Hanging in there.
Monday, August 13, 2012 at 12:47PM Excuse my presence from the new weekly linkup: One Weekend Wonder, at only week 2 ;) We've had a rough few days & this is the first time I've opened my laptop since Thursday :( I'll be back on deck next Sunday for the sharing of our weekend moments :)
We had a weekend up the coast booked. I had planned on sharing some of the magic of our weekend by the beach. But....like all well-made plans...they change! We had to cancel our weekend away & instead have struggled through the most exhausting few days ever.
Our gorgeous little boy has been so unwell. The sickest, most worrying moments in parenting I've had to experience yet. {besides this moment with Ella....but that was a different type of 'sick'}.
As mentioned in my last few posts, Ryder was hosting some pretty high temps. An initial trip to the Doc on Wednesday, diagnosed him with 'a viral flu'. Come Friday morning - after several shocking nights of a crying, distressed baby whose temperature was barely going under 39degrees - despite all the panadol & nurofen administered, I decided to head back to the Doctor's. Chris due to work reasons, had headed up the coast the day before us. So I was taking on all of this alone, and later that morning, I hit rock-bottom. Whilst at the Doctors; Ryder's temp hit 40.2 degrees {and that was after a double dose of nurofen/panadol} - they whisked him off for chest xrays. Some antibiotics were prescribed & a urine sample requested. After sobbing in the Doctor's waiting room with my sweet {very hot} little man in my arms and my gorgeous Ella patting my arm; telling me everything was going to be fine, I called Chris. I tried to hold it together on the phone as I didn't want him to have excessive worry whilst working a few hours from home. But with the simple question of "How are YOU doing?" - I fell apart.
By afternoon, he had left his important work committments, and come home. This meant so much to me.
As the weekend rolled, we just went from one exhaustion to another. Ryder didn't improve at all. In fact, he got worse. 11pm on Saturday night I took him to the emergency ward at the local hospital as we just couldn't get his temp down and he was screaming in pain. Some tests there revealed a urinary tract infection so I left with some stronger antibiotics for him.
Sunday - another trip to the Doctor to follow up, and referrals given for more tests. Sunday night - Ella stayed at her cousin's house for a sleepover while Chris & I took Ryder to the Children's Hospital in Brisbane. Although we were there until 3:30am, and again had a night of no sleep - we were at least given more answers. Our very tired, very sick little man had to endure more medications, lots of prodding & poking and being pinned down, a traumatic blood test, an attempt to insert an IV, another chest xray and another urine sample. Basically he has a shocking strand of influenza. His little body is fighting hard.
He only wants to sleep in my arms. So any sleep I've had this week, has been sitting in the rocking chair in his room cradling him. I thought I knew sleep deprivation well {with our 2 little sleepless cherubs}, but what we lived through this past weekend, has shown me a whole new level of sleep deprivation. WOW! Not fun!
Seeing your own children so unwell, especially at such a young age, is torture. I would not wish what we went through this weekend upon my worst enemy.
It was {and still is - we're not completely out of the worst yet} terrifying, exhausting, frustrating and heart-wrenching.
Chris has been my rock, he truly has. There's no way I would've coped this weekend without him.
We're all run down & fluey now. We're a house of sick :(
But now, while Ryder is asleep....not in my arms for a change...and it's been longer than 30mins....I'm going to make the most of it, and head off to bed! Let's hope for some sleep tonight!!!!!!!
Motherhood, baby, children's hospital brisbane, doctor, my life, parenthood, sick, unwell in {My Life}
Reader Comments (21)
Oh my Claire, you poor thing, and poor Ryder. Eli last week had a urinary tract infection so I can empathise with how horrifically in pain they feel, and hope helpless you must have felt. I do hope he gets better very soon and you catch up on some sleep. I was just staying to Kate how 'sick' this winter has been. Not nice :(
Oh and have you rescheduled that weekend away? Hope so xx
Take care
Oh sweetie, how terrifying and heart breaking :( Poor Ryder and poor you guys. It's horrible when bubs are sick and want nothing more than to be held. I could empathise with you trying to sleep while holding Ryder (I've had several of those all-nighters holding bubs myself, both with Grace and with Sophie last year when she ended up in hospital). SOOO hard to keep going when you're so exhausted yourself but you have to hold everything together for your children's sake. I'm glad you had Chris's support and that you've been given some answers. Wishing you a good night's sleep xx
oh Claire :(
Poor lil Ryder. And you!
Bless little Ella for comforting you and Chris being awesome.
Hope health and sleep returns soon.
Dee x
That's awful. Hope your Son feels better soon and you all get some much needed rest. Hopefully when you're all feeling better and everyone's healthy, that you get to go on the much needed getaway/holiday..! Take care. X
Oh no Claire, what a terrible time you have had. Poor Ryder, it is heart breaking to see them so sick. Hope he is on the mend soon and you all can get a break and some sleep xx
Oh Claire what a shocking couple of days for you all! Been thinking of you heaps and especially Ryder, hope to see that bubbly smiling face next time. I can only imagine how tough it must have been to see him so sick!
