The girls started back to school this week.
Yes..I said "girls", as in both of my girls.
Owen started first grade. Barrett started full-time preschool.
The first day was great. Everyone was excited to go. Owen, of course, was beyond thrilled to be going back to school to see her friends, to meet a new teacher, to learn new things, to eat in the cafeteria! In fact she was so excited she threw up when we got out of the car. Or...that's what I thought was the cause, as she was perfectly fine before and after throwing up. I took her on to her class and she had a great day, was chattering happily to me when she came home.
Then the next day, on the way to school, she threw up again. This time she looked kind of green around the gills this time so I took her home. By 10am she was perfectly fine. Bouncing-off-the-walls fine.
Today, Day 3, she said she felt nauseous. Paul and I wondered what was going on. She threw up again. Is she trying to avoid school? Is she making herself throw up? Is it nerves? Acid reflux? Paul and I debated as she, once again, threw up right as we needed to leave for school.
I decided instead to take her to the walk-in hours at the pediatrician. By the time we got there, she was--once again--bouncing-off-the-walls fine. Talking-constantly fine. Playful-and-smiley fine.
The NP came in, asked questions. I had no satisfactory answers--or at least none that pointed to anything concrete. She asked Owen questions. Owen said her throat hurt a little. The NP noted it was slight red but not much and ordered a strep test just in case.
It came back positive. Weak positive, but positive nonetheless. I was floored. Strep I did not expect.
Did I mention she was fine? Absolutely fine. Within an hour after throwing up each morning. Perfectly, wonderfully, normally fine.
But oh well, now we know, and we can get some amoxycillin in her and move on. And she can go back to school on Monday.
We're just hoping that Barrett doesn't get it.
As a side note to this story, I emailed Owen's teacher each day to let her know what was going on. Today I received the following response from her:
I have sincerely missed her. She has a genuine smile that lightens up our classroom. I hope she responds quickly to the antibiotics and has a wonderful weekend. Take care! Tell her we will be waiting for her Monday Morning!
Now she could just be nice that way, but of course I know that Owen has a smile to light up the world. It made me happy that her teacher recognized that after just one day.
