So, hopefully way-overly paranoid mom has learned a lesson 🙂

At about 9am Sterling’s temp read 100.9.  This thermometer, even though rectal, will vary from won reading to the next by a degree.  Of course mom saw this and panicked. Mind you this was the one and only time it read that and every other time it was in the normal range. Not to mention he had just been fussing and crying, so he was probably a little worked up.  But, mom see’s that one temp and panics.

Now his belly had been gurgling and we thought he might have some gas or reflux, or constipated since he hadn’t pooped in about 12hrs. Mom also thought he felt hot, but I didn’t.

So we take him to urgent care. That was an utter was waste.  His temp was fine and he pooped, but it looked like he might have a stomach bug.  Urgent care said there wasn’t anything they could do since there were no visible signs of anything and his temp was fine, but they recommend going to the ER. So off we go to the ER.

At the ER he temp was normal and we said the same thing, that we thought it was gas or reflux. But, when the Dr got there he asked what brought us in.  We mentioned the one time temp of 100.9 means automatic 3-day admittance, blood and urine samples, and a spinal tap.  This is all because, “any mention of a temp over 100.4 at anytime by anyone.”

We pleaded that we didn’t think it was necessary and the one time reading was a false reading based on the fluctuations of the thermometer and that he’d been fussing right before.  They explained to us that this was the national procedure and he was already admitted – here’s the consent form for the spinal tap; sign it so we can get started.  Talk about feeling helpless as a parent.  No matter how much we explained that we didn’t feel it was unnecessary it was too late.  The spinal tap is for meningitis.

So, now a 16-day old Sterling is in the hospital until Tuesday at the earliest – have to wait for the cultures to come back – drugged up on antibiotics and pain meds all for one stoopid false temp reading.