I took a 1st grader to the doctor this morning. This is his 4th follow-up post surgery.
Although Greg and I argued about whether our son really needed to hear out of both ears (Greg: “He really does, Beth.” Me: “But GENERAL ANESTHETIC and he’ll probably DIE and you are SUCH A JERK and GAH!”), Greg prevailed, and so Cai got a brand new ear drum at the end of March, and, to go along with it, better hearing. Whatever, Greg.
But Cai’s been having a problem ever since surgery with a little spot on the skin above his ear canal. It’s small but red, swollen and painful to the touch, and, since they had to essentially remove his ear for the procedure, cutting it from behind, flopping it forward and then reattaching it (I know; gag), I knew we had to get it checked by the doctor because INFECTION and GANGRENE and he’ll probably DIE.
The doctor asked Cai lots of questions like, “Where does it hurt?” and “Only when you touch it or all the time?” and “How long have you had it?” before examining it with his bright light and magnifying lens.
And thank God for Dr. Burningham’s diligence (and, not to pat myself on the back too much, but also for a Mama’s Intuition), because when he finished, the doctor looked at me and diagnosed Cai with…
…wait for it…
…a clogged pore.
“A what, Mom?” asked Cai.
“A clogged pore,” said I.
“What’s that?” asked Cai.
“A pimple,” said I.
“What’s that?” asked Cai.
And I looked at the doctor and the doctor looked at me and I sighed, because clearly it was my job as the mommy to break the news in a way my kid could understand.
“You know those red dots on Mommy’s face? The ones you point out every single time they appear?” asked I.
“Oh yeah,” said Cai.
“That’s a pimple,” said I.
“Gross,” said Cai.
“Yep,” said I.
And that’s the exciting news from our morning.
How was yours?
……….
ALSO… come have lunch with me in Portland!
Oregon and Southwest Washington moms and dads, I’d LOVE to see you next Tuesday, May 13th at the Portland Art Museum.
The Omamas from The Oregonian are hosting a Making the Most of Summer discussion, and I get to join them as the guest panelist. Don’t worry; although my tips for summer include How to Justify Extra Screen Time and How to Panic While Taking Too Many Kids Camping, the Omamas have GOOD advice. Plus, there will be lunch. Yay for food!
If you’re an Oregonian Plus member, this event is FREE. If not, it’s just $5. GREAT deal and FUN. (Seriously. Come. Buy your tickets here.)
ALSO, I’m giving away 5 pairs of 2 tickets each (so you can come and bring a friend). TO ENTER: between now and Thursday (11:59pm Pacific Daylight Saving Time), leave a comment below. For an extra entry, you can also leave a comment on this Facebook post.
On Friday morning, I’ll announce our 5 winners!
UPDATE:
Announcing our winners for this Tuesday’s lunch with the Oregonian Omamas and me at the Portland Art Museum:
Jen Blew
Strollerblader
Ruby Ringo
Dominique Dobson
Hilary Newlin O’Halloren
If you didn’t win, please come anyway! Tickets (click here) are only $5/person, including lunch, and I would LOVE to see you there.
(Winners please email me at FiveKidsIsALotOfKids@gmail.com
11 responses to “On a Mama’s Intuition (and Acne)”
Trying not to laugh here. 😉
[…] Go here and here to enter to win lunch at the Portland Art Museum with the Oregonian Omamas and me this Tuesday! Or […]
It could be worse. It could be YOU finding a ‘thing’ down there on your lady parts, being semi-worried-anxious about it being an STD (and the implications about your husband of that), and the searching STD pictures all over the internet trying to self-diagnose before you go to the doctor (don’t do it!). Then when you get into the gynecologist (that you went to high school with — female, fortunately) a week later (rather than the *3* months later that was your regular gynie’s first opening) and go through the uncomfortableness/embarrassment that is having someone else check you out down there, to find out, “Oh it’s just a big zit. Here, let me squeeze it for you!” So humiliating on so many levels.
Not that I would know.
Oh, me too on this one! Meeeeeee toooooo!
Not that I would know.
Oh my gosh. This is so funny. SO funny.
Hope it worked. I about freaked when I found out how they fixed the ear drum. My daughter had a hole from a tube that didn’t close up (1 in a 100). She had the ear removal flop it over surgery and it didn’t take (1 in 10) 🙁 . Pray your son’s works.
So sorry, Lisa! So far, so good for Cai. It appears to be taking.
Hear! Hear! The number of trips to the doctor’s office only to hear, “It’s viral – 10 days to 2 weeks” were only slightly offset by the less frequent, “Here’s your prescription for the Pink Stuff.” Those were moments to celebrate! Not that I was happy my child was sick, but that within 24 hours of taking the medicine, they’d begin to feel better. 24 hours beats 10 days to 2 weeks all to heck!
LOL! How are you so awesome??
Is it just me, or do any other moms out there feel immediately and obviously grateful when their kid is okay and it turns out to be a cold, or zit, or other boo boo, but then there’s that little part of you that’s super annoyed that your kid doesn’t, like, have anything to show for it, as it were? Like, seriously, all that crying and feeling crappy and whining in the waiting room while we waited forever (and the kid felt sick too, I guess), and nothing?? Just, it will pass?? Lame.
I loved this story, Beth. Absolutely typical. I wonder if you’d mind letting your dear readers know that my Kindle ebook about my relationship with my mother, her death, and my resolving my grief is FREE today and tomorrow (May 7 and 8) at ow.ly/vfH8E?
It’s The Last Violet: Mourning My Mother, Moving Beyond Regret and it offers heartwarming insight while bringing comfort to adult children and parents of any age.
If anyone doesn’t have a Kindle, it can be downloaded FREE to any computer.
I just want people to have this book, if they want it.
If I took my kids to the doctor, he/she either said:
Why are you here? It’s nothing. Or
Good grief, why didn’t you come in sooner?
Arggghhh. Now it’s the same thing with my 92-year-old husband.