Instruction Manual

There was never an instruction manual written for raising children. I think if some one wrote one it would be bigger than the bible. And then no one would ever have children.

Nights like last night really bring back to what mothers do not talk about to other young women and definately not expectant mothers. In the last 24hrs I have had 4 hours of very broken sleep with Thomas. We spent 8 hours in the ER from the wee hours of the morning.

One of the best advice I was given from one of Thomas's therapists, is when these kids say they are in pain. They really are in pain. Last night I let my parent instincs work and followed what I beleived was right. Thomas woke at 12:30 asking for me telling me his throat was sick. Every time we touched him he was complaining it was hurting. He had a fever and would not take panadol.

So I bundled him up and into the car we went off to the hospital. I will say straight up. I am not a fan of this place. But at this time of the night when you have a sick child, this is your only option other than driving 45minuets into the city.

We had a long wait, but I warned them straight up that he reacts badly to flurescent lighting. I did my best to keep him in the pram under security blankets that drape over the pram. Afterall it hurt to touch him. When we finally got put in an exam room five hours later, the first thing I did was turn off the lights. Every staff member was told to keep the lights off.

They were to only use the exam light (which is LED). This worked. Thomas stayed calm. Only getting restless towards the last 2 hours with the demands to go home. But because his voice was nearly gone he was not loud, and he had no energy to get fiesty with me.

We got the surprise that he had croup and the medication to treat it and sent home.

So you see if there was this instruction manual, no one would ever sign up to be a parent. Especially not a parent of a special angel of the Earth.