I spoke too soon about the idyllic vacation week and uneventful return to school. Truthfully, my breath was held waiting to hear that Monkey celebrated his first day back by shattering into a million angry little pieces, but his day was perfectly fine.
No, I answered the phone yesterday afternoon when the caller ID said it was the school system (all the schools come up the same), steeling myself for a Tale Of Monkey Woe, but instead a little voice said, “Hi. I’m miserable.”
“Chickadee? What’s wrong??”
“My throat hurts. And my head hurts. And I am miserable.” In case you missed it, she was miserable. TWICE. Please make a note of it.
Of course, my girl has been known to exaggerate on occasion (I have NO idea where she gets that…), so I did grill her a little bit just to make sure this wasn’t a case of don’t-feel-like-doing-my-work-itis. But she convinced me she was truly sick, so off I went to pick her up.
[Digression: Wouldn’t it be awesome if one could determine the relative health of one’s child when such a call comes by having the kid go down to the nurse’s office and get checked out? Remember how we used to do that, back in the day? Well, that was before the school district started cutting out non-essentials. My daughter’s middle school apparently has a nurse on staff, but I think she’s only there once a week. Or possibly every other week. When the moon is full. Instead, the office staff has an ear thermometer which no one knows how to use properly. I know this because last year, when I foolishly told my sick kid go to down to the nurse’s office and get her temperature taken, I got a call back saying that the nurse wasn’t there but the secretary took her temperature and it was… 93 degrees. Uh. Well. That sounded like a problem to me, y’know?]
So I picked her up, yesterday, and brought her home. Where she said she couldn’t sleep because she was too miserable. And then she got up and did homework for a while, and then was uncommonly nice to her brother, and I became suspicious.
[“Oh, no, Chickie!” Monkey exclaimed, after arriving home and discovering she was unwell. “You’re sick? Do you want a hug?”
“Okay,” she said, brightly, flinging her arms out to receive him. That right there was enough to make me suspect she truly WAS sick, but then later she scarfed down dinner, so I was confused.]
Before bed last night I reminded her that she has a lot of schoolwork due this week, and, shall we say, STRONGLY SUGGESTED that she make it to school today. “And if you’re not well enough to go,” I added, “I’ll take you to the doctor.” Chickadee hates the doctor.
This morning she made it up and out, albeit verrrrrry sloooooowly. I felt a twinge of guilt—what if she was truly ill?—but she told me she was okay.
Still, I wasn’t all that surprised when she started messaging me from second period. She started out by saying she was miserable (shocking!) and it kind of went downhill from there. She asked me if I knew why her eyes hurt, and I said I didn’t, and then she corrected herself. “Not really my eyes,” she said. “But my eye sockets. My eye sockets really hurt. Is that weird?”
Uh, yeah. That’s weird! I went and picked her up.
Today she looks like death warmed over, and now she is upstairs asleep. I managed to get her a doctor’s appointment at approximately the same time that Monkey has an appointment with a different doctor, across town. Because my life is AWESOME. Otto has offered to cancel class this afternoon to help, if necessary, but on the last week of classes before finals it just seems cruel and unusual (not to mention weird) for him to have to cancel classes because his stepdaughter has achey eye sockets.
In other news, I do not feel that tickle in the back of my throat. AT ALL.
SHUT UP.
Uh oh. Achy eye sockets sound vaguely horrifying. Hope she feels better soon and that the rest of you don’t come down with it. Whatever it is.
Can I just say that I’d be thrilled if my college prof would have canceled class to take his step-daughter to have her achy eye sockets looked at? Well, back when I was IN college and by IN college, I totally mean going to class to justify my time to hang with my friends and do little of actual learning.
(Oh, hi, Mom.)
My eye sockets hurt all the time when either my sinuses are infected, or just irritated. Very odd feeling, for sure.
Ugh. I always know when I’m really sick when my eyelids get hot. Weird. But true. Hoping the rest of you fend off the sick. Good luck.
My eye sockets hurt if I’m running fever but it’s more of a burning kinda hurt. Hope she’s better soon! Lysol EVERYTHING! and vitimiam C for everyone! Good luck!
