Pink Eye Yi Yi

"Hi, this is Sprite's teacher. It's not an emergency, but-'

Here we flipping go again.

"Sprite has been rubbing her left eye all day today and there looks to be some discharge. We're concerned with possible pink eye. We've had one confirmed case already with one of Sprite's little friends."

I sighed. "I'll come get her." I thought of my Time Off hours remaining. There goes next week's Official Sprite's Keeper Mental Health Day

I scrambled to finish my work and called Sprite's pediatrician. I know the number by heart now. (I know the receptionist pretty well now, too. Her granddaughter's birthday is next week.)

"Sure, we can fit you in at 5:45." Aces. (Reminder to self, get card for receptionist's granddaughter.)

I made a quick stop by the boss's office and let him know of the possible contagion coming our way and my possible absence from work. He smiled and said, "Kids." As I turned away to dash, my peripheral caught him rolling his eyes. Jerk. (Oh, wait, he may have caught on about this site. KNEE Jerk REACTION, yeah, that's what I meant....jerk.)

I made it to Sprite's school in record time and walked into the One Year Old room expecting to see my poor child rubbing her eyes profusely as she walked around blindly, unable to see due to the discharge and redness and general suckiness of conjunctivitis.

She was in fact walking around, with a maraca in her hand, and using that same maraca to beat a tune on the head of another child who was trying to get away from her as she cackled in delight. "Sprite, that's not nice!" (The other child was the piranha. That's my girl!)

Hearing my voice, Sprite turned back to me and cried, "Mommy!" She ran over, smiling and demanded to be picked up. I looked in her eyes as I scooped her into my arms. Beautiful brown irises circling ink black pupils surrounded by bright white. Brown, black, white. No red in sight. Had I been duped?

One of the teachers came over as I kept peering into Sprite's face. "She's been rubbing her right eye all day and some stuff was coming out, so we weren't sure if it was pink eye and you need to take her to the doctor and get a note to bring her back."

(Begin Rant: What the flippity flip is wrong with you Day Care people?! You are around children of varying ages and illnesses EVERY DAY. You know what pink eye LOOKS LIKE! Rubbing an eye does not pink eye make! When the whites are white, they are not red! When the whites should be white and look red, we probably have a problem. But they are NOT red! Also, you originally said it was her left eye and another teacher says it's the right eye. Pick a side! Your concern for my child is evident and appreciated, but buy a clue, people! You know my kid is notorious for not napping. She could have been TIRED! End Rant.)

I nodded. "I'm bringing her to the doctor now."

The teacher smiled. "Otherwise, she's been in a great mood all day. She didn't sleep for very long though. She could just be tired."

(Begin rant:.....................oh, forget it.)

I smiled weakly. "Yeah, that could be the culprit."

I strapped Sprite into her car seat and rushed her across the street to the pediatrician. "Hi, Helen!" I called as we walked in, Sprite's aggravation growing as she realized this was not a scheduled stop on her agenda. "How are the repairs on the kitchen going?"

"Coming along. Have a seat. The doctor is right on schedule. We'll get you seen quickly."

Helen is a saint. 2 minutes later, the nurse announced Sprite's name and we headed back. The doctor breezed in as the nurse dropped us into a room.

Five minutes later, we were out the door, note in hand proclaiming for all that Sprite was not a recipient of pink eye.

My daughter was not ill. She was fine. And it cost me twenty-five flipping dollars co-pay to prove it.

This morning, I drove her and the note she rode in on to Day Care. On the way, I was drinking my coffee and happened to swallow it wrong which set off a bout of coughing. Sprite thought this was funny, and started to mimic me. Cough, cough, cough. I gave her the stink eye. "Are you TRYING to get sent home?"

Sprite just laughed and coughed.

Flip.

Comments

[Isabelle]

LMAO!

-Isabelle