy to call and say the medicine’s ready for pick up.

PAD

UPDATED 12:58 AM Tuesday:  Finally got my hands on the medicine.  Caroline took the first dose of the medicine at 8:30 PM.  Rapid results.  Temperature is now at normal levels and her skin is cool to the touch.  She is sleeping soundly and  breathing normally.  Will stay up with her through the night, though, and monitor her condition through the night.  Too worried that her condition could change on a dime; want to make sure her fever doesn’t start to spike or that her breathing becomes labored.  She’s sleeping on the living room couch and I’m sitting nearby.  Good time to catch up on stuff on the DVR.

UPDATED 5:33 AM Tuesday:  Brain fried by fourth hour of “Brothers and Sisters.”  Check her temperature.  100.2.  Dammit.  She was normal an hour ago.

UPDATED 5:55 AM Tuesday:  She woke up.  I gave her Motrin and rubbed her limbs, back and front with Isopropyl rubbing alcohol.  As the alcohol evaporates it takes some of the excessive temperature with it.  It’s less invasive and uncomfortable than damp towels.  Put “Brothers and Sisters” back on.   Kitty (Calista Flockhart) is watching brother-in-law, the guy who’s married to her gay brother, ogling the body of a swimming visiting Frenchman who is the lover of her sister.  Earlier she was undergoing kemo to battle her lymphoma.  Trying to find the point to all this.  Ah: Found it.  It put Caroline back to sleep.

58 comments on “Peter Pandemic”

  3. Jeeze. My heart goes out to you and all of yours and I am definitely praying for the best.

  5. Fifty/fifty chance and we blew it.

    The last I read, manufacturers of the H1N1 vaccine have been able to produce by now only about 25% as much of the vaccine as they’d hoped. The virus used to produce the vaccine hasn’t grown as well as expected. You couldn’t have foreseen that.

    I’m so sorry to hear about this. I will say a prayer for little Caroline and the entire David family.

    1. Kathleen informed me that we couldn’t have gotten her the shot anyway because the Doctor didn’t have it in the office yet. They were predicting they would have it by Thanksgiving and she was scheduled for December 1st.

      PAD

      1. Kathleen informed me that we couldn’t have gotten her the shot anyway because the Doctor didn’t have it in the office yet.
        .
        I don’t think you owe anyone any explanations. All that matters is that Caroline gets better as quickly as possible. The best I can offer is prayers and good wishes. I wish I could offer more.

    2. Bill, I agree that it’s not PAD’s fault at all for not seeing the shortage coming. Unfortunately, I read a very convincing article recently that put argued that the shortage should have been completely foreseeable to the people in charge.
      .
      http://www.slate.com/id/2234342/
      .
      Apparently our current method of growing vaccines is outdated technology. Also, there seems to be good reason to believe that they made a bad decision by creating a full supply of the regular seasonal flu vaccine at the expense of getting an early start on making H1N1 vaccine. So the people in charge might not have done a great job on this one.
      .
      PAD, I’m sorry Caroline’s sick and I really hope she gets better soon.

  6. Jenn and I will have you all in our prayers. And if there’s anything else we can do that might help cheer her up (big goofy get well cards, silly animated e-cards, etc.) say what and how and it’ll be done.

  8. Oh, NO. 🙁 Hopefully the meds help. Give Caroline feel-better thoughts from me, and I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you and/or Kathleen don’t catch it.

  13. I had that flu too (I had to have since I had the regular flu shot already), my doctor told me to get the H1N1 shot anyway if it’s available, because there are actually multiple H1N1 strains – so you could get sick again.

    1. because there are actually multiple H1N1 strains – so you could get sick again.
      .
      I’d be very concerned right now if I had your doctor, because this is the first I’ve heard of multiple H1N1 flu strains going ’round.

      1. Viruses regularly mutate slightly from person to person. The point was even if you catch it, you can catch a slightly different mutation a few months later. The vaccine decreases your chances of that happening because it possibly exposes you to a weakened 2nd mutation.

