Babies should nt get sick. And can anyone tell me why we don't have a vaccination for common cold or at least some cure? Here we are in this century, in this time with prevention and cure for deadly diseases but we cant protect the kids from a common cold? Is this supposed to be a joke? If you have nt already guessed, Ashu is down with a cold. Running nose, severe cough, vomiting, nose block,... the works! I waited for 2 days but the cough got worse. She does nt know to spit so the phlegm was accumulating. And as soon as I gave the cold medicine she vomited. Which was actually good as the phlegm was out. She was looking miserable. So we went to the Doctor today. We went a little late and there were 5 patients before us. All under five and all of them coughing. Felt a little better! More parents with kids in tow arrived. We heard the Doctor mention the word Chikungunya in the examining room to somebody and all of us went silent and on high alert. I started praying. When our turn came, Ashu took one look at the Doctor and remembered the vaccination she had just 2 weeks back. Stopped crying only when we came out and the doctor did nt even touch her. Anyway, she is okay. Nothing to worry. Just cold. Give this syrup 3 times a day. Admit her in the hospital for some nasal spray if the cough gets worse. Blah blah blah!
Sunday was the worst day in my life. There are different types of worst days and I write this one down so that I can compare notes later when I have another one.
I am tired even when I get up. FIL was here on Friday and Saturday so major cooking, cleaning etc. Then HD had to work this weekend. That is both Saturday and Sunday. Ashu is sick. I am just plain pissed at everything. The day only worsens. Ashu drags a chair near the shelf in her room, stands on it, takes the glass tea light candle stand and drops it on the floor. I am in the hall and hear a shattering noise. I think she has dropped a spoon or something and go to the room. There are a million pieces of glass all over the room. I carry her out and ask her to stay put in the hall when I sweep the whole room and then mop. In the mean time, I have forgotten the milk I had kept on the stove. I don't know how but it explodes and there is milk everywhere in the kitchen. I clean. In the mean time, Ashu has opened a cup board and takes out all the 101 things from there and spreads them across the hall. She tears the Tinkle book and is on her way to my precious Calvin & Hobbes book when I save it from her. I clean. Fast forwarding the soosoo cleaning and poopoo cleaning and we get to night time. After finishing her milk, she goes to sleep around 8.30 pm. I go to eat my dinner. (HD is nt home yet, by the way!) As soon as I begin to eat, she gets up and cries. Her nose is blocked and shes struggling to breathe. But the cold medicine has made her drowsy and her eyes are closed. I put the nose drops and put her in the crib. She stands on the crib and cries even while her eyes are closed. I bring her to our bed. She lies tummy down and vomits. All over her, me , the bed, the pillow and the blanket. I remover her clothes and change her while shes crying her lungs out. Her eyes are still closed. I wash up and change. But she would nt let me change the sheets. I just wipe it clean as much as I can. Then she goes to sleep but opens her eyes as soon as I put her in the crib. So I put her in our bed in one corner as the middle of the bed is still wet. I lie down with her for a while. I just want to die. I am exhausted. But I still have some cleaning up to do. I come out of the room and eat my dinner. I wash the stinky blanket and the clothes and hang them for drying. I clean the bathroom as it is stinking too. I rant about my worst day to my sister on Skype and go to sleep around 12. HD is still not home.
28 comments:
Whoa! Hope things are getting back to normal. I tought of asking you to take up a tag - somehow this doesn't seem to be the right time. :)
BTW, great quote:
There are different types of worst days...
Visitor - The gadget tag you mean? How does Baby poo cleaner, Baby puke Cleaner and Baby cleaner sound?!!! :)))
BTW, whats up with the kokkendru ninaithaayo google search? I get only one result with some sysindia website. Tell me, Im dying to know!
Oh Boy !! That really sounds like a bummer of a day.
How's Ashu doing now ? Better ??
And how's u ??
BTW, I have indeed tagged you. Check my blog.
After reading this recount of your day, I too was in two minds about tagging you but decided to.
How is the kid now? And you have a lot of patience Boo. Hope things are better now!
Oh paavam both of you! :( I hope Ashu is fine.
hope ashu is fine now & hope u hav some one to help u with the owrk & taking care of the baby else it gets tougher
I think you really deserve and need to take a break!
I can empathise. In our case we have learnt that the trick lies in arresting runny nose within the first 2 days. Forgot the name of the syrup. And drink warm water. Usually that works unless it is start of tonsilitis.
Take heart Boo, things do get better. Honestly.
Oh dear - sorry you had such a lousy day Boo. Hope Ashu is back to her happy baby self soon.
Nee
Yes, it was the gadget tag. I was thinking along similar lines... and I was sure that you'd come up with original ideas :)
Reg the "kokkendru ninaithaayo" search on google: I got to the site of "Swami" Premananda! There the incident involving Vasuki (Valluvar's wife) and an angry munivar (Konkanavan) was narrated. Here is another link
phew!@visitor.
I have a selective reading habit. I read first few letters and I thought "Swami" Premalatha, what, then it went on... leave it.
Boo, I always knew it (about the worst days with children).
Cold doesn't go with any medication. You and Ashu just have to put up with it. The more relaxed you feel about it, more easy for her to bear with it. and that will make little less cleaning for you. But, you know, I am an armchair theorist. :D
I am sure you know all these BBC/parent site, yourbabytoday site, pamper site, huggies site etc.
Have a full time maid at home. Or have a nanny, or have both.
