Two Sick Kids, an Eye infection and Cabin Fever
The October holidays begin and so does the rain, top that off with both daughters coughing and you’ve got a great start to what you hoped would be a good busy holiday for all of you. I was looking forward to not having to rush in the mornings and taking time changing out of my pj's and mini sleep in mornings. I was looking forward to picnic lunches in the park and walks to the library for story time and craft workshops for littlies. What I got was snot nosed children who kept me awake with their coughing and sneezing. What I got was woken up in the early hours of the morning by the Butterfly sobbing with fever. What I got was a Lollipop who had a hard time drinking because she couldn’t breathe at all. What I got was cold rainy and windy days that kept us locked indoors. What I got was rubbish bags full of used wet tissues. We took the girls to the doctors three times and though I knew there was little they could do for the Lollipop I was hoping for something to at least help ease the Butterfly’s cough. What we got was a pat on the back, a generic smile and a “Give it time for her immune system to do its job.” And more panadol!
So the first few days were spent with me on the sofa feet up, the Butterfly’s head on my lap tucked under blankets refusing to eat or drink and staring blankly at the television. The Lollipop resting with her head on my shoulder sometimes staring out of the lounge window at the rain other times sleeping, all the time her breathe rattling in her throat. The Mauritian would come home very concerned about his family feeling bad about not been at home to help out. Then they both showed signs of improvement but the weather got worse and there is only so much kid’s television one can stand. So now I have to find things to do with the Butterfly, not easy with the Lollipop attached to me in her “Kangaroo” carrier. Eventually the day comes when the Butterfly is well enough to not need me with her all the time and she wonders off after breakfast to entertain herself and the sun appears from behind the grey. Hope springs eternal indeed, perhaps the second week of holidays will be pleasant. No chance chicken!
Just when things were looking like improving the Butterfly wakes up with an eye infection that has glued one eye tightly shut. So it’s off to the doctors we go again! What a performance to get the Butterfly to sit still while I rub ointment on her lower eyelid. Why don’t these doctors listen when one asks for drops rather than ointment? The next morning at around four o’clock the entire household was woken by the panicked screams of the littlest. The poor little mite had been afflicted with the same eye infection and both eyes were well and truly glued shut. So there I was trying to un glue a Lollipop’s eyes while trying to shake off the last remnants of sleepiness, and the Mauritian was left with the excruciating task of placating a Butterfly with one glued eye who wanted her sister to be quiet and her mum to make her feel better. Not the best beginnings to what was to be a wicked day. A day I’m sure the Mauritian was very happy to have to go to work!
Five days later it was still raining and I was still fighting to apply eye ointment on the “twisting sisters” after struggling to unglue their eyelashes. So I just gave up! I stopped medicating them completely! Stopped the careful cleaning of each eye with boiled water and cotton balls. Stopped the battle of the eye ointment. Stopped rubbing “Vicks” on the Butterfly’s chest. Stopped the immune boosters and the panadol, stopped bothering to wash and disinfect my hands after every nose blow and stopped putting the Butterfly’s jackets back on every time she took them off. Stopped ensuring the Butterfly ate all the correct foods at the correct times. What I did do was grab a clean facecloth every morning and clean their eyes as best I could without a constant struggle. What I did do was throw open all the doors and windows and left them open for the day regardless of the rain, the wind or the temperature. What I did do was allow the Butterfly to eat junk all and drink Pepsi all day. What I did do was crack open two Karvol capsule and pour them onto the Lollipops pillow case so she could breathe at night and sleep through at least. What I did do was put some Vicks in boiling water and told the Butterfly to breathe deep and that would get rid of the sinus headache. What I did do was allow the Butterfly to go naked and barefooted because she claimed she was hot. What I did do was relinquish control of the situation and let chaos reign for a day. By six o’clock that night both girls were fed, bathed, wrapped up warm and tucked up in their beds on their way to fast asleep and we all got a full night’s sleep that night. By the start of the new school term there was no longer any sneezing, coughing or snotting going on and the tail end of an eye infection clearing up.
Just goes to show, sometimes the best way to fix a problem is to ignore it.
So the first few days were spent with me on the sofa feet up, the Butterfly’s head on my lap tucked under blankets refusing to eat or drink and staring blankly at the television. The Lollipop resting with her head on my shoulder sometimes staring out of the lounge window at the rain other times sleeping, all the time her breathe rattling in her throat. The Mauritian would come home very concerned about his family feeling bad about not been at home to help out. Then they both showed signs of improvement but the weather got worse and there is only so much kid’s television one can stand. So now I have to find things to do with the Butterfly, not easy with the Lollipop attached to me in her “Kangaroo” carrier. Eventually the day comes when the Butterfly is well enough to not need me with her all the time and she wonders off after breakfast to entertain herself and the sun appears from behind the grey. Hope springs eternal indeed, perhaps the second week of holidays will be pleasant. No chance chicken!
Just when things were looking like improving the Butterfly wakes up with an eye infection that has glued one eye tightly shut. So it’s off to the doctors we go again! What a performance to get the Butterfly to sit still while I rub ointment on her lower eyelid. Why don’t these doctors listen when one asks for drops rather than ointment? The next morning at around four o’clock the entire household was woken by the panicked screams of the littlest. The poor little mite had been afflicted with the same eye infection and both eyes were well and truly glued shut. So there I was trying to un glue a Lollipop’s eyes while trying to shake off the last remnants of sleepiness, and the Mauritian was left with the excruciating task of placating a Butterfly with one glued eye who wanted her sister to be quiet and her mum to make her feel better. Not the best beginnings to what was to be a wicked day. A day I’m sure the Mauritian was very happy to have to go to work!
Five days later it was still raining and I was still fighting to apply eye ointment on the “twisting sisters” after struggling to unglue their eyelashes. So I just gave up! I stopped medicating them completely! Stopped the careful cleaning of each eye with boiled water and cotton balls. Stopped the battle of the eye ointment. Stopped rubbing “Vicks” on the Butterfly’s chest. Stopped the immune boosters and the panadol, stopped bothering to wash and disinfect my hands after every nose blow and stopped putting the Butterfly’s jackets back on every time she took them off. Stopped ensuring the Butterfly ate all the correct foods at the correct times. What I did do was grab a clean facecloth every morning and clean their eyes as best I could without a constant struggle. What I did do was throw open all the doors and windows and left them open for the day regardless of the rain, the wind or the temperature. What I did do was allow the Butterfly to eat junk all and drink Pepsi all day. What I did do was crack open two Karvol capsule and pour them onto the Lollipops pillow case so she could breathe at night and sleep through at least. What I did do was put some Vicks in boiling water and told the Butterfly to breathe deep and that would get rid of the sinus headache. What I did do was allow the Butterfly to go naked and barefooted because she claimed she was hot. What I did do was relinquish control of the situation and let chaos reign for a day. By six o’clock that night both girls were fed, bathed, wrapped up warm and tucked up in their beds on their way to fast asleep and we all got a full night’s sleep that night. By the start of the new school term there was no longer any sneezing, coughing or snotting going on and the tail end of an eye infection clearing up.
Just goes to show, sometimes the best way to fix a problem is to ignore it.
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