Lousy Half-term

This week is half-term for the girls. I'd planned 2 playdates and a trip to the cinema. Alas! They were not meant to be. All because of a virus. Louisa came down with very high temperature last Friday evening. I alternated between Calpol and Nurofen because her temperature would shoot beyond 39 degrees and not come below 38 degrees. I sponged her diligently, gave her the medicine on time but her temperature just would not come down to acceptable range. On Sunday night when it hit 39.5 degrees, I called the after-surgery hours hotline and a GP rang me back. He booked her in to see a doctor at the after-surgery hours clinic at Heatherwood Hospital. During the consultation, the GP (a different one) said to me, 'If I had spoken to you on the phone, I would not have asked you to come but to tell you what you could do to bring the temperature down.' He suggested not bundling up but wear as little as possible and even going out for a walk. Her temperature registered at 38 degrees at the clinic and he explained that was because she came out from the house and was walking in the cold. Upon checking her ears and listening to her chest and declaring them clear of infection, he sent us home after instructing me to take off her top, leaving only the vest. Ok, I'm not the type who will bundle a child up so that perspiration will bring the temperature down. But I'm certainly not going to let her walk in the cold wintery weather with just a vest on. Before we went out to the carpark, I put her PJ back on. Oh yes, he told me that antibiotics will not work because she's having a viral infection. Now, I remember almost everytime I went to the doctor in Singapore when I had cough/cold/fever, antibiotics would be prescribed without fail. Adrian reminded me that the doctors in Singapore earn money by selling us the medicine. It's different with the NHS here because the government pays for the medicine, while children under the age of 16 get them for free.

Early Monday morning, she burnt at 40.1 degrees. I gave her a lukewarm shower immediately and that cooled her down. Here, if one wants to see a GP without making advance appointment (days in advance), one has to call the surgery at 8.30am (when it opens) to book an appointment to see the GP on duty (open surgery). Adrian rang the surgery but the earliest available slot was at 10am. This time, Louisa was given a bottle antibiotic. I had invited 2 of Louisa's friends and their mummies to come that day but had to ring them up to cancel. One mum told me that a few children from Louisa's class were having very high temperature as well a few days back. That explains it. Since that day, her temperature hovered between 38 to 39+. I spent my days and nights sponging her and wrote down on the board the time she had her different medications because I simply couldn't remember them. Her cough deteriorated and as a result, she couldn't have any proper sleep at night. Her temperature finally came down to the normal range but she's still coughing quite a bit. At least tonight is better than the last. Yesterday, one mum rang me to confirm that she'd be coming for the 'party' today. I had to disappoint her by telling her what happened and that it had to be cancelled. By coincidence, she told me her daughter was having the exact illness as Louisa. It also started last Friday and she had only begun to feel better.

I'm still on night shift. Louisa is on the mend but Lavigne started having high temperature last night. Same symptoms - very high temperature, running nose and a cough that gets worse. I'd just given her Nurofen and sponged her. Adrian's got the irritable cough and I don't feel so well myself. Same type of cough as the girls, temperature that just fluctuates. It seems like I'll have to go through night shifts for another week because that was the time it took Louisa and her friend to recover (from the fever at least). Fingers crossed, toes crossed, touch wood....I hope neither Adrian nor I will be next. There goes our plan to bring the girls to the cinema to watch the 'Bee Movie' tomorrow.