You will be alright. Ashu too. :)
Oh you poor, poor thing. Hope Ashu is better now and you have got some rest. Also that HD has come home!
OMG - you poor thing :-(! Hang in there! Hopefully Ashu and you will be back to normal soon.
Just reading about your activities exhausted me - phew! And hope HD's work gives him more time now...
Good luck!
You ok? That was horrible even to read and you had to go thru all that!! Paavam Boo n Ashu :-(
I was right - kids are actually aliens dressed to look like kids. Basically here to conquer Earth.
Hope Ashu feels better soon. That'll make you feel better too, right? :-)
Hi Boo,
There is a vaccine for Flu and common cold called the "Influenza vaccination" which I have given to my daughter. You can enquire about it with your doctor. It is given in three doses once a year for 3 years. I also gave tulasi kashayam - take 10 tulasi leaves and boil in a cup of water, heat the water [cover the vessel so that the vapours do not escape], heat till the water reduces to 1/3. you can give this or if Ashu doesn't like this taste, you can boil water in the night put some 5 to 10 tulsi leaves and give the tulsi water to drink the next day. I am not sure what medicine you give, but you can enquire with your doctor to find whether the phelgm would come through the nose or through the motion, the latter is better for kids. As someone else has said, it is better to treat cold as soon as you see the slight symptoms.
Take care. Hope Ashu is better now. I go with Premalatha :
Hire an ayah. It might help you ease your stress
Regards
Malini
Oh dear! I know how tough it is. Akhil just recently contracted and recovered from a cold himself. Its really an extra challenge every day gto deal with an uncomfortable and cranky baby, and the extra cleaning.
But like you said throwing up is good....its one of the surest way to get some phlegm out.
Also, do you have those bulb syringes for the nose? U can use that periodically to clear out her nose yourself, without hospital visits. Out here, we do it at home, and the doctors don't entertain your kids unless they have a cold for more than 3 days in which case you can pop in to get thier ears and lungs also checked.
Also, as someone suggested, a flu vaccine is a good idea, except it won't rule out the possibility of cold (cold comes from innumerable viruses) and it only reduces the intensity of influenza if it does strike, not eliminate chances that u will ever get it.
These are again rites of passages for parenting. No way toescape it other than rough it out as best u can.
My doc here suggests I give him benedryl at night to help him sleep better, and it usually works.
Take care and keep it basic (your work at home I mean) and get some rest.
Gauri - Will do the tag soon. Ashu and I are better now! :)
Ferro - No one who know me have ever said that about me. I love this blog and all of you who know only this side of me! ;)
Akka - Yes, she is fine now. Thanks.
itchy - I know. It was great when my mom was staying with us. So I know the difference. But there are so many factors to consider...
artnavy - A break is what Im waiting for too! And I might just get one if everything goes alright...
Dadoji - This is the first time she had the cough this bad. I ll be prepared the next time. Try to remember the name of the syrup if you can!
WA - They already did with all your warm comments! :)
nee - We both are our happy selves now! That was just not my day! :(
Visitor - Somehow that link is not working for me nor am I getting the other search results. You in India or abroad?
Latha - I ve had my share of selective reading blunders too! ;) Usually Im all impatient and cranky. But Sunday had gone so bad that I was the Patience-Personified! Adhukke ippadi! :(
Mumbai Girl - Apparently HD had come around 12.30 am and I had sleeptalked to him. I had said "I had the worst day of my life" and promptly started snoring it seems. I had absolutely no recollection of that! ;))
Archana - Thanks. But writing it made me feel lighter!! :)
Priya - A sick and cranky baby makes you appreciate the normal baby more I guess! :)
Kowsalya - Ashu has got the Flu vaccine too. But as Tharini had said, that does nt stop cold. And thanks for the Tulsi water tip. My mom would be thankful to you if I do it. She is always telling me to do it even when I get the cold!
Malini - Like I said, lot of things to sort out before hiring help. And Im counting on my mom to come back soon from my sister's!! (Sis, Im not hinting anything!! ;)
Tharini - Thank you so much. Im using the bulb syringe to clean her nose. But her throat was completely congested, I think. And thats why the Doctor suggested I go to the hospital if it gets worse. But thankfully shes better now.
Thank you all of you for all the good wishes. It worked! :)
*sigh* been there done that And that too the night before I had to come back alone with both kids. Till 3 I was cleaning & changing her,me,sheets & pillow.. *sigh*
There is "bulb" available in some stores in India which they use to clean baby's nose & mouth when baby is born but you can use the same to clean her nose now too. I still have 3 of them for emergency. I usually put little vicks on it & clean my daughter's nose if its really hard for her to breath otherwise benadryl works great.
Did you try steam or steam with vicks in it(make sure her eyes are closed.
I should read all the comments before posting to avoid writing the same thing again:-)
boo , hope she is better now.
i can only say things get better from the point of view of you getting used to handling this.
we had days like this with the first one. we are seasoned pros now. when the second one is sick we know exactly what to do.
dont ask how on earth we had the motivation to have a second kid after going through stuff similar to what you are going through..
that IS the 8th wonder of the world..
Sundar - Thats what I keep asking myself too whenever the thought of a second child crosses my mind. Who in their right minds would want another one? Then I quickly touch my cheeks and say "Saami, mannichuko"! (Forgive me God!)
Hi boo... I just saw this write up of yours... even i have a little one at home. She is 11 months old... i also experience such things once in a while... infact most of my friends have similar stories... so you are not alone...:-)
luckily now my parents are with me to help me... but when they are not there I would really go crazy...
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