James' Finger Fiasco

The Monday before last, Jackson slammed the door on James' ring finger. James cried hysterically and his fingernail immediately turned purple. I did my best to keep ice on it and I gave him Tylenol. Fast forward a week and a half later. James woke up in the middle of the night screaming with a fever. The next morning (yesterday) I noticed his ring finger was swollen, red, and warm. It was crusty, nasty, and clearly infected. Throughout the morning he was increasingly clingy and holding his finger. His fingertip looked worse.

One phone call to the nurse later and we had a doctor visit scheduled that afternoon. I tend to under-react to things of a medical nature. I avoid the pediatrician's office at all costs, because it's so stressful taking all of the kids. They were okay, but it was a very long hour waiting in our room!

If you assumed that James was the hardest to deal with, you would be wrong. I swear Maddie has some kind of PTSD from all her medical appointments throughout her first 18 months. As soon was I put James on the scale, Maddie became hysterical. It only worsened when the nurse came in to take James' temperature. James was upset, but nothing like Maddie.

Jackson enjoyed playing doctor.

Amelia investigated the contents of every drawer and cabinet.

The doctor was exceptional. I had to hold a once again hysterical Maddie. The doctor gave all four kids a tongue depressor with stickers on it. She made silly animal sounds and had all four kids laughing. She was even able to hold James fingers and check him thoroughly. 

The final verdict was a staph infection. She prescribed antibiotics as well as a topical cream. We spent another hour at Walmart waiting on prescriptions, only to find out insurance wouldn't cover them. (For some reason our PCP is listed incorrectly. This is not going to be an easy fix because there are no direct contacts and it literally takes hours to talk to someone on the phone.)

James is still not acting like himself today. He woke with a rash covering his face and was extra cranky. Once James finally started playing on the floor, Amelia accidentally stepped on his hand. Before I knew it blood was pouring down James' hand from that same finger. His poor little fingernail is back to purple.

I don't know if James has a virus or if this is all part of a staph infection. Either way, he's very clingy, grumpy, and tired. I could go without the screaming fits, but I was so happy to just snuggle my sweetly sleeping boy for an hour today. 

I am hopeful that the antibiotics will kick in quickly and James will return to his usual energy levels and sleeping patterns. Until then, I'll do my best to stay patient and make time for snuggles.