        Think of it like insurance. You probably won’t need it, but you’ll wish you had it when you do.

      2. The point was even if you catch it, you can catch a slightly different mutation a few months later.
        .
        Yes, people should get the swine flu vaccination in case of infection from current and potential, future variant strains. This is why older people tend to have immunity from this strain now, due to previous strains. However, that is a far cry from the claim that there are multiple H1N1 strains going around right now.

  14. Count my symathies along with the other’s.
    .
    I wish I had better advice, but I’ll offer what I’ve got.
    If possible, feed her foods with garlic and onions (they may have to be “hidden” with other ingredients, as you know). Also take a cheese grater to ginger root. Boil the shavings in water and then filter to produce ginger root tea. You may need to sweeten it for Caroline.
    .
    Please remember that I have no medical training and that I base the above advice on personal experience only. It’s always helped me to purge the junk (virus/cold bug) from my system.
    .
    I hope Caroline gets better soon and that the rest of you are able to side-step it.
    .
    With Sincerity,
    .
    Mitch

  15. I’m keeping a good thought going for Caroline — and for you and Kathleen as you take care of her.

  16. They had mass vaccinations clinics here in Snohomish County, WA for people 6 months to 24 years of age. Those below 10 have to get a second booster vaccination 3 to 4 weeks after the first. They say they may have vaccines for the rest of us in December. (Fingers crossed) I am hoping they will be available and I’ll be able to get the booster for my daughter.
    .
    .
    I hope Caroline feels better soon. And I hope you can get her meds quickly.

  17. Here’s hoping her illness is a short one. We’ve had a few cases here and they were no worse than a regular flu but it’s always hard to go through.
    .
    Frankly, the government’s response to the Swine flu epidemic does not fill me with an overwhelming sense of confidence in it’s ability to combat what will one day certainly occur–an epidemic of a truly deadly and virulent disease, either man made or nature’s own.

  18. I was lucky enough to get my pig-flu shot on Thursday. (I had the regular flu shot last month.) I’m considered a very high-risk person, so I can always get these shots when they’re being rationed. Still, all things considered, I’d much rather be a low-risk person.

    I hope Caroline gets through this okay. Influenza can be very scary and hard to predict. (I’ve been hospitalised for it in the past.) I’ve forgotten how old you said she is. Is she six? I hope so; the immune system is pretty-well developed by that age.

    I wish I knew something to say that felt more comforting.

  19. All good wishes for a prompt and uncomplicated recovery.

    Much as i hate/fear shots in general and flu shots in particular, i’m pretty sure i’m getting the H1N1 jab as soon as i can.

    (I normally avoid flu shots because i’ve gotten the flu exactly twice in the last twenty-some years … but the dámņëd shot *always* makes me achey and sickly for a day or two.)

  20. PAD,
    Let me just express my wishes that you get what you need and for a quick recovery for Caroline.

  21. I’m happy I only heard about this after Caroline’s condition improved. I can’t imagine how it has been for you. I hope the improvement continues to a complete and speedy recovery.

  22. I hope she feels better and quickly. It’s times like this that remind you of how important your family members are to you.

    I’m dreading this flu season. Because of medications I have to take and an illness I developed last year, I can’t get the vaccine. My immune system’s already taxed from dealing with rheumatoid arthritis. If I get sick, I’m hosed.

  23. Yikes. That’s never an easy thing. I’m very relieved to hear that the meds are working well, though. Best wishes to Caroline for a speedy recovery, and to her parents for getting more sleep soon.

  24. Sending good wishes and healing vibes on behalf of little Caroline. I can well imagine how scared you must be. Here’s to a swift recovery, and that neither you nor Kath will catch it, as well.

  27. Hey, Caroline, get well soon! Daddy’s going to get you lots of ice cream!

    (Yeah, I know that’s for tonsillitis, but what the heck – kids don’t each much ice cream at one sitting anyhow… 🙂

    Fingers are being crossed, wood is being knocked, chicken entrails are being spun counterclockwise… best wishes for a fast recovery!

