The Birthday that Wasn't

Today, Ellie turned seven years old.  Seven!

Unfortunately, it did not go as planned.

She was so excited about her birthday.  She planned her birthday breakfast: doughnuts (a family birthday tradition) and sausages (that's all Ellie).  For her birthday lunch she requested that I bring some broccoli cheese soup to school.  I was to be her guest reader in class, and she chose Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman and There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat by Lucille Collandro for the event.  For special snack to share with her friends, we chose s'mores (last weekend's camping trip and summer grilling with Nana and Grandpa up on the mountain still fresh on our minds).  We packed graham crackers, chocolate bars, and "toasted" marshmallow fluffy spread for her classmates.  For dinner she selected spaghetti, red sauce, meatballs, corn, and garlic cheesy bread.  After Ellie went to bed, Paul and I decorated the kitchen table area with festive birthday fare and settled plans for the next day.

Then she woke up.  And she didn't feel well.  This happened a couple more times overnight and in the morning she tried to be excited but just couldn't maintain the necessary energy.  She couldn't stop coughing and bringing up phlem. (Yuck.)  She ran a low-grade fever.  She has been telling us for a while that she doesn't feel well, but couldn't describe the problem or any pain.

"I'm not very well, Mommy."

"Does your head hurt?"

"No, my head doesn't hurt."

"Does your throat hurt?"

"No, my throat doesn't hurt. I just feel yucky. I'm not well."

Well, the seven of us living in this house at present have passed around a nasty and long-lived cold and vicious cough.  I suffered through it for nearly two months (!) and I certainly felt yucky much of that time.  I thought Ellie's problem was a combination of the cold and wanting a break from school.

Today, with a fever and the violent cough she couldn't control, I knew I was wrong.  I took Ellie to the pediatrician, who sent us to the ER, where the pediatric nurse practitioner looked in Ellie's throat and found it full of impressive pus pockets.

Oops.

So Ellie's back home, happier but still sick, and on antibiotics for strep throat.

October 11th has been rescheduled for this Wednesday.