Go with your gut!

OK my young friends with kids.. Let me tell you about my day and I insist you have to be the advocate and voice for your child... yesterday Alaian (6) comes home from school she says she has a headache and I notice she looks kind of red cheeked.. I take her temp.. 101.7 far from killing her :o) -I am a tough mom! But I am very upset with the school nurse that Alaina went to her and she told her she had a headache and the nurse didn't take her temp... that said Alaina said the nurse tried to call me but I didn't answer.... I have 4 other names on my call list and my babysitter lives next door to the school... but that issue I will have to take up with the nurse tomorrow...

So this morning I still have a little one that is running a fever and complaining her head hurts so I sit with her and ask her where her head hurts at... points directly to her upper jaw.. I said Alaina it is your head or your tooth? She said my whole head but mostly from right here at my tooth.. OK now I call the dentist... super nice gal at the dentist tells me to give her some motrin and orajel.... so I did that this morning.. by noon she was lying quivering in pain... saying her head was killing her... so I called the dentist again.. said this isnt working...so they had us come in for it to be looked at. well after a quick exam and 2 xrays the denist quickly made the decision to transfer her to an Oral and maxillofacial surgery.. so off we go. Thanks to Teresa Plumb who met me to get Royce and Debbie Ricketts Wescoat who sent Sierra to walk home to Teresa's house after school I didn't have to worry about the other kids.

The Oral and maxillofacial surgeon said the tooth needed immediate exaction. Sarah Gaston works at the office and she was WONDERFUL helping me get all the paperwork filled out and taken care of with the insurance. Had to call my mom to pay the co-pay cause my purse was in Mike's truck.. I wasn't prepared at all LOL (thanks mom) So they quickly took Alaina back to surgery and with a little happy gas they extracted a very infected tooth with a dry nerve socket.. Now if any of you have ever had a tooth ache or a dry socket you know how bad this little baby was in pain....She is much better now and resting comfortable. BUT lesson of this story is ... YOU are the voice for your child.. if you feel something is wrong don't be afraid to speak up and fight for their care. I knew Alaina wasn't a complainer and there was something making her feel this bad and if I hadn't been so persistent who knows how long this would have gone on.

Sometimes doctors and nurses feel like we are over reacting and maybe sometimes we are.. but i would much rather be made to feel like i was over reacting than to not overreact and have my baby suffer. I have a nursing background and I work in a hospital and I am telling you GO WITH YOUR GUT!! and be the voice for your children when they need it.