Maddison's ear infection

Today it is VERY COLD in Idaho with a wind chill this morning of -32F.  Needless to say Maddison and I did not get out to go to church.  Maddie started acting funny in church last week.  She was rolling her neck around in the collar of her turtleneck and I thought the tag must have been bugging her.  Then later she was walking around with her right shoulder all scrunched up next to her ear.  She did not want us to touch the  right side of her head so we knew something was wrong. (This is the ear that did not get a tube in it during her surgery in Portland.)  We decided that if she was showing any signs of discomfort we needed to act.  After Maddison took a nap (We knew she would corporate with the dr. if a little sleep was included in the afternoon activities.), we headed to the neighborhood emergency doctor's office also known to me as the "Doc in the Box."  When looking at Maddison's right ear his response was "WOW."  He gave us a prescription for antibiotics and away we went to the pharmacy.

We finally got a prescription after a forty+ minute wait at the pharmacy, being told they were out of that medicine, another trip back to the Doc in the Box for a different prescription, the second trip to the pharmacy and being told it would be a while, a drive through McD's for a sandwich for Dave and something for me to drink, a cracker/teddy gram picnic in the back seat of the car, being told it would be a little longer wait for the prescription, Dave taking Maddie and I home because she had had enough car seat time, and a final trip to the pharmacy for Dave with another 30+ minute wait we got meds.  YEA.  All this was happening during the time when the other pharmacies who were open on Sundays were closing for the day. What a circus!!!! 

Maddison is half way through her antibiotics and feeling better.  We have another appt. with her pediatrician about the time she finished this medecine.  I think we will be pushing for tubes in the right ear as well.  We had hoped that Shriners would put tubes in both ears, but her right ear looked OK while they were doing the surgery so they chose not to do anything with that ear.  

We have been working on the sign language sign for hurt over the last few weeks.  Unfortunately, Maddie did not tell us her ear hurt.  We were told not to expect her to share with us in the beginning that something hurts.  They say that children who have been in orphanages need to be taught to cry and to express when they are in some kind of pain.  For so long there was no one to respond to her physical needs... for whatever reason.....to many children, not enough helpers, etc... and she just learned it was not beneficial to cry.  We have been making great strides in the crying department.  For example, if she falls down, now Maddison will make a face like she is just about ready to cry and then use the sign for hurt.  This is great progress.   She has even cried twice now.  Baby steps.....

Maddison's little immune system is just learning about and adjusting to American germs.  Please pray she builds up her immune system soon.  Thank you.

~ Robin