No, I didn't misspell 'crap'. Though I must say the two could be synonymous, in my world at least. As much as I was relieved to find that my little Count Cannonball did not have the swine flue (yay!), the *croup diagnosis was no cause for celebration (boo!). Add ear infection to the equation, and Voila! Instant crappy, sleep-deprivating, vomit-laden situation with a side of unending crankies.
True, I should be grateful it is not life-threatening.
True, I should be grateful it didn't turn into *RSV.
Still, after 3 days...or wait, is it 4?...of lugging my sweet 35-pounder up and down the stairs, of having only 2-hour increments of disrupted sleep, of having my ear drums beaten to an unrecognizable pulp (he has strong lungs, which is a good thing says the doc), of patiently waiting for his fits to subside while I kept myself from screaming and tearing my hair apart--
You can tell it's been a loooong 3 days (or 4; I don't know anymore). The dirty dishes scream 'Wash me!' in the sink, while piles of washed laundry wilt and wrinkle on the couch, silently bemoaning their forgotten state. See? See what I mean--my brain has ceased to function as evidenced by the purple prose written above.
So not good.
What's a mom to do? Even worse, what's a writer to do? Ah croup!
*croup: Accdg. to KidsHealth.org, Croup is a condition that causes an inflammation of the upper airways — the voice box (larynx) and windpipe (trachea). It often leads to a barking cough or hoarseness, especially when a child cries.
Most cases of croup are caused by viruses. Those involved are usually parainfluenza virus (which accounts for most cases), adenovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Croup is most common — and symptoms are most severe — in children 6 months to 3 years old, but can affect older kids, too.
*RSV:Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which causes infection of the lungs and breathing passages, is a major cause of respiratory illness in young children.
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