When They Are Sick.

I am so bummed right about now, my camera has a permanent black spot on the lens.  So be warned if I happen to snap a picture of you, you could be sporting a new beauty spot.  I am also bummed because I have a very sick and miserable wee man.  Its hard when any of your kiddies are sick but the smaller they are the more my heart breaks for them as they just don't understand what the hang is going on.  It all started on Thursday when I took Jesse off to the doctors for possibly the worlds worst nappy rash that seem to have developed over night.  While I was dressing him I notice a couple of red blotches on his stomach.  Like most parents who discover strange looking rashes, MENINGITIS screamed through my head but I quickly dispelled that thought as he was well and happy.  By the time I got to the Dr the rash had spread more on his stomach and round to his back. Red, Hot, Raised, and Blotchy.

Allergic reaction to something. To what, I didn't have a clue.  I felt bad, real bad. Aren't you suppose to know if they have eaten new foods, eaten poisonous leaves or rolled in strange grasses? (A real possibility in my family) All I could come up with was - Peaches, I thought it might of been peaches.

Day Two - Rash had spread further even after two doses of Antihistamine. It was down his legs and arms now. Back to the Dr again.  I really hate questioning or second guessing Drs or the like but I really thought they should of started him on a steroid.  So that's exactly what they did. You know there is something strange going on when every Dr you see brings in another for a look and a second opinion.  That afternoon saw us going back to the Dr just so she could see if there was any improvement which there was - Yah!! 

Day Three - After a terrible night with him - he woke with a roaring temp, the shakes, spreading rash and swollen eyes, hands and feet.  Something the nurse in me knew shouldn't of happened after two does of Steroids.  Oh my sweet precious one!!  I downed a half a cup of tea and a piece of toast, packed a bag. Nappies, Wipes, Clothes, Phone, Biscuits, Muesli Bars, Water, and Phone (You know the usual things you pack when you don't know what will happen and where you will end up).  Back at the Dr - *sigh* beginning to feel I should have shares in the place!  She sent me packing, not home but off up to the hospital this time!

For me the worrying thing was the bruising/purple colour that was appearing where the rash had been.  Poor Jesse wasn't well at all.  

After nearly three hours in the Emergency Department, Jesse screaming every time someone touched him, entered the room or even looked at him and a hideous blood test (from the FOOT) later. We got to go home armed with appropriate medications, extremities plastered from puncture wounds (they had four goes at drawing blood) and bits of paper.  The outcome a severe reaction to a bug in the blood to put it in layman's terms.   So hopefully the poor wee man is on the mend now.  He is still severely slacked off with the world and is super cuddling and wants to drink from me ALL the time - not ideal when you are in the process of trying to wean.  My heart hurt for him today, when he wanted to sleep but kept being woken, when he was being poked and prodded and looked at, when he was swaddled, restrained on the bed, screaming and not understanding why I was letting this happen to him.  Oh how my heart hurt as I whispered reassuring words and pleading prayers in his ears while covering his face with kisses.    

Today made me think of the children (and parents) whom this is everyday life for.  The children with ongoing chronic and sometimes terminal illnesses. My heart hurt for them so bad.  We are blessed, we got to come home today, we have an answer and a treatment, we have a God to whom we can pray to, draw strength from and to cry out to. A God who gives us hope and comfort.  He knows, He KNOWS what every parent is going through when they are watching their child suffer.  I am so thankful for Him.

He actually looks like he has been stung by a bee, even his eyes and lips are swollen!

Healing Sleep!!

Check out those puffy hands!!

There are a couple of things that I learnt along the way today:

1) Interesting rashes make for interesting viewing.  I got all sorts of stares and sympathetic nods as I walked through the car park, Emergency department, chemist. Even the hospital staff took the opportunity to peek.  Can't blame them really it was really impressive and I so would of done that when I was a nurse - I am nosy like that!

2) When assessing your child's temperature the answer "I don't know what his temperature was but he was on fire when I kissed his forehead this morning and plus he had the shakes - so it was pretty high" doesn't really cut the mustard in the medical field.

3) Pack more food, especially if you are like me who needs to eat otherwise embarrassing things may start to happen like fits of sneezing! Someone else please come forward and tell me sneezing when you are hungry happens to you!!!

4) The question "Is he allergic to anything?" Seemed like such a bizarre question to be asking today?!

5) If you are watching a DVD that has the subtitle option turned on, you read the words rather than watch the movie even though its in English!!  Learnt this during my time in the Kids Emergency Department while watching 'Surfs Up' twice. - Funny movie!!

5) My husband is amazing.  Not only did he manage to dress five kids and himself in pirate costumes, drop them off, dash to a meeting for an hour (yes still dressed as a pirate) and get back to the party. But he still managed to make sausage rolls and do the dishes before he left as well!!

Hopefully this wee man will be back to his normal self very soon!!!

Here is hoping your precious wee ones are healthy and happy.