When Did I Get My M.D.?

Parker made me make a medical decision tonight that I did not feel I should have to make. Parker had a rectal temperature of 37.9 degrees at 6 o’clock this evening. When a temperature reaches 38.0 degrees it is considered a fever and a SCID that cannot fight infections must receive antibiotics. As a result, the doctor prescribed antibiotics, which would require Parker to be on an I.V again.

With Parker being so active lately and doing so well off the oxygen you can imagine the anxiety that the thought of placing him back on an I.V. would cause my wife and I. Being on an I.V. unnecessarily would make it difficult for him to climb and push off my hands, as well as making him feel bloated by the antibiotics. As a result, I requested that a second rectal temperature to be taken. The result was 37.4 degrees, not a fever. Unfortunately, this did not sway the doctor of the treatment for the original reading.

Throughout all of this, Parker continued to try and climb up his daddy stomach, watch figure skating, and be placed vertically so he can press his feet on the bed and push off the mattress of the crib.

I had a discussion with the doctor on call as well as his nurse for the evening and informed them that I wanted another temperature reading taken. If that temperature came up as 37.6 degrees or higher then they had my permission to give him an I.V. for the antibiotic, otherwise they did not. They agreed to take his temperature and the result was 37.2 degrees. I informed the doctor that Parker would not be getting antibiotics this evening.

Parker will be monitored throughout the night; his temperature will be taken every hour. If Parker does have a temperature they will have our permission to give Parker antibiotics through an I.V. Let us hope that is not the case.