We’ve been frequenting the hospital in the past days because our youngest son has been sick with fever since Friday night. We first brought him to the pediatrician for check up on Saturday. We were told by the doctor that if his fever persists until Monday, we need to bring him to the laboratory for some tests.
Our baby still had fever last Monday. So, we brought him to the hospital for CBC (complete blood count) and urinalysis as ordered by his doctor. We waited in the hospital for hours to wait for the test results and to collect some urine from our baby. It was almost midnight already when we left the hospital. In truth, we were about to give up hope that we’d be able to collect a urine sample. Good thing, he peed before we left. We got the CBC result and I texted the figures, especially the platelet count to his pediatrician.
The following day, I thought that we could rest and sleep longer. I got a text message again from his doctor asking if he had fever the day before. I said, “Yes.” The doctor replied by saying that we need to repeat the CBC with platelet count because it might be going down already. She also said that she needs to see our son again.
My husband was already dressed for work and was about to go to his office. But when he learned what the doctor said, he decided to stay and bring the baby to the doctor with me.
Our baby underwent another blood extraction to check his CBC and platelet count. As predicted by the doctor, his platelet count is now down and below the normal range. We got a bit worried. The pediatrician suspects that it’s Dengue.
I hoped and prayed that it’s not.
The pediatrician told us that we need to bring our baby again for another CBC with platelet count the following day. She also said that we need to have him tested for Dengue as well.
Our baby no longer had fever in the past two days but the doctor said that in Dengue cases, that’s usually the critical period when platelet count goes down.
Our baby had poor appetite in the past days. This was another reason for our worry.
The following day came, Wednesday. We went to the hospital’s laboratory early in the morning to have our baby’s laboratoty tests.
We were so proud of our baby boy! He didn’t even cry while his blood was being extracted. He simply looked. After a few minutes of sitting on our lap, he started playing and walking around again.
We asked for the results to be rushed. Thus, we paid a little higher than the regular fees. We felt that finding out the platelet count so we could do what is necessary is urgent. We spent almost P5,000 for the ruch CBC with platelet count and Dengue test. Instead of waiting for two hours to get the results, we waited for an hour only.
After an hour, my husband got the test results.
Our baby’s platelet count has gone up again and was back to normal! He also tested negative for Dengue! Hurray! Thank God for answering our prayers!
It’s difficult when one of your children is sick. My husband and I were not able to sleep well during the time that our baby had fever. We check and monitor his temperature. We give him paracetamol medicine every four hours. We wipe him with a wet towel to help lower his temperature. I do my best to feed him with nutritious food. I frequently offer him water to drink. When he is fussy, we carry him and embrace him a lot to soothe and comfort him and to put him to sleep.
Although he has been breastfeeding on demand even before he got sick, he breastfed more frequently and longer per feeding while he was sick. It was exhausting for me. But it’s alright; because, I know that he needs my breastmilk to make his immune system stronger. Moreover, my breastmilk helps prevent him from becoming dehydrated.
I’m thankful that all throughout this time that my baby was sick, I was with him. I was able to personally take care of him at home. I was able to bring him to the doctor and hospital together with my husband. I was able to breastfeed him as often as he wanted and as long as he wanted.
I’m also thankful that in between caring for him and managing the house, I’m still able to squeeze in one to a few hours of work. What made it possible for me to still do some work while at home or in the hospital while waiting in line for the doctor or the test results was the fact that my work and business is online. As long as I have internet connection, I can do some work. I can manage my website in between household chores and homeschooling my kids. I can do career coaching work over Skype. I can communicate with the people I work with through email or phone.
I am truly blessed to have this kind of lifestyle. Not everyone can easily be on leave from work to attend to their sick child. I know this because I worked as an employee for many years, too. I have witnessed this in some of my officemates.
It’s already stressful to have a sick child. That stress is heightened when you have work deadlines or you have plenty of important meetings that you need to attend while your child is sick and you are not in a position to move the meetings or postpone them when needed.
Do you experience this also when your children get sick and you have many things to finish or deliver at work?
Do you want to have a less stressful work that allows you more freedom to be with your children, especially when they are sick?
I can help you transition to that kind of lifestyle. That’s one of the things I love to do through my career coaching service and especially through my iHOPE Online Coaching Program. I created this program so I can inspire and enable my fellow parents to be actively involved in their children’s lives while contributing to the family income. I have combined my learnings from my experience as a Human Resource professional and as a parent to come up with this life-changing program. if you are seriously considering to be this kind of parent to your children, I invite you to check out my program. You can read more about it here.
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Be with your child when your presence is crucial!
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