Bang that Drum

Just about the only time little S hasn’t been ill this year is when we whisked her away to the disease-infested Tropics.  Since we’ve been home, she’s been poorly with a vengeance.  We’ve all taken it in turns to play incubator for the germs and they’ve gone round and round and round.  I don’t want to appear unreasonable:  I completely understand that she has to build her immune systems up, but I thought mine was in pretty good shape.  Not so.  It is useless.  All my antibodies seem to be elsewhere.  On holiday perhaps.  Or playing cards.  Or doing any damn thing they can expect fight off viruses.  I am considering legal action.  And I am as susceptible to Little Johnny’s lurgy as the next eleven month old.  S has been particularly crotchety over the last few days.  She is so congested that she cannot feed properly or sleep.  Again.  We’re all awake every couple of hours through the night.  I would say it’s just like the Bad Old Days of the Early Months but actually I can’t remember it ever getting better.  I think we’ve had one unbroken night’s sleep since September.  Apparently sleep-deprived rats behave normally until keeling over stone dead without warning.  I have taken to wearing elbow protectors so that if the same thing happens to me I will not injure myself. At the same time, this constant infestation has taught us a few things: the colour of snot matters; coughs vary considerably in potential debilitation; fluids can ooze from the most unlikely of places and it may not be anything to worry about.  This morning however, something new.  S had snot coming from her ear.  And she seemed particularly unhappy about it. The doctor calmly informed us that she’d burst an eardrum.  To relieve the pressure.  And apparently, this is a Good Thing.  Now, I have the utmost respect for the medical profession but really, are they out of their minds?  On what possible scale can a burst eardrum be  regarded as a Good Thing?  Try as I might, I couldn’t muster any enthusiasm or gratitude for this good news.  Nor could Baby, howling inconsolably in pain.

Comments

[LondonGirl]

Sleep deprivation and worry are horrific - particularly when combined. Can I suggest begging a good friend to take S out for a couple of hours so you two can have a nap?

I hope she gets better soon.

[Mrs RW]

I almost hesitate to suggest this, but your post brings back painful memories. I bet S is allergic to the cat. My kids had endless 'colds' and ear infections non-stop. Once the cat was gone, voila! Instant healthy kids. That's why she did so well on vacation -- no cat. It's worth looking into. Or give away S and keep the cat but I bet T doesn't go along with that one.

[Carlton]

You know what LondonGirl, that's not half a bad idea! And although it might make me sound like a bad parent, I might take S to nursery one day soon and go straight back to bed!

I'm not sure our stupid moggy is the culprit for baby's illness Mrs RW but he does seem to get in the way and cause more trouble than I can ever remember him doing before. Trouble is, as he's already so old, the only place for him to go now would be the glue factory and we haven't quite reached that stage. Yet. c.