Swollen Lymph Nodes...

usually this just means your a little sick, but three years ago, Lyric was nearly hospitalized because her neck was swollen, she couldn't move it, and she was in severe pain. basically what they said was she had an infection and her lymph node was doing it's job, however, instead of flushing it, the lymph node was holding the infection and her neck got bigger and bigger. She missed a week of school, the high school musical that she was supposed to perform it, kept her head tilted to the side and basically was feeling like crap for 2-3 weeks.

So you can imagine the terror in her voice when I get this call.

Lyric: mom, it's me. I'm in the nurses office. I came because my neck hurts and she said I have a swollen lymph node.
Me: how bad is it? Do you want me to come get you? what did she say to do?
Lyric: she gave me a heat pack. I'm going back to class. I just thought that you would want to know. (translation- I want you to know because I'm really scared that this is going to mess up the next month of my life and I have a performance this weekend for band and next month is the musical and I don't want to miss it)
Me: okay. I'll call the doctor.

Yesterday, amidst a mess of crazy (my car door wouldn't shut, Fisher had to go to Chicago to get his sister and her kids) I did get her to the doctor. She ordered a strep screen and some blood work. Yup, blood work, needles, Lyric's worst nightmare. Dr did the strep swab and sent us to the lab for the other.

We went to the lab, dropped of the paperwork and the swab and waited. And waited. And waited. About a half an hour later, I say to my friend who drove us (hi, Kelley!) "This is what I hate. We always have to wait so long for lab stuff."

Apparently I was a bit louder than I thought because the receptionist popped up and said "ma'am they have the results in the office."

Oh, really?!? They have the results? Pretty funny because they didn't draw the blood.
Sarcastic me didn't say all that, but I wanted too. What I really said was- "She's supposed to be having blood work."

Suddenly there is a scramble. Did they miss it? Did the doctor really order it? Am I losing my mind? (all possible yeses) We get sent back to the office. I grumble at the receptionist there about the fact that she was supposed to have lab work done, I thought, but lab says they didn't have the order.

The nurse pops out and says the strep screen is negative. And then she's ready to send us on our way. Seriously!?? I ask about the lab work. She catches the doctor coming out of a room. I don't know if she didn't mark it on the order or if the lab girls really did miss it, but we were out of there about 5 mintues later. blood drawn and everything. (Which is pretty amazing because Lyric HATES needles.)

Those results came back within normal limits. The diagnosis: viral. But keep an eye on the swelling and watch for fevers, rest, fluids, and tylenol.

So, when sleeping beauty didn't want to get up today she says "Can't I just stay home? the doctor said I should rest." Nice. The doctor did not mean rest because you are not a morning person!