getting sick is terribly worrisome

Luke had his fair share of fever and flu and colds before, but getting sick for almost a week is something unusual and sressful.

It's his first to have fever of over 40, and I was almost in panic not knowing what to do but to call his pedia for advice (thanks for the celfone tech, and to his kind pedia who hasn't changed number since the last time we consulted with her some years ago). I tried to calm myself down as I give him sponge bath to lower his temp. When it lowered to 39 after 30 minutes, my panic level also lowered.

But it doesn't stop there. After a day of being cheerrful, he got feverish again, and a series of blood tests showed a lowering platelet count, a sign of dengue fever. To avert his condition before it gets really serious, he was admitted to the hospital for IV of ampicillin. Because of his hard and sticky cough that somehow contributes to his high fever, the doctor also suspected of acute bronchitis.

I'm telling you, staying at the hospital is totally uncomfortable and even risky (especially for a pregnant woman like me). Among other things, I feared that I'd get other diseases or illnesses from other in-patients. But what can I do? My son needs to stay there for proper medication and continued medical supervision.

It's his first to be hospitalized. And I'm afraid that he's getting traumatized with all these. Every time a nurse or a uniformed staff entered our room, he started crying for fear that they'll hurt him again with their needles. Even the simple act of getting his temp became a tedious and hard task.

Good thing we stayed in the hospital for only three nights. I think I'd go crazy longer than that. All of us got bored waiting for time to pass by, and Dadi got tired of doing errands amidst his busy class schedule.

Now, we're at home, and my son is busy sleeping (so I get to blog). Medications still continue until he gets completely recovered.

Get well soon, Luke! So we can play ... and write ... and watch Pooh! ;)


Laguna, Philippines
Bad days are over!

Mami, I am sick! :(

And to the doctor we went very quick!

Here's my poor little son soundly sleeping. By soundly, I mean it literally. I could hear his breathing, deep and long, and the sound of the mucus trapped in his nostrils. I could feel his heart beating fast. His doctor said that his chest's sound is rough, not smooth. Whatever that means, I know that something is not good with his chest. Maybe, due to the phlegm crampped inside making it hard for him to breathe and thus cough every now and then.

Luke is just having a runny nose and cough, with a slight fever. But what makes it hard for both him and us (hubby and I) is that whenever he is sick, he could not sleep well, always crying, getting pissed off with his cough thus restraining it. He doesn't know how to cough out the phlegm. He also doesn't have appetite, and as usual, a huge amount of milk has been thrown away.

Worse, his facial rash showed up again, after disappearing for quite a long time. Could this be due to the hot and humid weather? His arms are also itchy and red sometimes. Oh no, I don't want those ugly rashes come back again! Have pity on my son's skin, please.

Luke is a strong child and I believe that he'll soon overcome this sickness, just like the way he did before. And so with the rashes, too!

We're back!

Yes, we are back in Tokyo ... and so are his rashes :((

The winter air (and heater at home) makes his skin dry and itchy. This is another challenge to refrain him from scratching himself, especially when he is sleepy. Visit to his pedia is frequent again.

The cold air might also be the culprit for his upset tummy. He was nauseated at first, and now, poops after every meal (milk or solids) coupled with long sounding farts. I am not sure if he's having diarrhea coz he does not complain of stomach pain. Except for this, everything seems going on smoothly -- he is as active and playful as ever, has good appetite, etc. Kinakabag lang siguro.

Blame the tooth

Finally, the first tooth came out. Others will probably show up soon. Expect more drooling, and more giggle bites here and there. Even his tiny fingers are not spared from his biting, in fact, the first victims I think.

His teething, as I slowly realize it, must be the culprit to his being cranky most of the time. Almost everything seems difficult now. Difficult to feed, to sleep, to change diaper, to give meds, to dress up. Lately, dancing him to sleep takes about 30minutes. Really! And he wants to be cuddled all the time.

Just imagine how a baby endures the pain and itchiness of the swollen gums. So, I don't blame my child for getting easily irritated these days. I blame the teeth!

Anyway, this is just another episode that will soon pass. Wish for Luke to endure every tooth coming out.

Sleeping regimen

If mommy gracie has found a heart-melting way of putting her li'l Faith to sleep, my li'l Luke prefers a different style. Actually, his sleeping regimen (can i call it this way?) varies with each month. Now that he is eight, I think it gets a li'l more complicated than the previous ones. He rubs his eyes, scratches his whole face till its full of red linings (thus making his rashes worse each time). This is his way of telling us it's time to "rock the world." Yes, we do rock our own world here in our small apartment everytime we put him to sleep. Especially now that the autumn wind has come, our Luke loves to be always cuddled (coz he feels cold) and hele while his 24/7 lullaby is softly played on the pc. And when we thought he's already in dreamland, we try our best to put him down (so we could do some chores) only to disappoint us -- he'll instantly wake up and cry and scratches his face here and there ... and the process of getting him to sleep begins anew.

We also notice lately that he cries every so often. Can I blame his teething (I know that a tooth or two will soon come out)? Or he's just showing a more distinct personality? He gets irritated right away, and cries so hard when he doesn't get what he wants. I think he doesn't fully understand yet the meaning of the word NO. Hmm, there is so much to learn ... both for us his parents, and him. But we'll take it slowly ... one at a time. In the meantime, lots of patience is all we need.

Rashes

Rashes, rashes, go away
so little Luke can play

This is what I've been praying for. Luke's rashes started as small red insect-bite-like bumps on the face way back last April when we were still in Pinas. Upon doc's Rx, we gave him ointments, most of them steroid-based. For a time it worked, but the rashes began to appear again after the medication.

Come end of June, Luke at 4 months, we arrived here in Tokyo. One week after we got here, the rashes did not only worsen on the face -- it spread all over his body! Oh, we pity Luke as he has to endure the itchy creepy feeling with those red ugly creatures. He couldn't sleep at night (we, too!) and he scratched himself from time to time. Mittens were no good, so Dadi had to tie his hands and arms so he could not reach for his face to scratch on.

Mami, mami, I am sick
Call the doctor very quick!

Left with no other choice, to the doctor we went -- with no health insurance at all! Sensei gave us a new med -- steroid-free -- which we have been using until now. And we have to carry that ointment wherever we are coz we have to apply it on Luke's skin every now and then.

Rashes, rashes, go away
come again another day

NO! Please don't come back anymore! -- this is my cry. But they do come back, to my disappointment. So we frequent the doc's clinic -- once a week -- for more meds (coz he gives us good only for 1 week). Until last friday, he referred us to a hifuka (skin care specialist). So, a new ointment has been added to Luke's rash regimen.

It's been six months now, and would probably be counting more. But I put my hope in these ointments that they would help remove these rashes -- for good!

Rashes, rashes, go away
so little Luke can play!