Well, the baby had a visit

with her grandma on Friday.

And Friday night she was really squirmy. Like she was when she was infected. I made Andy come in from another room to confirm it.

Saturday morning we saw telltale spots.

On Sunday we noted that they were worse. And the poor kid was off all weekend - in a cheerful mood then suddenly inconsolable. We tried to tell ourselves maybe she was teething, but the fussiness is the only sign of that, and it matches how she was when she was infected.

Yesterday I took the day off to take her to the doctor. The dermatologist who finally diagnosed her correctly told me he wanted her to be seen by his facility (even though I only trust him there) if she was symptomatic again, so I called them and got the run-around for three hours, and then when I was sort of a pushy bitch (which I HATE doing) they fit us in in the afternoon. With one of the doctors who misdiagnosed her.

Guess what she said.

It's not the skin condition. Even though it looks the same as it did the last three times. Even though Dr. Idiot agreed that it was the skin condition the first time, when it looked just like this. Even though it cleared up immediately after using the prescription all three times (Dr. Idiot: Oh, the cream's a moisturizer. Me, incredulous: I lotion the child twice a day. Dr. Idiot: Oh, okay. [long pause]). When pressed for some sort of diagnosis, she said maybe it's related to the baby's eczema. Which we have almost completely eradicated. And even though it only shows up immediately after a visit. The worker attended the visit with me, and agrees that the doctor is incompetent, but doesn't know what we can do because they are just about the only dermatologists in our county who take Medicaid.

So we didn't get treated, and naturally the baby is miserable. My plan is to wait until Andy and I are showing symptoms and then insist on being seen by the doctor who diagnosed her, or to just say "fuck it" and take the baby to our doctor and pay out of pocket for her. Because this is ridiculous. (I'm really grateful to be able to work from home for a few days while this is getting sorted out, because I'm not infecting the other kids at the baby's daycare on Dr. Idiot's word.)

Oh, and the worker told me that the grandma's planning to file for custody. It's really unlikely that she'll be successful, since the county isn't even trying to place the kid there at all right now, but still. Did we really need another complication here? Christ.

I'm fucking discouraged right now, you guys. I just want to help this baby, who I love like my own, and the goddamn red tape is making that really fucking hard.

P.S. I was going to go through and hyperlink to all the shit about her appointments and misdiagnoses and shit, but I'm fucking tired from trying to work from home while holding an uncomfortable baby who also wanted to help me type. So, you know, check the archives (try the "gross gross gross" tag) and sorry I'm not bothering.

Not baby-related, but very awkward.

Know what's a really uncomfortable three minutes? The three minutes between when you remove all of your clothes, don a paper tablecloth, and sit and wait for your new gynecologist to enter the room. Especially if the exam room doesn't have magazines.

My usual gynecologist's office is closing, so I decided to find a practice closer to my house for my yearly checkup. The place I settled on was highly rated on the internets, and it's literally on my way to work (the old office is 40 minutes away). My new doctor is a very nice Indian man who told me my cervix looked great. I'm considering putting that on my business cards, but I don't really want people asking to see it to confirm it on their own. Andy suggested getting an x-ray of it and using that as the back of the business card, which I think is a really workable idea.

The doctor also told me not to worry about inaccurate results, because he does a pap smear like he really means it. So that's ... reassuring. I guess.

Hey, look! I'm making it awkward!

Colds and banquets

1. The lady who sits next to me at work has been sick for two weeks. She was out part of last week and has been to the doctor at least twice this week. In my professional opinion, it sounds like a bad cold, but this lady doesn't cover her mouth when she coughs or sneezes. I can hear the difference, and I can tell you that the only time I've heard her cover her mouth when coughing was when she was actually on the phone with her doctor's office. So I know she knows she's supposed to, and she just doesn't care. What an asshole. I've been hoarding my sick days so I can take a few days off when we get a kid, and I haven't been out sick since July, so if this bitch gives me her gross cold because she doesn't know how to be a functioning member of a society, I'll cut her. I've been munching chewable Airborne like candy, even though they're made with horrific disgusting fake sweetener. I also will be taking fish oil before bed for the next few nights (secret: taking it before bed = no awful fish burps!). I am determined not to get my usual fall cold, even with gross neighbor lady's best efforts.

2. Tonight we're going to the county's annual foster parents recognition banquet thing. Even though we don't have a kid yet and will almost certainly only know each other and our certifying worker. My reasons for wanting to go, in order of importance:
     A. To introduce ourselves to the homefinder (the person in charge of actually putting a kid in our house) so she knows who the hell we are and will actually give us a kid.
     B. To eat a free dinner (the equivalent of wedding food, as the venue is a popular wedding reception place).
     C. To maybe meet some other foster parents in our age range to befriend.
I have no idea what the hell one wears to a banquet, as the last one I attended was when I got a scholarship in high school. Wearing what I have on from work feels too casual, but anything dressier feels like I'm trying too hard or something. Trying to impress strangers is hard, y'all.

What are your secret don't-get-sick preventative measures? I'll try anything, as long as it's cheap!