Elizabeth had me pretty worried last week. We have a little stomach bug making its way through the family. Teresa started it about ten days ago. Then Clare came down with it Wednesday morning, coming in and throwing up on my bed. Lovely. A couple hours later, I heard a noise in the hall and found that Elizabeth was on her way to my room, (looking for a bed to throw up in, perhaps?) but didn't make it before she threw up on the floor. The day was shaping up well.
They both spent the day miserable on the couch, although the mini film festival helped. By Thursday afternoon, Clare was up and recovered, following the same pattern as Teresa the week before. Elizabeth was still deathly pale and her tummy still hurt. I assured her she was just a few hours behind Clare and would be better soon. She wouldn't eat anything and was only sipping tea and water. By Friday, she was feeling a little better but she her stomach hurt. We figured it was just really empty. She ate a couple of crackers and was up and about with the other kids outside. By dinner, she declared herself recovered and sat down to a real dinner. After a few bites of her cheeseburger (smart move, Mom, I know!) she decided she wasn't quite so recovered. Shortly afterward she threw it all up. But then she felt better and I sent her to bed with the other girls, suggesting maybe she could camp out on the floor of their room. She went upstairs and immediately threw up on the bed.
So far, she had missed Girls' Tea and now she was going to miss her First Communion retreat and a birthday party she and her sisters were invited to attend. Poor girl. Saturday she was still so pale and not eating. I was out part of the day and was worried sick to get home and still find her not eating. It had been four days! I tried to get her to drink more and coax her to eat but she wouldn't. I was checking her vital signs and calling the advise nurse. I was admittedly getting a little panicked. She actually looked better, as far as her color was concerned, but she didn't look herself.
I was ready to take her to the ER (yes, Saturday night), but her wise Daddy was calmer and able to convince me to wait and watch. We both agreed that more harm could be done sitting in a crowded waiting room with a sick child. I slept with her on the couch, and woke often to check on her. By morning she was much improved. She had color in her face and wanted oatmeal for breakfast. Throughout the morning she improved, although she looked thin and tired to me and there was no light in her eyes even when she smiled.
And then, sometime in the early afternoon, she buzzed! She has this little thing she does with her arms when she is excited and she makes a buzzing noise at the same time. We didn't realize until we saw her do it again that she hadn't done it in days. It started with a little, half-hearted buzz, but we saw it as a sign of returning vitality. By last night, she was buzzing with all of her energy! I was so, so happy to hear that sound. My little girl was back to her old self!
Thank you, God, for my healthy child, and also for that chance to experience the fear that softened my heart to how much I love her, and all of my precious children! How easy it is to take it all for granted. How important it is to truly treasure each day and thank God for the good times and the not-so-good times.
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I am so glad she is feeling better Molly, I will keep you all in prayer. I know that heart sick feeling when one of our little “jewels” has been sick just a little too long…
I am so glad she is feeling better Molly, I will keep you all in prayer. I know that heart sick feeling when one of our little “jewels” has been sick just a little too long…