I should be in bed by now. Husband will become peeved soon that I’m not.

An advice nurse advised:

• soak her bottom in warm water with 2 Tbsp. of baking soda several times a day.
• Use lotrimin anti-fungal cream (or similar brand) on her bottom, because bright red rash indicates possible yeast infection.
• Let her be diaper-free as much as possible.
• Give her 2 oz. of Pedialyte if her diarrhea happens often and in large amounts.
• Use only warm water and cotton balls to clean her bottom and pat dry with cotton balls.
• Use Desitin the rest of the time.

If it got worse, or if there was mucous or blood in the stool (indication of bacterial infection), she said to see the doctor in the morning. Well, the rash seems worse. The stool doesn’t have mucous but is different in consistency (I’ll spare you the description). There is no blood in the stool, but she bleeds when her skin is cleaned (and screams, stiffens like a board, and curls her little toes tight in response). I called an advice nurse this evening to see about the hydrocortisone cream someone suggested and to ask if infant Tylenol would help. I was told no to the cream and given advice on the dose for the pain-killer. Someone had suggested her symptoms could be teething related (it’s very early but can happen), but she said with 13 bowel movements in the day as of 8 p.m. is sounded more like a viral infection. (Claire normally has 3-4. Friday it was 5; Saturday it was 7; today the final count is unknown.) Also, the medicated ointment and Desitin don’t really stay on her skin, because the part that is the worst is seeping with plasma and is too wet for the goo to adhere.) She’s low on her intake for the day, because when she eats her tummy starts to hurt with gas and she can’t continue, or she soils her diaper during the meal and then it’s game over, because the pain overwhelms her. You can bet I’ll be on the phone at 8 a.m. tomorrow asking for an appointment.

She’s not direly ill, and she does manage to be cheerful some of the time. This will pass, whatever it is. I’m wound up right now, though, and a small glass of red wine is easing me toward relaxation. Sleep is next. For me, at least, and I hope for her.