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.

Me, the lolly cruncher!

Whilst very kindly and somewhat sacrificially sharing my all important supply of lemonade ice blocks with my kids I noticed something about myself. All my kids sat and slowly savoured their sticks of white coldness, I on the other hand chomped through mine like someone was waiting around the corner to steal it off me. Of course there wasn't but it didn't stop me from finishing it in record time.  I have come to the realization that I am a somewhat greedy kind of gal who chomps through lollipops, ice blocks and big pieces of chocolate. Yes people I am a lolly cruncher!  I have tried a number of times in the past to be a lolly sucker and made a huge effort to slow down and savour each tasty sweet morsel of yumminess but once the conscious effort has worn off, before I know it I have already chomped into it, scoffed it down and ready to pop the next piece of whatever into my mouth.  I can't help it. I am destined to be that way forever.  I will reluctantly share my chocolate only when put under pressure though and with only those who I hold dear to me.

The ultimate sign of being sick!

Bed Hair!

The common pastime of the last few weeks in the infirmary that is my house.



However I do not what to be that way in every facet of my life.  I have this inner need that drives me all the time to slow down and savor each and every moment. (In saying that I am not really wanting to slow down and savor each moment of being sick so would be quite happy to press the fast forward button on this one).  Lets face it - life is busy, busy no matter what you are doing, how many kids you have or how old you are.  We are always busy at doing something, and if you are anything like me then you are always trying to squeeze in more to your already busy day.

I try to have things through out my day when I make a conscious effort to stop, breath and be. Something I do everyday. Like my morning cup of coffee and my late afternoon cup of tea. I pour and sit and be. My morning coffee just doesn't hold the same appeal if I have to drink it on the run and have to reheat it 33 times. Coffee is made to be enjoyed. Also if I have someone to share a morning coffee with its just that much better. Jamie doesn't drink coffee so most of the time its just me and the coffee pot going it alone. I just love it when good friends stop by and I can share a cup of Joe with them. Same with my late afternoon cup of tea - tea I might add that is to brew in a tea pot.  Not heaven forbid a tea bag in a mug deal! shudder I generally don't need to eat anything but if there is a piece of lemony lemon slice going then yup I am all in!

 

Other things that remind me to slow down and breath are intimate moments that I share with my children. You know the moments when you are actually looking into their faces and are actually seeing them and who they are as if almost for the first time.  Sadly sometimes when this happens I feel like its been too long since I have looked at whoever like that. That always breaks my mamas heart.  Why oh why does it always take such a conscious effort to savor such moments?  If we aren't careful they can almost appear like they have been stolen.  Conscious effort is just that conscious effort, yes I did say EFFORT!  To truly savor a moment you have to 1. Recognize there is a moment to be had and 2. Choose to be truly present in that said moment. Which means one can not be thinking about how you were just about to hang out the washing, thinking about checking out Facebook or having you phone attached to your hand just waiting for the next text to come through.  I can say this because I have been there and done that at one time or another.  I truly believe that most people, maybe even everyone, wants to savor moments of their and/or their children's lives. I can't imagine too many people actually want to live in a lolly crunching scoffing place.  I don't. I want to be a lolly sucking gal all the way!

          



Check out this great big ball of cuteness!



There is things that have been plaguing my thoughts over the time that I have been sick.  Plus or minus side to being sick, you choose.  One of them being how to manage the multi age/stage family that I have.  Ages around range from 12 years to 9mths and I wouldn't have it any other way.  My challenge is at the moment is, How do I protect and nurture the magic and innocence of childhood for the younger ones whilst still engaging on a more maturing level with my older ones. Any suggestions or helpful pearls of wisdom from other mamas of multi age/stage families?

Three pet ducks introducing themselves to their temporary neighbours!

On Being Sick!

I don't know too many people that would be putting their hands up wanting to be sick, but I REALLY hate it!!  I hate it with a vengeance!  I hate not feeling like I can do anything, not even the bare basics!  My house is a tip and my washing pile, the one that I have been working soooo hard at keeping folded and put away, has gone from woe to go in an instant!  Alas its back to being the Mount Washington!  Sad face for me.  Whats worse is that five out of six of my kiddies are sick too! High temps, sore muscles (which is turn means that certain little kiddies legs don't work), vomiting (for some) and coughing! OH the coughing its the worst.    My eyes are scratchy and my throat is hot (or is it the other way round) and all I want to do is sleep, sleep and sleep, which of course I can't, because did I tell you, I have the most annoying cough ever. Whats more frustrating is that I can't take any cough mixture because I am breast-feeding!  So I have to be content with sipping on warm Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey drink.  Jamie has vacated my bed at night because I am keeping him awake so much. Last night he pushed Casey over and sleep with him. Tonight he is making up the couch bed, only because Casey has been talking in his sleep and kept Jamie awake part of the night attempting to engage him in numerous conversations.

So we are well into the third week of having one of those good old fashioned 'shut ins'.  Another thing that is doing my head in (but not enough to be bother to do anything about) is that I am insanely over the TV, Computer and/or Tablet being on nearly all day and kiddies wrapped up in blankets and being sprawled all over the couch, floor and not moving. Did I say ALL DAY.  If I was 100% myself I might be inclined to wage war on this but as I said I can't be bothered.  They are quiet, well mostly if you don't count the fights over the TV channel, the pick of movie or whose turn it is on the computer or whose has had 25 secs more than their agreed time. I don't know how else I would keep entertained or quiet and rested five sick kiddies.  I am however, super super thankful that Jesse (9mths) is not at all unwell and that Jamie is able to be at home with us and is having a go at playing nurse. I say playing because it is not at all his calling in life and is doing this under duress. He is certainly not sitting bedside, spoon feeding me chicken broth and sponging my brow with a cool damp cloth but at least he is here and is coping very well with the vomiting, the whinging and the timetable for Pamol administration. Yes I did say timetable, one has to have a timetable when there is five of them all requiring various amounts of medication.  Our house is a disaster zone I tell you.

A plus side for being sick is that I finally have started and finish a book that I have been wanting to read for a while - awesome! AND I have pottered around and sorted out some clutter in 'high-risk clutter zones' at various places around the house - again AWESOME!! AND I have had some time (when I could wrestle the computer off the kids) to peruse the property market for dream homes and Trade Me for milking goats and bar stools. Come on what else do you surf the net for when you are sick?  I am hoping and I am praying that tomorrow everyone will be just that much better than they were today and that I and everyone else will sleep just that much better tonight.
Sorry no photos of said sick kids or nurse Jamie. I don't think that anyone of them would really appreciate me waving a camera in their face and you are certainly not going to get a photo of me in my current state.
Much love to you all Xxx

Ps I did find a dream house - anyone have a cool million? (I did say DREAM house)