    I remain,
    Sincerely,
    Eric L. Sofer
    x<]:o){
    The Bad Clown…

  28. Peter:

    From what I’ve read and know, no reproach against you (or Kathleen either) is warranted.
    Although some instances are easier to get through than others, being the parent of a sick child is always a trying time, no matter what factors are involved.
    You two do whatever you have to and I’ll be praying for Carloine’s recovery too.

  29. Well, thank goodness there’s dull TV to help a sick kidlet sleep. I hope she feels better soon.

  32. PAD, I’m so sorry to hear this bad news. Prayers and good wishes for a fast recovery are heading in your direction. I hope everyone is back in the pink soon.

    1. Duh. “Eveyone” should be “Caroline” above. The sentiment that I meant to express is that I hope Caroline recovers quickly and no one else gets sick. I hope you are all healthy and free of the flu soon.

  33. Peter, let me add on my wishes and let Caroline know that we’re(Well, me, Stace and Brian, can’t really speak for anyone else…) thinking about her. If there’s anything I can do let me know.

  34. Brothers and Sister’s marathon? Is that a sleeping aid for Caroline? You’re a very selfless man, Peter David.

  36. Hope little Caroline feels better soon. Take care of yourself, too–that stuff spreads like wildfire. Took down our whole family in a matter of days. The good news is, it seems like a few days of abject misery and then the little ones bounce right back (us grown-ups had a little harder time).

    Good luck and best wishes!

    1. It seems to vary widely from person to person. I thought i had it but it only lasted a few days and never got very serious. Might have been something else. A coworker was out 3 weeks.
      .
      Upon reflection I seem to get “the flu’ every year but only twice have i been really really sick…so i wonder if I actually had influenza all those other times. Those two times were bad enough to make me want to get my shots though.

  38. I remember my mother doing the alcohol rubdown thing when I was a kid. I never liked it since the alcohol was cold. Now I understand why she did it.

    Always figured you were as good a father as you were a writer.

  40. Perhaps now she’s old enough to sit around all day in front of the tube and watch “The Price Is Right” like it seems myself and everyone I know did when we were sick ever since childhood. Caroline’s lucky to have such a dedicated dad by her side. Hope I don’t get sick, I’ll likely have to spend those days alone.

    Honestly, I’ve never considered getting a flu shot before, but the hiney virus has been spreading around the local college. Then again, I don’t tend to catch anything but the crud these days (just recovered from a spot of that a few days ago… my lymph nodes in my neck are still a bit swollen). So I’ll probably just do as most young people, stick it out and hope.

  41. I hope that Caroline is feeling better. FYI: Colds don’t generally cause fevers. If a person has a fever, he/she probably does not just have a cold.

  42. Glad that Caroline is feeling better — sorry to hear about the viewing. I’d recommend PHINEAS AND FERB: funny, creative, and usually on (though not as omnipresent as frickin’ HANNAH MONTANA).

  45. I hope Caroline is feeling better soon. My mom always used rubbing alcohol to lower my fevers. Worked fine.

  47. Scnikes! Holy Cannollis! That stinks! Even worse with the brothers and sisters. Hope she does feel better and quick.

    Yeah, Phinneas and Ferb is great but he’s trying to put her to sleep not give her ideas.

  48. Best wishes to you and your family, Peter. Remember, though, to do what you can to keep the rest of you safe. My wife and oldest son (5 years old) were diagnosed with H1N1 two Mondays ago, me last Tuesday, my daughter (3 years old) on Thursday, and my youngest (18 months) on Sunday. The whole house had it, and now I’m the only one not fighting a secondary infection. My wife and oldest son both have pneumonia, and my daughter and youngest son have ear infections. So please remember to do what you can to keep the rest of the house flu free while still taking care of Caroline. Good luck to you!

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