Thursday, February 19, 2009
Mysterious Pains are DRIVING ME CRAZY
I am at my wits end with my girl and her mysterious leg/feet pain. Tomorrow will make it the fourth week of excruciatingly long bedtime rituals that include tired tears, screams, facial contortions, and frantic feet kicking under and over the sheets. She acts as if she is in so much pain that I have to imagine there is some kind of tumor growing on the part of her spinal cord where the nerves that radiate into her feet reside. What other explanation is there and what else can I do? I increased her Motrin dosage and it does nothing. I tickle, massage, sing, say soothing words and then I threaten, beg, and bargain with new bicycles, trips to Disney Land, etc. I even said a prayer with her tonight and when it was finished she said, "it didn't work. They still hurt." Whilst I was tickling I remembered a scene in Gone With the Wind where the black slaves have to fan the Southern belles while they take their afternoon naps before the Wilkes' BBQ. I feel like the slave with the tickling fingers only I can't get my charge to sleep. The last couple of nights I've just been letting her cry herself to sleep because it is the only way to get results but that doesn't seem right either if she is really in pain. Bedtime has been taking up to three hours. And then she is so miserable and tired all day long. Arrrggg!
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6 comments:
Ahh poor nicky! Hope things get better soon!
Man, that is rough! I feel bad for both of you. Does she complain about the pain anytime other than bedtime?
Yuck for you. Have you tried offering a morning reward for a successful night without bothering mom, dad, or brother? She probably loves the attention she's getting from you and can't bare to be alone, even at night!
I wish I could help. That's hard. Everytime I think my child is faking it, turns out they probably needed immediate attention. Everytime I give them immediate attnetion, like a trip to the ER etc., turns out they were fine.
Just my two cents I know but I would tend to go with the mental route. I reward for good night and try not giving any kind of positive attention for being up in "pain." If you are boring enough and knows the expectations she will probably sleep. Only reason I say this is that my own child tried those tricks and still does and I have watched many others in childcare same way. It is good you checked with the docter first though. Good luck to cute little Nicole. What a smart girl she is! That's what you get for haviung a smart one, haha.
Thanks everyone. The second doctor visit uncovered no serious problem so I'm thinking she's been getting rewarded for pain. We are going to have to make it staying up a little more boring for her.
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