Cough drops

As you probably noticed, I didn't update yesterday. Isaiah started coughing a bit yesterday, and we really didn't think anything of it. He's been a bit difficult, but we've attributed it to him growing or testing his threeness out on us. We had to get his glasses adjusted and he did pretty well. But then came the (wait for it, for dramatic effect) SHOE SHOPPING. Now the funny thing is, Isaiah likes shoes (a chip off the old block, they both are) but trying them on, is a different story. He does not like to be told what to do, it has to be his idea. So when anyone instructs him to do anything, it's difficult. Now when in public, times that by a thousand. He defiantly notices a difference in how we react in public, and he tests those waters each time. Needless to say, he made a scene that you only think that could happen in movies. You would have thought we were setting the boy on fire, instead of trying on really comfortable shoes. Due to the PDD-NOS, public areas trigger his flare ups, we'll call them. It's very frustrating, as I can't just take him to the store with me and Aria. I always have to have another adult with me if we go out in public. When he has the episodes it's hard to redirect him and keep Aria in check as well. Sometimes when we go to the doctor, I see a Mom with several of her kids, waiting nicely. I can't help but feel insecure. I can barely do that one on one with him. So if he needs an emergency appt. during the day, I have to get Seth out of work to take him. As you can imagine, this does not go over well with Seth's work. I can feel the shame when I tell people I have to do this, as it seems that they think I am a world class weenie. Really, I'm not. I can take Aria, no problem. Even at Aria's age, he was next to impossible to handle. Seth will come back from appts. with sore arms from having to restrain Isaiah. Thankfully Seth knows I really have no other option. He always reassures me with a "I don't know how you do this all day." G-d bless that sweet man! I have had several instances where I have been alone with Isaiah, including getting him onto the bus the other day. He was happy to go to school and was all ready to go, just as we are walking down the drive way he refuses to move. I coaxed him as best as I could and then tried to physically move him. This was and is always a big mistake. Any type of physical nudging sends him into a tailspin. For 5 minutes the bus driver looked on in horror as I tried to wrestled my 39 pound child, who might as well be 500 when he is mad. I came into the house and called Seth and cried my eyes out. I have literally been doing strength training, in the hopes one day I can easily move him to where he needs to go. It's exhausting. He's such a super brilliant child that he pulls out all the stops. He can be so sweet, but he has my stubborn controlling urges. Several dominate personalities in one house hold, makes for an interesting reality show. Each outing, has to be carefully planned, with ways out to make the transistions easier. We can't ever just pick up and go out for fun, or else. It can be quite the alienating feeling. Especially when we have cabin fever. I beg G-d for mercy and wonder after all we've been through, couldn't He mellow him out, just a little? Sometimes I wonder if people think I don't like Isaiah. That couldn't be further from the truth. I adore him and would give my life in a heart beat, but he frustrates the hoo ha out of me. Back to my story. So during last night, he coughed all night long. I checked him for a fever in the morning and really nothing. I checked for a runny nose, nothing. Just this persistent dry cough. I thought maybe I should keep him home, but then again he really had no other symptoms, and coughing has been a regular thing for a while now. So I sent him. Right away, as I put him on the bus, I regretted my decision. I got a call from his teacher, who politely asked why in the world would I send my child to school like this, and please don't send him back. I felt like the worst mother ever. I always preach about keeping the sick ones home to spare others, and now I sent the infester! The shame! When he got home, I tried everything to get him to stop coughing and it only got worse. When I finally got through to the nurse, they told me to give him a breathing treatment. Well, the Albuteral made him feel crazy (it normally doesn't bother him) and he started screaming "I'm cold, I'm cold, my belly hurts, hold me!" Every time I tried to hold him, he'd flail around like a rabid animal (common with kids with PDD to act out when they get sick, which is why I try and prevent it from happening) not being able to be soothed. He started to turn purple at times (from coughing so hard) while flopping on the floor like a fish. I quickly called Seth home to help me out, as I figured we were going to have to rush him to the ER (He was breathing, so that's why I didn't call 911). I tried to offer a blanket, a Thomas movie, and anything I could to distract him. He refused. I found the new show Chuggington and popped it on, hoping it would help. It did. He immediately calmed down while coughing and chattered away about the new show. Me, on the other hand, aged 10 years in less than 3 hours. I called Seth and told him to turn around and go back to work. Isaiah managed to cough in his elbow 75% of the time. So much so, that I had to change his shirt from saturation. But that other 25% of coughs seemed to get on everything. What is it about sick children, touching everything! It's a geramphobes worst night mare! Either all of this sounds rather comical or absolutely deranged, but this people is what happened. Seth is off to the doctor with him, and I am figuring, he will come back with sore arms as you know they'll need to do a strep test. This is not good for the one that holds the child with a easily agitated gag reflex. (Sigh) So if you could, stop laughing for a minute in all this ridiculous reaction and say a prayer that he'll be alright and sleep soundly through the night. That no one else would get sick, and that I'd have the behavior of the Mother of the Year tomorrow, as he's not going to school. Oy vey. Watch, pray, believe, and be amazed that stay at home Mom's don't get paid millions (yes, even neurotic ones)

PS Seth just called to say, they said he has a cough. We just payed $40 to have a doctor tell us he's coughing, I think I just have to laugh or else I'll cry. Pray he sleeps soundly, we all need the rest. Until the next mini-comedy tour...