Again

 A trip to DC (8/21/11)

 Today ~ Thursday, July 28, 2011

I wish that we could go for six months without Ethan getting sick!  Ethan's appointment with his ENT doctor last Thursday caused Ethan to develop an ear infection, I know that it did!  The doctor's assistant examined Ethan.  He was unable to see into Ethan's right ear so he vacuumed (suctioned) some of the wax & out came the tiniest ear tube. Ethan was not a happy camper & I was not a happy camper.  I just hate having to drive into DC to see this doctor.  I really have to find another doctor closer to home for Ethan.

On Friday, I noticed drainage from Ethan's right ear but assumed that because of the procedure from Thursday that it was okay.  By Saturday, it wasn't clear liquid but greenish/yellow pus!  On Monday, we went to his doctor's office & they took a sample...today, the nurse called to confirm that it's a staph infection.  What the heck?  

Ethan's been on Augmentin & ear drops for four days now but the infection still looks really bad.  The nurse from Ethan's pediatrics's office advised for me to get Ethan into the ENT's office to get his ear vacuumed.  Of course I dreaded having to take Ethan back to DC but I know that Ethan needs to be seen.    One, I hate having to contact folks at the Children's Hospital because it takes forever to get an appointment with them.  Two, when I finally got through to the nurse, she made it seem that the situation was not dire.  She said that it was normal for Ethan to show some blood together with the greenish pus draining from his ear.  For me,  if you see any blood draining from a child's ear, it would be considered urgent.  She advised that the ENT doctor said to bring Ethan in on Monday to have his ear suctioned in order for the medicine to penetrate into his ear canal.  Duh, but Monday?  Now, I'm not in the medical field, but a staph infection is no laughing matter.  Ethan's been in so much pain so I asked the nurse if he could be seen sooner rather than later.  She said that I could bring Ethan in on Friday & she would have to drain his ear but the wait would be long since she will not have another nurse to help her hold him down.  Yeah right, I told her that I'll hold him down.  Secondly, it won't be any trouble for me to wait since anything was better than having to put Ethan through so much pain for another day longer!