Trish’s Blog

Zofran! Where have you been all my life?
Current mood: cheerful

Zofran, Where have you been all my life? 3/1/2007

Zack was puking all night long. Even as I posted my first ever blog and tactfully did not mention it, my seven-year-old son was emptying the contents of his stomach. First on his blanket in bed and then on endless dashes to the toilet. There was a startling amount of regurgitated KFC on his blanket. Seriously… does his stomach have secret compartments? And if so, why do they not show on the outside? And more importantly, where can I get some non-showing-on-the-outside-secret-stomach-compartments?

My poor, beautiful, very skinny son puked until there was nothing left to up-chuck. He hardly slept at all. I know, because he kept waking me up, and I sadly could not respond as well as a concerned and loving mommy could. I did my part after a good four hours of sleep, and was lucky enough to get him in to see his doctor today.

Oh, my goodness, the doctor! For me, going to this doctor is like going to the mall for others… It’s where wonders never cease equivalent to a 75% off sale. This doctor rocks.

My two boys were born while we were covered with an HMO in CA (at a premium to match their housing industry), so I didn’t know that there were doctors out there that could make things happen on the same visit. I was led to believe that the results for a test for strep throat required 48-hours, and by then, everyone in the household got it… Not a bad marketing plan for them, I guess.

The doctor we have now (PPO) is not afraid to stick you with a shot of penicillin if you’re not allergic to it. It’s like taking the bug and throwing a force field around it so that it can’t infect anyone else. I LOVE this doctor. Of course, my kids are now overly apprehensive about going to the doctor because they don’t want to get a shot, but I was like that. I remember that horror, and look how great I came out!

Today was no exception to blowing my mind at the doctor’s. She did a flu test (which looks a little like a pregnancy test) that was positive for flu A, and we found out the results while hanging out in our room for 10-15 minutes. We didn’t have to go home and wonder if it was cancer–all of the anxiety and the irrational thinking was completely side-stepped. Then she busted out a prescription for Zofran ODT.

I’m a mother of three, my oldest is 10, and I have never heard of Zofran. I know all about the BRAT diet, pedialyte, and giving small doses of liquids in increasing quantities as the body can handle it. So I asked her what the prescription was for because I have never been handed one for a puking kid… and we all know that antibiotics does nothing for a vicious virus like the flu. She said that Zofran stops the vomitting. I had to make her repeat herself because it seemed too good to be true.

A magic pill that stops the vomitting? I was a little skeptical and excited at the same time. By now Zack was dying to “drink a whole gallon of milk” so I asked the doc if he could drink liquids yet. She said to give him the Zofran first and then he could sip anything… gatorade, pedialyte, sprite, or a Coke slushy (ice and coke blended in a blender). Dude, a doctor that says it’s OK to give Coke to a kid? I wish she could be my doctor.

So, we got the prescription filled and I opened the bottle, and there’s only two pills in plastic kryptonite packaging. You know the kind that you need a blowtorch to open? And the ODT stands for Oral Dissolving Tablet, so I tell Zack to put the tablet on his tongue and let it dissolve. A little while later he asked me, “How long do I need to take this medicine?” I said that there were only two pills and he was to take the second one only if he needed it in four to six hours. I was thinking that the magic pill must taste gross, but Zack said, “No, it’s yummy.” when I asked him.

And it works!! Zack, the dry heave boy, was suddenly still. He didn’t throw up once and was able to sip 10 oz. of a Sprite slushy. My ex-bartender skills came in handy at this point. My frozen drinks, albeit non-alcoholic, are the bomb. We’ll try the Coke slushy later. Well, he did ask for the second pill after four hours had passed and now he’s getting some zzzz’s. And the vomiting has indeed stopped.

Maybe in a month or so, I’ll get Sarah to fake vomit for me at the doctor’s office. She has a strong gag reflex, so she could make it real. Then I’ll get the doctor to prescribe some more magic cease-vomit pills. Just to have in case of an emergency.

Like when we were moving to Texas from California and all three kids were puking their stomach linings out. I was in the van following Josh in the rented Penske truck. We had to make an unplanned stop at a motel on the way because my good mommy guage had busted, my nerves were shot, and I wanted to cry my hormones out in frustration. It’s oppotunities like these that wonderful husbands take to boost their wonderfulness and make lasting impressions on the marriage. Mine did not fail me, and I might have to rethink the illegal drug possession…

Maybe Zofran came into my life at just the right time—when I could appreciate it the most.

Laters,
trish

BTW – I googled it, and Zofran was first created to help chemotherapy patients.

Posted on March 1st, 2007 by trish
Filed under: Haley Kids