I Guess I Win

A trophy nobody wants.

If infections were valuable collector's items, I'd be worth my weight in gold.  A family jaunt to the doctor's on Monday revealed I have beaten them both in the "desperately in need of antibiotics" category.  I trumped Punky's recent ear infection and resulting yeast infection, and her dad's current sinus infection, with my own unique triple combo: sinus infection, ear infection, and upper respiratory infection.  Crud.

I started feeling crappy early last week but, well, life was just to busy to pay much attention to my annoying symptoms...until Saturday night rolled around and I could barely breathe.  I finally admitted to myself that I wasn't kicking it without some heavy-duty drugs.  I suffered through Sunday; I'm not quite sure how my head didn't explode from all the pressure.  But, after a few doses of those precious, miracle-working antibiotics, I'm on my way to recovery.   

I don't know how much more of this I can stand.  I have been sick more times since last September than I was the entire decade prior.  Seriously.  And while I hate to put the blame on Punky, she is the new factor in the equation.  It doesn't help that she coughs on my plate, sticks her grubby, little fingers in my food, and has even managed to sneeze directly in my mouth.  Twice.  No lie.  Ah, the joys of motherhood.

But for as bad as I've been the last six months, Punky's had it much worse.  We are due back at the doc's on Friday for yet another follow-up visit on the ear infection situation.  She took her last dose of antibiotics Sunday night, but she had already started coughing again earlier that day.  The cough has persisted and gotten worse over the course of the week, and she's a virtual snot-dispenser yet again.  She's been running low fevers off and on and sleeping terribly.  Ten bucks it manages to back up into her ears just in time for the doctor visit on Friday.  I see another round of antibiotics in her future...and the perfect opportunity to have the tube discussion with her doctor.

I have heard both good and bad about tubes, and I can't say I'm leaning either way at the moment, but I think we need to at least get the facts and educate ourselves in case it becomes a decision we need to make.  I can't see letting her hearing suffer as a result of the ear infections, yet the thought of subjecting her to surgery simply scares the hell out of me.  I also think she will eventually be diagnosed with asthma.  Even when she isn't sick, she gets winded so quickly when she jumps around like a maniac.  Too quickly for someone her age.  I guess time will tell.