Thursday, September 19, 2013

Strep Throat Blues

I have to admit that I feel bad about last weekend. Boogs and I had a great time on our photo scavenger hunt. He seemed to be feeling fine except for saying he had a "scratchy" throat. After our morning outing, we went out to lunch. Boogs barely ate a thing. When we got back home, he helped his dad clean the back porch, and weed the yard. He seemed to be moving slower and slower.

I thought he was moving slower because he did not want to work in the yard. I talked with him about getting his work finished so he could go on an outing with his dad. He then started crying and saying that his throat hurt so bad he could not swallow. Poor little guy. I looked in his throat and it was horribly red and speckled. He wanted to finish his weeding because he is saving up for a Skylander character. I gave him Tylenol and a cough drop and told him we would call the doctor's office as soon as it opened the next morning. The doctor confirmed that he has strep throat. We stayed home and rested for two days. It was the first time Boogs has ever missed a day of school.

Boogs started feeling better within about 12 hours of being on antibiotics. That made the extra day at home less restful. I came up with a semi-calm activity to entertain Boogs and keep him from running around too much.

We built a maze for Boogs' hamster. We put two sunflower seeds and a golden raisin at one end of the maze and a "secret window" opening at the other. Boogs and I tried to guess which she would try first - grab the treat or escape the maze?
Winter, the hamster, ran right past the secret window and over to the treats. She ate one sunflower seed and stuffed the other sunflower seed and raisin into her cheek.
Once her treats were secured, Winter wasted no time locating the secret escape window.
We stuffed towels under the linen closet door, closet door, and bedroom door so Winter could not escape from the bathroom.
She seemed to really enjoy running all over the place and we had fun watching her. Boogs is ready to build an even bigger maze.
The one good thing to come out of Boog's strep throat... he actually wanted to go back to school on Wednesday.

12 comments:

  1. What a week! It looks like he came up with fun things to do.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I hope he's recovered now - how very painful for him! What a fun and inventive activity for both the hamster and Boogs, thanks for linking up and sharing with Country Kids.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Fiona. He is a feeling much better. Antibiotics are amazing!

      Delete
  3. I'm so sorry Boogs has been unwell, and hope he is fully recovered now. I just love the hamster maze. What a very productive activity!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! He is better. He made it to school three days this week, but we did skip all after school activities so he could come home and rest.

      Delete
  4. Fabulous fun. I had a hamster when I was little and I used to make mazes. I'd forgotten - thanks for bringing back the memory. Hope Boogs is fully recovered.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the well wishes. Boogs is feeling much better. Thank goodness for antibiotics.

      Delete
  5. Glad he's feeling better.
    Love the hamster maze! What a cool idea :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Colette. We had to stay inside and sane. Building the maze helped fight off cabin fever.

      Delete
  6. My son gets strep throat all the time, so I can totally relate. Glad to hear your little one is on the mend. The antibiotics make a huge, huge difference, don't they (when it's bacterial in nature)?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am sorry your son gets strep throat all the time. That is no fun.

      Delete