All went according to plan through lunch and bath, but as I was drying Charlie off I noticed a rash all over his torso. Uggghhh...
Still indecisive, I first thought it was just from too long in the tub, next convinced myself he had scarlet fever and finally called Jason to confirm that I should in fact take him to the doctor.
As any parent knows, a Monday at the pediatrician is like a war zone. Add to that the fact that it was a school holiday, and I knew strategy was critical to avoid spending the rest of the day playing with germy toys and exposing ourselves to untold boredom and ailments.
Thankfully I remembered that Sweetgrass takes a lunch break from 12 to 1. It was 12:50, so Charlie and I jumped into some clothes and drove on over to find an empty waiting room and a slightly annoyed receptionist.
Yes, I knew that I didn't have an appointment, but I also knew that they were much less likely to be backed up at the start of a shift and that they leave gaps in the day for "emergencies", so I politely explained our situation and requested to see a doctor at the earliest opportunity. She clicked and typed and glanced at me then clicked and typed and glanced at me and finally told me she was shocked to discover that she had a 2:00 opening, "very unusual for a Monday", but hesitated to even sign me in yet since the doctor wouldn't be back from lunch until 1:30. Jackpot!
Charlie and I stopped by his old daycared (next door) to pick up a tax form, buzzed over to CVS to stock up on supplies for our upcoming road trip and swung into Publix for potatoes and garlic for dinner. At 1:45 we walked back into the waiting room and were comfortably chatting on an exam table by 1:50. I think Jason summed up my feeling best with his response to my bragging text, "You the MOM!"
After a lengthy discussion with the nurse regarding whether or not he would get a shot, Charlie was a trouper for the strep test and flirted with the doctor when she arrived. She was a bit taken aback when I couldn't give her an exact temperature reading for his fevers (I tend to test with kisses on the forehead, not a thermometer), but dropped it since his temperature was normal.
Anyway, turns out that while Charlie's rash is unrelated (???) he does have strep, but the doctor did say that she could barely see signs of it in his throat -- making me feel a little less negligent.
We are currently three doses into his ten day amoxycillin regime (which might break him of his desire for bubble gum for good -- he's not a fan), and despite a nose like a faucet, my little man is laughing, dancing, racing, playing and having a ball watching the men wash the windows care of my groupon that expires tomorrow.
Now the trick will just be convincing him to change out of his "cute jammies" tomorrow when we reenter society.
