In the Footsteps of Piper and Jason Grace

Alexa gets sick

So, so, sorry it took me so long to update!! I've been so busy lately and haven't had much free time!

Piper's POV:

High-pitched screaming cries were coming from the baby moniter on my bedside table. I managed to open one eye, just enough to see the screen on the moniter showing my little Alexa, bawling her eyes out. Sighing, I shut my eyes for one more blissful moment. This was normal in the Grace family household.

Wait. No it isn't, not when it's Alexa who's crying. That puzzled me a little, so I shrugged out of bed, kissing Jason on the cheek. He looked so cute just lying there, half-asleep. He smiled a little, and I touched his shoulder lightly and pulled on my favourite purple fuzzy robe. I had a feeling I might be up for a while. 

I quietly opened the door of the twins' nursery. Jack was awake now too, having heard his sister's squealing and indulged in his own. I quickly rushed over to him, scooped him up, shhh-ing him. I rocked him for a moment, but had to get to Lexi, so I grabbed a blanket, swaddled him, and laid him in his rocking seat. I turned it on, and very quickly his cries died away. I went over to Lexi. Her face was red and scrunched up from so much squealing. As I picked my baby up, she let out a gasping cough. Not good. I grabbed a pink blanket for her, and sat down in one of the comfy recliners my mom had put in the nursery. I whispered to her quietly, reasurring her, or as much as you can to a 4-month-old. 

As much as I feed her, rock her, and rub her, I cannot get Lexi to go back to sleep. Finally I decide to take her temperature. Her temperature turns out to be a soaring 102.7 degrees Farenheit. Freaking out a little, worried about a sick baby, I rush to Jason. 

"Hey, Jason," I whisper frantically.

"What??" He moans. "It's four in the morning!" 

"It's Lexi. She's sick, Jason. Her temperature's 102.7!" I explain quickly.

That woke him up fast. When it comes to a caring father, he's top on the list. 

"We've got to get her to a doctor, fast. I smile slightly, but it quickly disappears. It takes us a grand total of 7 minutes and 38 seconds to be completely ready, carseats and babies in hand. Alexa had finally stopped crying, but was still red-faced and uncomfortable, so I rode in the back with her and Jack, rubbing her belly and murmuring to her. It worked fairly well, she didn't cry during the 12 minute car ride to the nearest hospital. 

We sat in the ER for only half an hour before a nurse came over, noting the situation immediately. 

"What's the matter? I'm promising it's a little one," she asked.

"Yes, it's Lexi here. She wouldn't stop crying, and usually she rarely cries. I checked her temperature and it's 102.7," I stated matter-of-factly. 

She nodded, like she'd seen it all before. 

"Come right this way, you'll be wanting the pediatricians," she led us down a couple white-tiled hallways that stank of disenfectant.

Finally, she instructed us to way in a little private room with a bassinett in it. She brought in another one for Jack, too, so Jason quickly took Jack out of his car seat and laid him quietly in the bassinett. Thankfully, he had fallen back asleep, so Jason and I didn't have to deal with two agitated babies, just one sick one. 

About twenty minutes later, a doctor came in. He quickly checked her temperature and asked Jason and I some questions. He wrote it all down, then left the room for a short while. When he finally came back, he had a small needle in packaging in his hand, as well as a piece of paper.

"Your daughter has a rather severe fever. Because she's already four months old, though she is a little smaller than normal, I'm just going to give her a couple injections to help her system get rid of the fever. I also have a prescription you can take home and feed her for the next week, once a day, with her first little meal," he explained. He didn't look worried, thank goodness. I exhaled a sign of relief at his words. I had been worried that Lexi had gotten some rare life-threatening disease! That's a new mother for you! 

The doctor pulled the needle out of it's packaging, and prepared it. 

"Hold Alexa still, please. I'm going to be putting this in her arm," he said, turning to me. I nodded, picking up Lexi and holding her carefully in my arms. She had a little white and pinke onsie on, so I just had to position her so that her left upper arm was closest to the doctor. He came forwards and grasped her arm tightly, before slowly pushing the needle in. Alexa opened her little mouth and screamed very loudly. Before she knew it, he had grabbed the next one and jabbed it in. Then he asked me if I could undress her, so I did, and just as she was settling down again he shoved the final injection in her right buttock! This made her wail horribly. I couldn't watch! Quickly, he gave me the prescription and we left, Alexa settling in my arms. Poor girl. 

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We got home and her fever was already going down, so I just settled her back in bed and slept through the morning.