Down with fever

Both my girls have been down with a horrid virus. My older girl is now day 5 with fever, although hers is beginning to subside quite a bit today. Thankful for that. Apart from that, this bout of virus has brought her severe cough, and at times difficulty in breathing. Cough is still bad, and I'm giving her lotsa liquids, coconut water, and medicine as prescribed.



Jo started falling sick 4 days ago, and I think it hit her more severely. Her fever kept spiking..and remaining between 39 and 40C (as did Nel's too).  Both children were very lethargic, especially Jo, who's been in bed for several days, going in and out of sleep, in a daze and mental confusion. They also had severe headaches and body aches along with it.

I suppose Jo scared me most of all. On her second day down, I went into the room to check on her and found her trying to stand on her legs while lying down. She kept mumbling "84, 85, 86.." followed by cries of frustration. I tried talking to her, but she wouldn't respond but kept counting on and on with increasing frustration, finally she cried,  "I've no energy, I've no energy", then crying and falling asleep again.

The second incident was around 3am of day 2. She woke mumbling. I turned to her and asked "What is it Jo?" She refused to answer me, but kept staring at me, staring and staring with only barely audible whispers coming out of her mouth. I asked louder "Can you talk louder Jo? What is it?" Then she started crying saying "I'm floating mum...my body is floating." And then she refused to talk anymore..but just stared at me blankly, refusing to talk. I panicked.. to the point where I felt numbness in my own feet...I suppose it was the fear of losing my child. That fear is gripping, perhaps I overreacted..but if you're a mum, you'll know that feeling or why.

We carried her up, talked to her, was about to dash to the emergency ward, when she started crying and talking normally...and then dozing off again.

Day 3..while I was cooking, I found Jo on the stairs sitting down. One leg trying to inch upwards and the other downwards. She screamed "The picture, the picture!!" I asked "Which one?" She screamed "That..that... my ribena sweet has gone into the tissue in the picture." 

I tried to calm her down saying "It's a dream Jo, just a dream" She replied, while still screaming and crying "The sweet...tti....tti...ti...sue......I want< I want......to be upside down now. I want to be upside down. I want to feel what's it like mum." followed by more screaming and crying loudly. I held on to her tightly...and that lasted quite a while before it subsided and she drifted off again.

It's day four now, her fever has lowered slighly now at 38.5. She's still very whiny.. but is beginning to walk about a little. I'm thankful for that, that the virus looks like its weakening now. I'm thankful.

The only complain she has now, and has had, is her tongue. There's a horrid taste that she can't get rid off. She's been gargling, putting sweets, and nothing helps. Which is why it's so hard for her to take any drinks or food. She even begged "please let me go a day without water or food." Coaxing her to take a drink is like a major battle. I pray that this too will pass quickly.

Thanks all who's been praying for us. Especially thankful for our doctor, Dr. Pauline, who's even called to check on my girls. And of course, very grateful and thankful to my own parents who visited every single day. My mum's so wonderful she's been boiling barley drink for my girls, coming every morning to cook breakfast and lunch for them. I know a lot of the food went wasted because of their refusal to eat.. but today, Jo finally managed a small bowl of noodles, cooked by my mum. In all, yes, Praise God for healing.