~ma for your friend, sj.

Cindy, more health~ma to Ben and sanity~ma to you. If I had a kid who was that ill I would probably dose him with Olive Leaf Extract (1-2 caps 3 or 4 times a day). It has antiviral properties, and is generally safe. Would likely check with the doctor or pharmacist about it first in case of possible interactions with meds.

P-C, I hate that you are so unhappy. I got nothing helpful other than an offer to adopt you into my crazy family. But hey, at least it's a different kind of crazy.

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Aw Cindy. Aw, Ben. Poor both of yous. I'm so sorry. It's just all too much. You have my thoughts and prayers too, if that helps at all.l

PC- perhaps it was a compromise. You can hold her to her words later, and be more yourself once the process gets going. I'm sorry that you feel so defeated, though. It's hard to see the positive when it's the same old shit over and over again.

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{{{Cindy & Ben}}}}

{{{sj's friend}}}

p-c - if only the bad behavior of your cousin would make your mother look on your own behavior with relief.

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{{{Cindy and Ben}}} Honey, I'm so sorry. I wish I could be there to help out and make tea and cake, and generally give you a little break. Poor Ben. Beng feverish for that long really wipes you out, too.

Much health~ma to sj's friend.

{{{P-C}}} I wish there was something I could say to magically resolve this for you. I know how hard you're trying, and I get how very difficult it is to try and please your family and yourself at the same time. The arguing is exhausting, too, I know. Deep breaths, babe.

I've got nothing else except another possible foot of snow here. The kids haven't had school all week.

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Oh, sj, I'm so sorry. Much health and strength to your friend. Do you know if she's gotten any biopsy results on the spot?

{{{P-C}}} I wish there was something I could say to magically resolve this for you. I know how hard you're trying, and I get how very difficult it is to try and please your family and yourself at the same time. The arguing is exhausting, too, I know. Deep breaths, babe.

Yes, this. I'm really impressed with you for being able to bring it up with her though, P-C. There was a time when you wouldn't have. Each time you manage to bear down and express yourself to your parents, it's going to get a tiny bit easier, and they're going to get more used to it, too.

...

Thanks, everyone for the love and thoughts and prayers. I started talking to my mom on the phone, but I was hyperventilating and she's got enough going on without worrying about me and Ben, right now. How come it's always worse when you're talking to people who love you?

So, his fever went up to 103.6. I gave him 3 tsp of Motrin around 8:00am.

At 8:45am, his fever was up to 103.9.

I gave him a fourth teaspoon, which is the equivalent of the adult dosage (i.e the same amount of ibuprofen as is in 2 adult strength Advil or Motrin). He's about 5'2" and 110lbs.

Before and in between, I was wiping his face with a cold cloth and getting him to drink whatever he could.

At 9:15, it had come down to 103.3. I gave him 4 chewable Tylenols (which is less than the adult dosage, but Tylenol makes me skittish). By 9:30, the fever was down to 102.6. I took it again about a half hour ago, and it was down to 101.2, thankfully.

I'm still waiting for the doctor to return my call.

If I had a kid who was that ill I would probably dose him with Olive Leaf Extract (1-2 caps 3 or 4 times a day). It has antiviral properties, and is generally safe. Would likely check with the doctor or pharmacist about it first in case of possible interactions with meds.

Thanks for the tip, Andi. He's been through so much, and has already had some hives and stuff too, so I'm not up for trying anything new. If this is a virus (and the one Chris had) I think we'll let nature take its course, this time, but I appreciate the information.

I've got nothing else except another possible foot of snow here. The kids haven't had school all week.

At this point, I know I won't send Ben back to school, this week. If you would, could you send it to us, like say...Sunday night, so we get a few snow days. I swear that helps stop all the viruses going around. The air gets clean, and people stay home and stop passing everything around. And then my boy can have some more days at home, without being absent.

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You can have ALL our snow, Cindy. Believe me, I'm done with it.

Also, doesn't Motrin and/or Tylenol actually *raise* the temp a little bit before it lowers it? I don't know why I think that -- maybe I read it somewhere once? At least it's down some now. (Edited because done and down are not the same thing.)

Ben's fever troubles me. 103.-anything is pretty high. I hope the doctor calls back soon. As in, now.

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It troubles me, too. The week before last though, Christopher had a virus where he had a temperature in the 103s, more days than not. When we took Chris to the doctor, she said there was a fever virus going around that lasted 3-5 days. Chris's lasted 6 or 7.

Ben went to the doctor last Monday, had a strep culture, it was positive. He was on a 5 day course of Zithromax, which he completed. He went back to the doctor on Friday, the throat looked good, but the chest still sounded a little junky.

He went to the E.R. on Sunday on account of the fever returning in conjunction with the fact that we didn't want to give him the script our doctor had pre-written for us, if it wasn't a bacterial thing And/Or if his hives were in reaction to the previous anti-biotic (which stays in the system for days after you stop taking it).

The E.R. did a chest Xray and his lungs were clear. They did a throat culture, too. We got the results, yesterday. It was negative for strep. His throat doesn't hurt. His ears don't hurt. His only real symptom other than fever is a very stuffy/runny nose.

I'm writing that all out because I do think there's a good chance this is just that awful virus, and that's he's getting hit so hard, because his immune system is low from the strep and congestion and the steroids he's had.

Okay, I'm going to stop taking over this thread. I'm being ridiculous, at this point.

Nora, I'm so glad to read about your new-old clothes! Go you!

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Not ridiculous, Cindy. You've been through a lot the last few days, as has Ben. I hope you both get some relief soon.

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Nora, I'm so glad to read about your new-old clothes! Go you!

Heh, I went back and deleted that part because I felt shallow posting it with all the worrying and bad stuff going down. Also, I am a guilty bragger.

So not to make Cindy look crazy, because really, her day is tough enough as it is, I had mentioned above that more and more of my older, smaller clothes are starting to re-fit me... I am wearing a very fetching turtleneck today due to this phenomenon! Also, am looking forward with glee to fit into my sexay jeans soon. Well, in a few months.

I'm taking it easy with this thing. I don't want to lose more than 5 pounds a month. I'm also trying to eat like I normally do, but... less, and choosing more deliberately. Having gone through a 60 pound loss and almost all regained (save 10-15 pounds) I just want to make sure I get healthy and stay that way this time.

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If he can sit up, I reccommend the bathtub for Ben. When I had my week of 104 degree temperatures I lived in the bathtub - I could warm up or cool down the water as I was cold or hot. and it helps in bringing down the fever as well.

sj- if the day after class is always hard - plan for it - plan to stay in bed longer , expect to feel less than ideal ,etc. and you may end up feelign bad for less time. ma~~ to your firend

PC- babysteps - this sounds liek a compromise - and quite frankly if your basic profile doesn't attarct attention - well, I didn't think you were in a hurry anyway. and as long as contact is with you the real you will show through very quickly. I guess I am going to say something that I think is hard. Pick you battles. you fight with your mom over everything. You get worked up over it , and it ends in tears. the girl you marry - that matters. How you meet her, doesn't . If you ever do decide to break off contact with your mother - you want it to be over something that matters - but you have to figure out what that is first.

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