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2007-07-19 - 11:49 p.m. previous entry next entry
Update about Arthur's bug!
I'm so sorry I didn't update again after my last entry about Arthur being so poorly! Thanks ever so much for all the messages. I have the most helpful readers! I love all the tips you guys gave! I have read them out to Neil and will keep them in mind the next time we are in this kind of situation! And thank you all for just being SO nice and supportive. I love you guys!
Arthur did just have the throwing up for that one night - thank goodness!! He was sick 7 times, but I think he managed to fight it off a few other times in between, poor love. He was so scared of being sick and fought it all he could. He would cry and say he didn't want to be sick, which always means that's what's about to happen, and then somehow get all focused and determined and not get sick. Poor Arthur, my heart just broke for him with how violently he kept being sick, and how scared he was :(
Anyway. He was last sick maybe 11.30pm (after about 6 hours of it) and he had been sleeping between throwing up from about 9pm. After that time, I went downstairs and HAND expressed a teaspooonful of breastmilk every 5-10 minutes. I SO wanted to pump - it would have been so much quicker and easier, and less bruising!! But Neil had had one of his rare "efficient" moments a month or so ago, and decided the breastpump (all 20cm by 10cm of it, tsk!) was just clutter in the way (never mind the 50 million other MUCH larger items lying about!) and put it in the loft! So, no breast pump, and I had to hand express. I just kept filling a teaspoon and then when it was full, I took it up to Arthur (Neil was sleeping next to him by then) and woke Neil, and Neil sat Arthur up. He was always COMPLETELY asleep, which encouraged me. He suddenly went into such a deep sleep after that last vomit, which made me think he might be done with it at last. He just flopped when we sat him upright. I said to him each time, "Arthuuur? Here's some milky on a spoon for you, lovey..." and presented the spoon to his lips. He would open sleepily and suck the milk off the spoon without even waking, and then flop back down onto the bed. Then I would go back downstairs and express another teaspoonful. It took me 5 minutes to express that much each time! My milk isn't what it was before I was pregnant, now.
I think I kept that up till about 1.30am and then I called it a night. Arthur's mouth seemed less dry and he was obviously sleeping the bug off by then. Plus I was knackered and feeling bruised! ;) I was SO glad and proud to have got some good fluids into Arthur with all that work though, even just tiny bits at a time. I knew he would be better for it. Matthew woke when I went to bed though, and nursed for ages. And then he woke for the day at 5.15am!!!!! Yeurgh! I put him back in his cot, nursed him, put him back in his cot, nursed him, etc, and kept him sleepy till 6ish. Then we all got up - Arthur too, because I wanted to see how Arthur was and watch to see if he could keep milk and water down in more normal volumes.
I went into his room when I heard him wake, and he was lying on his back in bed, looking pale and thin, with ENORMOUS looking dark hair against his poor little face, but the BIGGEST beaming smile! I asked him if he was happy, and he hugged himself with glee (!) and whispered, "Yes!" I asked him why he was happy and he didn't answer, so I asked if he was happy to be feeling better, and he whispered, "Yes!" again with SUCH joy in his voice. Sweet little one!
So he has been on the mend since then. He was very out of sorts on Tuesday (the day after he was sick). He couldn't drink much at a time, breastmilk or water, without going pale and quiet again and lying on the floor very still, just like before when he was feeling sick before throwing up. He said his tummy hurt and he felt poorly, but he refused to admit he felt sick (just like the day before, even when I knew he DID). He got exhausted easily, doing nothing, and would lie about looking pale and anxious. I had already decided not to give him any food that day, only breastmilk, but he wasn't able to take much of that at a time till the end of the day.
The next day he was MUCH better, but still prone to exhaustion out of nowhere. We gave him bland foods, but decided not to do the BRAT diet. I figured he needed better nourishment than the BRAT diet offers, and in the past it has just led to constipation after he's better, so. He was much more "spirited" that day, getting very demanding ("I'm thirsty! Come onnn, hurry up Daddy - I want my DRINK!" *sigh*) and much more into playing and giggling and running about for short bursts. The BEST thing in the world was when he started singing again! Then I knew he was getting better :) He now sings ALL the time, almost constantly. His pitch is way better already and he keeps time well too. He just sings and sings and SINGS! It's so lovely :)
Yesterday, Neil's youngest sister, Lilian, came to stay! We had to cancel the guy from church who was going to fix the bits and pieces that need doing in the house, and finish the paintwork, etc. Going by the 3 day rule (the one that means Arthur is infectious for three days after he STOPS having symptoms), the first day we would be germ-free would be Friday. So the whooooole week would be wasted. I don't think we'll have another opportunity to have the guy round, because - crazy as it sounds - it's not something I can manage without Neil here. Someone has to direct him and even work alongside him at times, and the boys can't be in the house for some of the work - well, maybe even most of it, especially the paintwork. So it can't be done when it's just me and the boys at home, with Neil not here. He starts his new job on Monday so our window for getting stuff done to the house is going to close. I'm so fed up about it. I was kind of cross with God about it at first. I felt like, well why did that have to happen?! The boys could have got sick much closer together than that, and we would have been able to have some of the week left to get the urgent stuff done, after they were both better. Or, Arthur did not need to get sick at all. Why THIS week, of all weeks?! Why did God allow that to happen even though he knew we needed this week desperately, with Neil home for just this short time between jobs. But, I don't know why it happened that way. And now I'm not cross so much and I don't have the same feelings towards God about it. He loves us. He hates to see the boys sick. He knows what he's doing. He is our Provider and will provide time and resources and money where we need it, at the perfect time. I trust him again! So that's good.
We also called to tell Lilian not to come because of the lurgy in the house, but she seemed un-bothered by the possibility of catching a bug, assured us that she wouldn't get it (she works with kids and seems to never get what they get) and insisted on coming anyway to help us! She's so wonderful! So she arrived yesterday. The boys warmed to her immediately, and she has been sooooooo helpful. She said she wants us to treat her as our nanny while she's here! She works as one, with a 3-year-old boy, and has done since he was a baby, so she is great with the boys. She has played with them while I have rested and watched them while Neil and I have packed up some of the clutter upstairs and put some things in the loft today. She and Neil took Arthur to the park this morning. He was begging to go out ("I think I'd just like to go on an outing..." - bless!) and they took him to the huuuuge park where he wouldn't have physical contact with any people or objects. By my reckoning, today has been his last infectious day. Now we wait another couple of days to be sure WE haven't picked up the bug. So far, so good. We have been washing our hands and not letting him put his hands on our faces, etc. And not kissing him :( I miss that!!!
Anyway. I am so glad he is better. He is eating more normally today - we gave him dairy foods again today so he's back on all the usual stuff now. He hasn't got a very big appetite even when hungry, but he's cheerful and energetic, and well on the mend! Yay!
So, I haven't updated because things have been busy, and Lilian is sleeping in the living room which is where I update my diary. She has been on the laptop sometimes while I have relaxed in front of the TV, and tonight we have switched places for an hour, so I am updating! But I have to stop now because it's late and she needs to go to bed (and so do I!). I just wanted to update about how the boys are doing and to say thank you so much for the messages!
I am WAY behind updating my pregnancy diary, so that is my next priority - hopefully tomorrow. Will update here again when I can, too! Please pray that Neil and I don't get ill! Neil has his new job to start and I DON'T want to be ill or recovering while he's unreachable at his new job, after Lilian goes home on Sunday! Thank you!! :)
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