Thank you Marian. So glad that weekend is over & we're on the mend :) xx
Thank you Simone :) last night was definitely the best we've had all week! He actually slept for more than 20mins at a time....I think we can only go up from here! Thanks for your well wishes x
Thank you Carly :) yes, it was a tough few days :( I think we're on the mend now though!! The hotel is the same one we're booked for a summer (January) break & they were kind enough to transfer the money lost of the unused nights to our January booking :)) which was a little bit of happiness over the terrible weekend :) xx
Thank you Dee :) yes it was so beautiful to see how sensitive & understanding Ella was :) and Chris is unwell with this flu too still took it all on board & helped out so much. What a weekend! Bring on a fresh week I say :) xx
Thank you for knowing exactly what's its like Amanda :) and thank you so much for the well wishes & messages :) xx
Oh Carly, sorry to hear that Eli had a uti. They can be common in girl's but not so much in boys! Not fun hey! Sending you get-well wishes too. C'mon spring :) xx
These are the moments of parenthood that nobody wants to have happen. Having a sick child is terrible on so many levels. I feel for you as I have been in that same position. It is heartbreaking seeing your child in pain isn't it. I am sorry you have had this stress Claire.
My daughter had a viral illness for 3 weeks when she was about 18 months old. I took her back to the hospital 3 times and each time they said there was no medication to give her because it was viral and not an infection. I was beside myself with worry watching her lay in bed hour after hour, day after day. She had temps daily of 40 degrees and did not talk or smile for the full 3 weeks of being sick. She lived on ice blocks and water and not much else. I felt so frustrated and helpless, it was a very very long 3 weeks.
I hope you all recover ASAP. Thank goodness winter is almost over. I can't wait for Spring. Take care of yourselves and get some much needed rest xxoo
Oh Susan :( how terrifying for you! 3 weeks is such a long time to see your child so unwell. Just this past weekend felt like forever. The days just blurred into each other, so I can't imagine the stress you felt during 3 weeks!! Thanks for your comment & the well wishes xx
Just 4 weeks ago I had a phone call from my sons daycare he is 18mnths saying he had a temp of 39. He had just finished his 2nd bottle of antibiotics, was well for one day and then this.. As I was at work I rang my sister to pick him up.. She took him to a local doctor who stated it was just viral, we requested bloods because I was so worried.. the rest of the day despite our combination attempts of Panadol and nurofen his temp was still sitting between 39 and 39.6..I left work and went to my sisters house...he just lied there on her chest...we gave him a tepid bath and lots of fluids when he'd take them...he just wanted to sleep, an hour later he started vomitting..took his temp using two different thermometers still 39.6..I told my sister let's just take him to hospital Incase..we arrived and the triage nurse said it probably is just a viral and the wait was 4 hours...my sister said crystal we can wait...2 hours we sat there, my son cuddling Into his Aunty Steph. Next thing we knew his eyes were in the back of his head and he started to seize in my sisters arm, I screamed and nurses came running..he was rushed to the resus bed I just sobbed and sobbed my baby now lying on a table with a 40.1 temp and seizing...he seized
For 32 minutes(usually febrile convulsion lasting only 5
So something else wrong) they sedated my baby and he had tubes everywhere. A rash started to appear up his arm and now i was told my baby was fighting the deadly menegitis I didn't know what to think! The icu team from Mater children's came assessed my baby. He spent 6 long days in hospital being pumped with strong antibiotics...he's now home with follow up brain scans to happen this
Week...
It is so frightening when a doctor just puts it down to viral everything is viral to them these days I'm
So thankful for my sisters instinct and telling me to stay at the hospital! I'm so sorry you and Ryder have been through a really testing week and he was in pain:( I'm so glad he is on the mend and they located the underlying problem!
Oh my goodness Crystal :((( that is truly terrifying. My eyes teared up when reading your comment! So scary! The thought of meningitis entered my mind after a few days of his extreme high temp. But we were finally given answers after day 5! I'm so glad your son is doing ok & I am sending lots of positive thoughts your way that his scans go as well as possible. Kids can be so resilient, which is a good thing. Xx
You poor thing, it must have been so scary and so tiring (emotionally and physically)
It's hard work being a Mama but it's actually the heartaches that are the really hard part, not the dishes and laundry!
Get better soon, little Ryder xxxx
Thank you Laura :) and yes so true!! Being a mum has taught me so much about heart ache & stress....and about unconditional love & joy! Let's just say that I didn't have any grey hairs before being a mumma....and now I have plenty :))) xx
Glad to hear your little one is on the mend! High temps are just awful! My little girl had a febrile convulsion as a result of high temperature last year all while traveling down the highway in peak hour traffic on our way home from the doctor. An incredibly frightening moment I hope I never have to experience again!!! Sending get well wishes your family's way!
Oh Claire. You darling girl. How horrendous. What a relief to finally get to the bottom of it. I vividly recall the horror of holding 4 month old Sam down while he had a blood test as he contorted his body and screamed in pain. Motherhood cracks open your heart, doesn't it? Sending you all my best wishes for a swift recovery. J x
Oh Claire, this is all so distressing for you all. It's so hard when you don't get proper answers for some time too. I hope he's very much better now and you've been able to catch some sleep xxx