G really has been a poorly sausage. She hadn't been right for a good few weeks or so, and after four visits to our local GP (2 of which were for a very persistent facial rash), we ended up being sent to the paediatric ward of our local hospital. A temperature of 40degrees which neither antibiotics or calpol would touch, and the Dr was baffled.
Friday night in the paediatric ward is somewhat different to Friday night in a&e. Kitted out with toys, a television, some very pleasant nurses, and with only 1 other child in admission, it was a far cry from the drunken cattle market of a&e. Id go as far as saying it was quite pleasant. G on the other hand would not! She hadn't stopped screaming from the moment we arrived at the doctors at 5pm. Upon entry to the hospital car park, the pitch did go up a notch or two. Then when we finally walked in to the paed ward, G had settled for none other than an ear-piercing, glass-shattering shrill.
'What toys does she like?' asked the play specialist politely. 'None when they're in a hospital' came my rather abrupt response. Shake shake, rattle rattle, 'grace, what's this...' She soon gave up!
After poking, prodding, and an x ray, it turned out G had a chest infection on top of the already diagnosed ear infection and tonsillitis.
I don't know about you, but any of those alone would have me curled up in bed in the foetal position!
By this point it was 10pm and the registrar wanted G hooked up to IV drips and to have a series of blood tests. Now at this point you may think we are crazy, but we chose to take her home. Her temperature had dropped, she had started drinking water, we'd been given strong antibiotics, and I knew that she'd continue to be distraught if we stayed. After some careful negotiation, and the promise that we'd return her ASAP if she deteriorated, we were finally on her way.
'See ya' she shouted merrily as we left the hospital near on midnight.
Five days on, and G isn't that much better but her temperature is back at a consistent 37degrees. I've had several battles with guilt, as I'm sure every working mother does when their child is ill. 'Why am I doing this?!' I'd ask myself.
My working week is now over, plenty of mummy G time is on the cards, and possibly a further trip to the drs (don't tell her!). At the very least I want that Ear Nose & throat referral. The mystery rash has also spread and is looking more and more like eczema as the days pass by.
She is also a shadow of her former self, as she always is when gets ill. Good job she likes cake so much!
Here's hoping and praying that she starts to improve soon. I'd happily take her place.
You have our sympathies. We hope she makes a speedy recovery. This brings back lots of memories of our daughter's first couple of years, with illnesses almost every couple of weeks and many trips to the doctors/hospital. Things really improved when she was about two and a half, after she had been on growth hormone for a few months. We then went for nearly a year without her being poorly. Unfortunately, the screaming and tantrums haven't improved quite so much (she is five and a half now)!
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