Braden's doctor visit

God is good all the time

He put a song of praise

In this heart of mine

God is good all the time

Through the darkest night

His light will shine

God is good

God is good all the time.

If you're walking through the valley

There are shadows all around

Do no fear He will guide you

He will keep you safe and sound

He has promised to never leave you
Nor forsake you

And His Word is true.

We were sinners so unworthy

Still for us He chose to die

He filled us with His Holy Spirit

Now we can stand and testify

That His love is everlasting

And His mercies

They will never end.

Though I may not understand

All the plans You have for me

My life is in Your hands

And through the eyes of faith I can clearly see.

I love this song that was written by Don Moen and Paul Overstreet!

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I will explain this whole thing again. On this past rainy Saturday morning, Braden woke up with a fever and a swelling like a large pimple in his hair on the right side of his head a couple inches from the top of his ear. He had a high fever. Now I don't worry too much and never took time to check the temp. Tylenol and a cool washcloth on his forehead helped to break the fever. He lay around all day. I had talked to my sister and she said to keep a close watch on that lump and to watch for a bull's eye rash. This is the first that I had ever heard of that. Lyme's disease is becoming very common in her part of the country.

Sunday he still had a fever, so everyone went to church. I continued to keep close watch on the swelling. I checked it over half a dozen times a day and since it was in his hair, I had to run my fingers through like a comb to check it trying to be careful not to put too much pressure on it. I noticed the spot was getting bigger and darker. It looked like a bruise, like he had fallen and got a knot or welt on his head.

The swelling got larger and at first, we thought it may just be an infected pimple or ingrown hair. I also took note of the little rubbery lump on the bottom of his hair line, and I suspected it was a lymph node.

By Sunday night, he was feeling lots better and was wrestling a little with his brothers. We praised the Lord for healing his fever.

Monday morning he was good to go. In fact, by nap time he was so wound up from sleeping two days, he couldn't fall asleep. After his brother fell asleep, he was allowed to sit up.

I continued to monitor his lump. By now it had gotten bigger and I saw the bull's eye pattern. The middle was a dark red and look blistered and it was encircled with a small white ring, then another lighter red ring around that. It had most certainly gotten larger than it had been on Friday. So I called the doctor. I got the first available date which was this afternoon at 2:00 P.M.

The first thing my husband and I noticed this Tuesday morning was that pus had oozed out of the lump some time during the night because his hair was crusty at that spot. And the swelling had gone down. It appeared that the pressure was relieved.

Braden was very perky and happy and silly today. He played outside even when it was cool. He and Landon pulled out their mittens and beanies and jackets. They had rather fun dressing up to go outside. Then they colored a page of the giant floor pad coloring book of Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Darby, Piglet, and Eyeore that I purchased at the flea market. And you can't forget the little doggie Buster. Today Braden wanted his page to have the little doggie on.

The children busied with school while I rested on the couch. I don't know why I was so tired, i guess I've been staying up too late at night. Finally at 10:00 A.M. I got up and dressed then sat at the desk. As the morning progressed, I felt an achiness come in my back on the left side. And when I breathed, pain would shoot in my back. I guess I need to visit the chiropractor. But that's put on the back burner.

It was time to go to the doctor's. After filling out several forms, I learned that this particular office has a sliding scale program to patients according to their income and ability to pay. They offer it because of an annual grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services. So instead of the usual $100 fee, it only cost us $15 - $25. Nice surprise! But I guess some one's paying for it somehow.

After the usual things like getting vitals, we finally got to hear the verdict. But guess what, the doctor was confused! She don't know what it is. The lump/bump/swelling/rash which was finally called by the latter didn't look like ringworm. Braden hadn't been losing hair. And if it would be ringworm, it would be a mess to take care of and diagnose. We'd have to send a hair for analysis to the lab, plus it's in a bad spot. It is uncommon to have it in the hair/head. She did mention impetigo, but that was ruled out.

We talked about ticks and Lyme's disease. Lab tests seemed to be inaccurate.

She asked, "Have you been to Pennsylvania?'

I replied, "Yes."

"Oh, great! When were you there last?"

"It was in July," I answered.

"That would seem to rule out Lyme's as the rash usually shows up from the first day of the tick bite to 2 weeks later. And this is two months later. We don't have Lyme's in this area because we don't have the mouse here as the carrier," the doctor explained. "The little lump was a swollen Lymph gland and it was just doing it's job. There's a second one here under the rash. Did you notice that? Those lumps may go down or they may always stay that size."

With this puzzle we decided to be safe rather than sorry years later. She hated to prescribe the antibiotic! She doesn't prescribe it unless she has to. She referred several times to her medical book and it read that we should do the antibiotic for 21 days, 3 times a day. Now she didn't like that! But what else could we do?

Normally they prescribe doxycycline but that is just way too strong for little ones like our boy, so she prescribed amoxicillin.

We headed to CVS. I had a $25 coupon for a new prescription. With us not being insured, they knocked $2 off bringing it to a total of $11.94 for the first bottle. I'll get the refill in two weeks so that it remains fresh. This stuff only lasts 14 days in the refrigerator. I'll basically be getting the treatment at no cost on my end.

But wait a minute, we've got to get some probiotic in his system to get some good back in his little body of 37.2 pounds. Yes, he's our small one. And I happen to know one of my really really good friends who is my sister and she sells Conklin products. The Probiotic Support they sell is the only one approved by NASA for their astronauts! So I think we'll go with that. They have an excellent product.

When we sing GOD IS GOOD - ALL THE TIME, He truly is good while we're sick, and when we're healthy, because He is God!