Faux Infection

This morning, as Sam was dumping his cereal bowl in the sink, he suddenly gave a cry and clapped his hand over his right ear. "Mom, OW!" he said, turning to me.

"Your ear hurts?" I asked. "Did you bump it on the counter?"

"No!" Sam said. "THIS doesn't hurt (pulling on his earlobe), it hurts in the hole!"

Well, that couldn't have been any clearer. I didn't mention it again, in case it was a fluke, and a few minutes later he cried and held his ear again. I called the clinic and got an appointment with his doctor for early afternoon. Sam became hysterical and cried that he did not want to go to the doctor. I spent several hours with Sam on my lap, holding his ear and crying that it hurt and that he didn't want to go to the doctor.

I eventually told Sam that he could pick out a toy if we went to the doctor. Horrible, I know, but I assumed we'd be going to the store for a prescription anyway. I got the kids loaded up and headed to the clinic. I spent several minutes in the parking lot standing next to Sam's door as he sobbed uncontrollably. He finally got out and we went in.

We didn't have to wait long (thank goodness!). The nurse called us back and Sam sadly told her that his ear hurt down in the hole. She sympathized with him. As we waited for the doctor Sam continued to cry and beg to leave.

Then Dr. Arndt walked in. "Hi!" Sam said brightly. "My ear hurts down in the hole."

Dr. Arndt checked Sam's ears. "All clear," he said.

"Wait - what?" I said. "He's been crying for six hours."

Dr. Arndt cleaned out Sam's ears and checked again. No fluid, no redness, nothing. Perfectly healthy. "Does it hurt right now?" he asked Sam.

"No, it's better now. Thanks!" Sam said as he cheerfully jumped down from my lap.

I could have just left him there. Even worse, I had to follow through and take him to the store for a Hot Wheels car. He's been happy and giggly ever since.

Sam, you drive me nuts.