Double the fun

It started on Friday. My little Luke was just not himself. He was fussy and crying. He was really hard to comfort. Sometimes he felt kinda hot and sometimes he didn't. I went ahead and gave him a little Tylenol figuring something was bothering him and just hoped it was a little headache or something that the medicine would fix. He had a rough night and and even rougher day. I took his temperature under his arm and it was normal. I was so confused because he felt warm? I thought maybe the thermometer was funky. It has been in the diaper bag for a long time - I just kept it there for traveling and don't remember where it came from. My mom was watching him during the afternoon and took his temperature (rectally - doesn't sound pretty but its more accurate). The reading was normal. Okay. So, I started trying to think about what it could be. Headache? Teething? Belly ache? ???
Sometimes he seemed like he wanted to be held and sometimes it seemed like it hurt him to be picked up. Sometimes he wanted to nurse and was fine and sometimes he wanted to nurse but would just cry. He seemed sleepy but didn't sleep longer than probably 20 minutes when he did fall asleep. And he just cried and fussed and did his shrill little scream. Clearly he was not feeling well. And clearly I was quickly becoming EXHAUSTED! Finally on Sunday morning when things were not getting any better and the Tylenol I had been giving him didn't seem to be helping much I told my Mom that I thought I needed to take him somewhere. But where? We are 1400+ miles away from home and its a weekend! I was worried about taking him to the ER because I wasn't confident a doctor there would be that familiar with a 4-month old - at least not if the problem was something outside of the normal things (sore throat, ear infection). I am very lucky that my Mom is a labor/delivery nurse and has regular contact with the Pediatricians at her hospital. She was able to find out who the Pediatrician on-call was and he agreed to see my little guy on this day - a Sunday even. He checked his heart, his lungs - both good. (for those of you who have noticed his sort of loud and gurgly breathing - the doctor said its fine) He checked for a hernia - okay. Belly was soft - good. Then he got to his ears. He checked the right - he said it was a little red. Fun! Then he checked the left and guess what? It was red as well. Double fun!
He gave us a prescription for an antibiotic. Thank goodness for that man. My little baby is doing soooooooooo much better already. He has been smiling, he's napping well, he's looking around and he's pleasant. My little Lukey is back! He still has times when he's fussy but we've continued giving him Tylenol (he recommended every 4 hours for 2 days) and it's helping.
So just cross your fingers, say a prayer, send positive thoughts - whatever works for you - that we make it back home without any more trips to the doctor or hospital!