SICK SICK SICK

The "sick" season began around 28th April. The first one to be affected was Russell, in fact he went to Riley's party with a high fever and sat out a lot of the activities. By 30th April, it was Renee and my turn to get sick. We all went to see Dr Yong, even Eugene. He was "out of order" on 29th April, slept the whole day. But Eugene recovers fast, it only takes 1 or 2 days for him to bounce back while the rest of us trudge along feeling shitty. The two boys had fever for a few days and it brought back painful memories of when Russell had to be hospitalized. By 7th May, I was on my second week of coughing and I went to see Dr Liew, this time I have conjunctivitis as well. On 8th May, when the fever didn't subside, we brought Riley and Russell to KK Hospital. Russell was given a chest X-Ray and found to have the beginning of a chest infection. However, he was still able to walk around the A&E. As such he was given antibiotics and we were allowed to bring him home. Riley only had a blood test, which showed he was clear of any virus or bacteria. So he was given normal cough medicine and allowed to return home.

After the third day of lying around moaning and sleeping, Russell had a turnaround, he woke up for longer periods, his fever subsided and he was eating and drinking normally again. By the 5th day, Riley started showing signs of what Russell had. He just lay there moaning and couldn't drink his milk or eat anything. On the night of 12th May, he fell asleep but he woke up three times in half hour, gasping for air. I knew something wasn't right and spent the whole night worrying, I think I didn't sleep much, for I was checking on him and coughing like mad as well. Renee helped me by sleeping next to Riley, to prevent him from falling off our bed. Yes, ever since he got sick, Riley would only sleep on our bed. So here Renee is, woken up each time Riley turned, and she's holding on to her vomit pot. She'd cough till she had to vomit all her food/phlegm.

All in all, not pretty. We were a sick family.

On Mothers' Day, we brought Riley to the A&E again and this time the doctor attended to him immediately, as he was labelled "breathless child", oxygen level had dipped to 90%, the normal should be about 95%. You could see he had difficulty breathing, using his stomach to breathe. He had a chest X-Ray this time and it showed a chest infection. But because he was super lethargic and not taking any food or liquids, he had to be admitted. That's not music to my ears at all. I was battling the cough and being in the germ-laden hospital with air conditioning, that made it really unbearable. Thankfully, Eugene stayed the first two nights with Riley while I went home and tried to recuperate. I had fever every single day, and my conjunctivitis acted up again. Apparently the virus that causes conjectivitis is related to the virus Riley had. I was then on my second course of antibiotics. I stayed on the third night, it was such a horrible experience. I was coughing and no doubt disturbing the other patients and their parents. 

A couple of times I drove home, in a daze. I don't even know how I made it home in one piece. On Wednesday night, I drove home and half way driving, I puked all over myself. Gross I know but I think that was the turning point. The virus must have left my system then, because after that, I didn't have any more fever! On Thursday, I picked MIL and the kids up to drop MIL at the hospital while Eugene and I went to school to meet the teachers. I ghosted through those 2 hours as well, trying to look away so the teachers couldn't spot my red eyes.

During Riley's stay, the doctors had to put an IV to feed him the fluids he wasn't taking and to give him antibiotics. By the second day, his hand had puffed up and the IV had to be removed. The nurses and doctors tried find another vein but to no avail. The next option was to put a tube into his nose to feed him. That took forever as well and 2 minutes after it was inserted, Riley deftly removed it! Thereafter, they tried many times again to put it in but no luck. By then, I was a wreck. From seeing him struggle and finally being so worried he wasn't getting his fluids and medication, I broke down. The nurses came and tried to assure me they'd do their best to find another vein, etc. I just cried. Any by some miracle, maybe my baby knew I was distressed, he started drinking his milk! All 120 mls of it!! And I patiently fed him 4 hours later which he also willingly drank. That was the night I stayed over at the hospital. I slept a little better than I did at home. The next day, he actually started eating some porridge and in the evening, he even ate some macaroni!

That to me was such joy!

By Thursday late afternoon, we were allowed to return home. It was great to be out and carrying him in my arms in non-hospital pyjamas. My in-laws told us to keep the two older ones away from Riley for the weekend. So, it was a rather quiet weekend for us at home. I spent the time washing all the bedlinen, all laden with germs, vomit, spit, whatever! It was hard being away from Renee and Russell for so many days. We were finally reunited on Monday.

I hope this virus stays far far away from us!!!!