Friday, 27 April 2012

Kids who'd have them!! (7&8 of 64)

I got thrown rather off track last couple of days and couldn't write.  My youngest daughter Rosie threw me a bit of a curve ball day before yesterday when during our really, really long walk around the very beautiful Te Ara Tahuna park in Orewa (7.8km).  We were about half way round when her energy just dissapeared thinking it was just the distance I plonked her in her pushchair and she fell asleep, very unusual for her. 

We got back to the car and I realised she was really burning up.  We went home and I sat and stared at her for a while, like us parents do wondering what I should do.  When she started falling in and out of sleep again I bundled her in the car and took her to A&E.  Incidentally have you ever noticed that children only fall sick on public holidays or at the weekend??!!

They didn't like the look of her so we were sent through to Waitakere hospital.  Having never driven out to this part of Auckland trying to read instructions, drive and deal with poorly baby was not my idea of having a good time!!  We were thankfully seen extremely quickly and obs down for the next few hours. Later that night exhausted little Rosie started looking much better and we were discharged more I think because my kids haven't had the MMR vaccine, had it not been for this I think he would have kept her in. 

I can't express at this point how bloody knackered, hungry and miserable the three of us were.  I looked for the only place that was still open where we could get food...the dreaded Pizza hut.   Not caring we all ate our way through pizza including Rosie which cheered me up no end. 

Why oh Why was I not blessed with an sense of direction?  I mean absolutely none, I could walk in a straight line and still get lost on the way back.  Before we headed home I needed to find a chemist for nappies as poor little Rosie was on her last one and uncomfortable.  We managed to find an all night chemist and bought nappies and pamol, looking in the glove box I had found the sat nav but as I got out of the car to go into the chemist I slammed the car door on the power cable and smashed it to smithereens rendering it useless.  At this point I have to admit to a sudden break in my nerves and  the emotion of the day got the better of me. 

Pamol and nappies in hand I wipe my ridiculous tears away and we set off for home.  Except after 40 minutes of driving I drive past the same garage complex once more.  It's getting late, Rosie is crying and Charlotte, well bless her she is doing her best to keep everyone calm including me.  After a close call with another car that I just didn't see I pull over for a moment.  No map, no signs, no sat nav, two tired kids and a mother that has fallen to pieces.  I feel rather lost. 

I usually have the best and most amazing support network imaginable.  However we have a bit of a running joke (although it's not really that funny!!!!!) that when everyone is away I simply can't be trusted and something always happens.  Makes my poor folks feel like they can't go anywhere without freaking out!!  Of course you guessed it my parents are currently on holiday in the UK and my sister is in Australia.  The only other person I would have called who doesn't have kids to look after of their own I didn't bring a number for, our dear neighbours Alan & Vivien.  I did try my brother in law only to find the wrong number programmed into my phone and the weirdest set of text messages going backwards and forwards until I realised it was some person I didn't know who thought it would be funny to play along (ha had NOT), very weird evening!!

Sitting at the side of the road wondering what I should do, finding a policeman being top of my list I see the neon glow of a motel sign.  Without any thought whatsoever and hoping that I have the funds in my bank account to pay for it I pull in.  I met the loveliest man who was so kind giving us a room for $95 instead of $150, I think he would have given it to us for nothing if he could he could, he looked so sorry for our three miserable faces.  He plied us with 3 lots of milk for Rosie and the three of us were asleep within 20 minutes of our heads hitting the pillow.

I wish I could say that was it but at 3am it all started again and Rosie's temperature went through the roof but at least we were warm, dry and comfortable.  By 6am her temperature had come down again and we packed up the room.  The kids were much cheerier and although I was tired I could at least in the glorious daylight see where I was and after a stop at the golden arches the second eating sin in 24 hours where we feasted on bagels, hash browns and hot chocolate we were on our way home.

It took me longer than it should have done and a good few wrong turns but at last I was on a road I recognised and at last we were at home.  A good deal of sleeping and eating was done by all of us for the rest of today but I just didn't worry about it.  Are there any calories burned due to stress???!!!

Today Rosie is heaps better and her temp has been normal now for 20 hours (and counting!!) so hoping whatever she had has passed. 

Kids really do cause the old blood pressure to rise don't they.  You have to wonder why we do it to ourselves!!  I love my children more than life itself but everyday as a parent it terrifying, whether you are stopping them from climbing, taking temperatures, picking them up when they fall, pulling things from their noses, stopping them from running out in the road......it's utterly terrifying all of it!!!!  Would we really have it any other way though?  No of course not but I do wish sometimes we could just wrap our precious little angels up in cotton wool and protect them from everything!

Not important in the scheme of things but as far as the food content of the last 48 hours go.  How do you deal with curve balls you simply aren't expecting?  I had no emergency eating plan in my head.  I did sort of contemplate the pizza hut menu for something healthy and then thought 'just eat, it's not important tonight'  The Maccas the following day well I didn't need to eat the bagel, hashbrown and drink a hot chocolate but I suppose it was my way of sticking my fingers up at the universe for the previous nights events!!! How immature (he he) I know but it did taste bloody good and I enjoyed every bite.

New day today though and three days on everyone seems good and I have just completed my Taebo so we are back on track with smiles on our faces!  

Watch out for those curve balls folks!

Kate x

2 comments:

  1. You cope with curved balls exactly as you have. Deal with it and get back on the road as soon as is feasibly possible.
    2 meals out of 21 in your week is not that bad.... is it?
    And life will always throw you curved balls.... it is just the aim that varies :)
    Good on you Mate!

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