Whheeewww, there is nothing like a mother’s love and fear for her babies when they are sick. The internal conflict is intense, as you have to remain calm for the little one's sake yet you’re internally worried as hell. Every single time Drew gets sick and spikes a fever I have to remind myself, like it is a mantra, that fevers are good because they mean his little body is fighting the virus. On the flip side, I am secretly freaking out because fevers can get out of control and cause problems of their own. The doctor assures me however that “a fever is fine”.
Get Well Pumpkin Muffin...
It’s time like these that I think of my friends with children that have a chronic illness. My heart goes out to them and I am in awe over their strength as parents. I know I am blessed to have a healthy boy with the run of the mill virus infections and common colds here and there. I have to remind myself to keep things in perspective. I’m embarrassed to admit even with this "perspective" it does not keep me from occasionally getting worked up from worry when Drew is sick because I know how fragile life can be. I have complete reverence for the limited time we all are given on this planet. It is a time frame we do not get to decide.
Any life taken “too soon” is a tragedy and my heart aches for those that have personal experience with young lives lost. My parents lost their first little boy (my brother) when he was a little younger than Drew is now. My brother was a tragic statistic to an accidental drowning in a backyard swimming pool (30% of all drowning’s happen to children 1-4 still to this day according to the CDC.gov). This was never kept as a secret from my sister and I, but I NEVER fully understood the magnitude of what a loss of a child could be like until I had Drew. Of course the fact that I had just lost the majority of my first family unit (Post: The Beginning) right before having Drew hasn’t helped my internal worrying for him and my tight grip on keeping him safe. To deepen my sense of concern, Drew has an uncanny resemblance to my brother and my brother’s behaviors at his age, which only seems to magnify my fears regarding loss. My sister and Brett hate when I make this comparison and my anxiety about it, but to me it is a reminder that life is precious and uncertain so I cherish every single minute. Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy the good times and have NO problem seeing the lighter side of most situations, but a sick baby (whether mine or someone else’s) strikes me to the core. As parents I think we ALL have our own set of worries. What is the saying that floats around Facebook statuses? “Having a baby is like having my heart walk around outside of my body.” I think that sums it up perfectly!
Now on the lighter side of this perspective of health, we have been very lucky lately and have been healthy for at least 3 months in a row, which for a toddler is fabulous and I am thankful! This virus we have is a matter of Murphy's Law. The universal law saw an opportunity to pounce when it found out Brett would be out of town this week. Clearly we should have kept Brett’s travel plans a better secret from ole’ Mr. Murphy. Of course in keeping things in “perspective” we are blessed in our country to have access to over the counter medicine to help us when we, or our little ones, are sick. On the flip side, I don’t know about you but having access to the medicine is one thing (thankful) but getting it in my sweet boy IS ANOTHER! Welcome to parent battles I suppose and the great many tricks we parents come up with to ease the fight.
Tricks are great when they work… I hide his medicine in a sippy cup; he some how knows and refuses to drink it. I freeze his medicine in an ice pop; he eats half. I plead, I sing, and I coax but to NO AVAIL. Finally, I tell him his stuffed animals will have to leave the room if he does not take his medicine because they are going to catch his cold… HE TAKES THE MEDICINE. OY VEY!
Parents any tricks you would like to share? My toolbox is always open to tips that have worked and may work again. :-)
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