Achy eye-sockets can’t be good. I vote sinus infection.
And of course you’re not getting sick. You’re not allowed. Don’t give it another thought, because it’s simply not happening.
My eye sockets always hurt when I get sick. Also, my skin hurts. My mom always knew when I was really sick if I didn’t want her to rub my back. Poor Chickie.
And because your afternoon is fun! and exciting! enough, please be sure to dodge the tornadoes while you’re out running around two different parts of town at once.
Oh dear. Eye socket pain is rather unpleasant indeed. I hope you’re able to nip this in the bud and everybody stays healthy because SERIOUSLY, like the holiday season needs to be more stressful, right? :P
Achey eye sockets ended up being Shingles for me. But it was only on one side. And I’m certainly not suggesting that–I vote sinuses as well.
Points for originality, right? Those sore-throats and bad-tummies just get so same-y really. You’re a good mama though – I often responded to do-you-want-a-hug with ‘AUGH! NO! Don’t touch the plague rat! Long distance affection only!’ which is just a bit less loving and comforting for the poor sicky.
Given the rest of the symptoms, I concur with the sinuses, but as a fellow contact wearer, I have to ask…
Do you know where both of her contacts are?
I hope none of those giant Georgia bugs laid eggs back there or anything. I KID!! I kid. My first thought was migraine but I’ll put my money on the sinus infection others mentioned (if you are taking bets that is. That would be wrong though, wouldn’t it?). I don’t know why I feel like it is ok to make fun of your daughter’s misery. Obviously, I’m in the market for some nasty karma. I do hope she feels better and very soon. Also, I re-love Monkey all over again for what he said when he found out his sister was sick. That kid really is a sweetheart.
I say her sinuses are irritated in some way. Allergy, infection, etc. etc. etc. and NO NO NO NO NO… your throat is not itchy at all, not one little bit. Because you don’t have TIME to be miserable.
Strep throat over here, both kids, and it sucks until the free (Publix) antibiotics kick in. Hoping your throat is NOTHING. NOTHING! Get our your Listerine and gargle, woman!!
I’ll take her for you; glad to do it! Oh, wait. Damn geography. Well, you know I would if I could get there in just under a full day’s driving. Sigh.
Are you kidding me? My students would LOVE it if I canceled class because I had to take someone’s eye sockets checked out. I know this for a fact thanks to twitter Yay for students with absolutely NO idea that when they follow their professor, she might, uhm, follow them back. Yeah. So I say Otto just go ahead and take her. It will make every one much, much happier.
Hope she is ok and I hope you are NOT getting sick!!
I vote sinus infection. Just took my little monkey in today after two weeks of intermittent not feeling well…not limited to but including eye socket pain. So…there you have it. Hope she feels better sooner than later.
Ohhh man. Sending thoughts of strength to your immune system! (It works like that, right?)
‘Tis the season…
Hoping she feels better soon and the rest of you avoid it!
I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. But is she still taking pred? One of the long-term side effects is pressure behind the eyes, not to mention dry eyes and pred headache.
If she;s not still on pred, forget I said anything.
Since we’re playing internet doctor, and I suffer from migraines, my first inclination was actually more toward that (it IS all about me after all). I have had a migraine settle in my eye, or behind it, but I’ve heard of it. Part of what me make me think of it, was also because my migraines started right around Chickie’s age, as they are very affected by hormones.
Or not…
Just thought I’d throw my hat into the ring too.
Hope she’s feeling better & you were able to make all your appointments on time.
Hey, sinus infection or migraine would be . . . good! Well, not for Chickadee, but for your (hopefully) imaginary throat tickle, as those aren’t contagious. With your holiday health luck, however, I fear for you.
I love the sympathy for the college students! Although it’s been 30 years, I still remember the joy of cancelled classes.
And right now I might rather be dealing with some nasty virus compared to the head lice my kids picked up 2 weeks ago. For the record, they have been bug free for 1 week!
I know exactly what she was talking about with the achy eye-sockets! Mine still ache despite the fact that I did a full round of medicine including putting goo on my EYEBALLS. Hope Chickie is all better soon!