Kate developed a right ear infection about a week and a half ago, and so I took her into the pediatrician last Monday. I could literally smell the infection, and there was a lot of drainage. (TMI? Sorry.)
Dr. Q gave her an oral antibiotic and said to use the antibiotic ear drops twice a day for 5 days. Four days into the treatment, the ear drops disappeared. I looked everywhere and asked the kids, but I thought I had misplaced them or thrown them away because I couldn't find them anywhere.
Yesterday I took Kate into her ENT for the follow-up. Our ENT works at a teaching hospital, so we always see the student first, then Dr. M. The student came in, looked in her ear, and said it was healing. He asked me if we used the drops, and I told him about losing them on day 4. He said that was ok, that we didn't have to finish the drops because the drainage had stopped.
After he left the room, Kate asked me if she had to have any more drops in her ears.
Me: Not this time around. He said you could just finish the other medicine (oral).
Kate: Oh. Well, then. I guess I can tell you where the ear drops are.
Me: You know where they are?
Kate: Yes. They are in my room under the plastic wrapping for Jack's new mattress.
Me: Did you hide them there?
Kate: Yes.
Unfortunately at that point, I lost my parental composure and totally started cracking up. I never imagined that my 5 year old daughter had hidden her ear drops. I mean, I knew she hated them, but to go to these lengths and then lie about it... it was a little surprising. (I know. I get Mommy of the Year Award for not refilling the Rx AND for laughing at my daughter's misbehavior.)
Then Dr. M came in. I told him and the student that I now knew where the drops were. Dr. M said, that's good because her ear still looks pretty bad. I want you to give her 4 drops, 4 times a day, for the next 2 days.
That's right Kate, you just quadrupled your remaining doses because you decided to lie to mommy.
Needless to say, we had a conversation on the way home about the consequences of lying AND of not following the doctor's instructions.
No comments:
Post a Comment