Then we got home. It was midnight. The first thing I saw on the kitchen counter was Madison Memorial Hospital discharge papers. Not cool!
It turns out that Stable Boy, who for the last few days has been fighting flu-like symptoms, actually decided to take himself in to the doctor since he thought he might have strep throat. He fully expected the doctor to say, "You're fine." and send him on his way.
Instead, the doctor informed Stable Boy that he has a serious case of pneumonia. He even took chest x-rays to prove it. Stable Boy has apparently been sick with this for a couple months, but just kept plugging along.
Stable Boy and Kid 4 spent over three hours at the doctor's office getting a breathing treatment and not one, but two IV bags to combat his severe dehydration. (Stable Boy's throat has been so sore, it's been hard for him to swallow anything.)
They sent him home with instructions to return for more IV fluids this morning and again tomorrow morning.
Given what I had first imagined when I saw the hospital papers, a little bit of pneumonia was almost a relief.