How to survive a hospital stay with a toddler

Sunday, October 18, 2015

The last two months has been crazy. And that's really an understatement. What with the first big shift and Small K not adjusting well in his new environment. He has been screaming bloody murder for a month at night. We've tried to pinpoint the cause but to no avail. He isn't overstimulated, he isn't warm. Granted we are all now living in clutter due to the boxes pending the next move, everything is kept in clean condition and neatly arranged (well at least I try to). It probably was about his wonder week but week turned into weeks which got me wondering. It was really baffling. It was like he was afraid to sleep. Scared to be placed down on his bed. Then someone reminded me about fengshui and I realised that his bed position is in the "coffin position" i.e.. his feet is pointing directly to the door! GASP! Why didn't I think of Fengshui?! So i shifted the bed the very next day, but for the next two nights, things didn't improve. He was still screaming bloody murder every 15 to 30minutes. Then I figured, perhaps it is because the hubs isn't in town hence the little one misses him. So I brought him into my room and co-slept with both Big and Small K. Seriously not the most ideal plan but I can't be in two rooms all at once. However, that didn't alleviate the matter either. He would whine and I'd jump right up to calm him down to the best I could otherwise, the uproar would cause Big K to wake up and then I would have to mambo jumbo with the both. Thankfully, Big K was really corporative and understanding. She tried her best to get back to sleep on her own. At times she would get really irritated but a bottle of milk and she'll be a happy trooper once again. In our old place, she didn't have to wake up for a dream feed, but these days, i guess with so much happening, she is back to it again. I didn't even want to negotiate with her as I'm simply too exhausted for it. That said, it's not always so smooth sailing. A lot of cajoling and screaming (on my end) involved. At its peak, I wasn't sleeping for 2 whole days! That's 48hours! Geez!! that probably happened only when I had tons of presentations to handle during my university days! Then, I decided that it was time for some divine intervention and voila, he is sleeping a little better now. Still whining a little in his sleep but much much better.

So, ok, I thought things should be a little better now. #Soleparenting ain't that bad right? I can handle a mere sleep issue. The hubs has been away off and on for  a month and I thought I'm doing a great job holding up. But Alas! Just when all was calm, the storm brewed again! Big K was down with fever last Thursday. She came home vomitting and looking awful. However, after a night's rest, she was all good again and because Friday was Children's day, I thought since there wasn't anymore fever, it would be nice to go to school for celebration. That evening when she got home, she was 38.5 degrees celsius! So I oiled her furiously with peppermint oil and thieves and managed to bring her fever down. She was good the whole of Saturday and Sunday morning hence, again, I decided to allow her to go for a friend's birthday party. We went, she enjoyed herself tremendously and she came home at 39 degrees celsius! Ahhhhh...Someone just stab me please!! It's as if i should be getting Bad mother of the year! So the next day we visited the paediatrician who said that her lungs seem clear but has a throat infection. True enough she was coughing a little. We were given a course of medicine which included antibiotics but no improvement. Her fever would subside for a day or two, and it'd be back again. Her cough was worse. She was coughing very badly I felt so pain. Heartbreaking I tell you. So I wanted to go back for a review but our regular paediatrician was on leave. Hence I brought Big K to our family GP and guess what? He heard sounds in her lungs! We were immediately advised to go for an Xray and blood test at the hospital. 

So here we are. At the hospital . Since Friday. Whilst waiting for a room, I had to zoom back home to grab our stuff. I grabbed whatever that came to mind and within 15mins, I was lugging a huge sports duffel bag, a diaper bag and a toddler! The dishevelled me was really hoping that some help could come my way. Help did come. the next day, I requested my sister-in-law to stand in while I go off to work for 3hours. I needed to as much as it made me sound like bad mother. It is super peak at work and I have my responsibilities too. After work, i went back to grab a luggage of stuff again and zoomed back. Oh hang on. So what's wrong with Big K you asked? Pneumonia. Apparently she caught the mycoplasma bacteria and that caused her lungs to be filled with phlegm. Kids this age don't really know who to cough it out hence one thing led to another, she developed an infection of the lungs. 


Waiting to check in into our suite.


She was such a brave little darling! whilst the nurses and I tried acting like clowns to entertain her and divert her attention, she was a calm as a clam!


On the nebulizer. She had to do it 4 hourly which meant disrupted sleep. Hence night one was hellish as she was rudely awoken an shoved with antibiotics, thereafter, given the nebulizer. She struggled the whole time and I had to pin her down. Pained me when that happened.


All comfy on her very expensive bed. It's $560+ per night per room!


They found the mycoplasma bacteria in her lungs, causing the infection. This bacteria is everywhere so we really don't know how she caught it. It could also be due to the very bad haze the last couple of weeks.

It's really not easy to be alone in the hospital with an active toddler. yes, despite being ill, she's as hyper as ever. Every minute I've to think of something for her to do. Here are some stuff I brought along:



Movie date. Her favourite show of the moment which we had to split into two sessions to watch coz it was too tiring for both mommy and baby. We really enjoyed this as we've never caught a movie on the big screen before. 


I'm so glad that this bubba enjoys the puzzle more than the gadgets! I was surprised by the fact that she could do this puzzle. The last puzzle i did with her was a 6pcs! That was a long time ago.


I had to bring along my oily stash to help speed up her recovery




Being confined to a room was not easy and support was important. I was really thankful for a friend who came by to visit and help entertain Big K. She had loads of fun monkeying around.

ooooo...Look at the range which they are using! Crabtree & Evelyn! In my favourite range La Source. Now, all I need is a bathtub and their bath salt and it will be perfect!




The food provided was surprisingly not bad. There was also a Delifrance downstairs hence I didn't starve. 

Am really hoping that the little one will recover soon and we can all go back home. Honestly, this stay is quite a pleasant one coz it beats squeezing with 5 other people in an apartment together with tons of cartons. In addition, there's air condition 24/7 and I don't have to prepare any meals! I also don't have to wash dishes for 7 other people at 11pm! However, work still needs to be done and to find someone to assist with babysitting is a pain. It's peak season at work hence I can't just drop my work. I could but responsibility beckons as well. This made me feel terrible for it made me feel like I'm a terrible mother who only thinks of work. But in my line, no work = no money. Money isn't everything and nothing is more important that my baby's health, however, I will ensure that she's in good hands before I go off to work with a heavy heart. The burden is just so great in Singapore. Latest update: the paediatrician said if the phlegm starts to clear, we could potentially be discharged tomorrow. Yipee!

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