Sitting and worrying as an art form.

[samaranth]

I have spent a considerable amount of my parental life sitting in a chair in the Paediatric Emergency ward at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Sitting in a chair beside a cot or a bed, my eyes tracing the cheeky monkey patterns on the cubicle curtains, my ears eavesdropping on the goings and comings of the doctors and nurses. Sitting in a chair beside

Comments

[maewyn_2]

Oh, my God! I've never heard of that happening before. I really hope everything will be alright.

Children will always be the worry of their parents, no matter how old they are.

Please keep us informed.

*big hugs*

[samaranth]

Thanks Maewyn. After 2 days I'm beginning to feel that I can relax - or at least stop checking on him every couple of minutes. Poor kid, he slept for a solid 24 hours, and seems much more easy now.

It is the bizarrest thing, isn't it?

[shirebound]

Oh my goodness, how frightening for you.

*tight hugs*

[samaranth]

Thanks Janet. It's been really frightening, actually. You trust that they'll be OK when they're asleep - it's an awful thought that it might not be so.

[sistermagpie]

OMG, Sam, that sounds so scary! Yes, that's just what a mother needs. Randomly collapsing lungs! In your sleep! Ack!

[samaranth]

I've spent years (ever since the end of the age where you endlessly watch for SID), only relaxing once he was in bed and asleep! It really does scare me to find that sleep is not the safe place it should be.

Still, I took him to the GP today and she was pleased with his breathing, and the 'good' sounds his chest was making. She said it might only ever happen once. Here's hoping.

[rosiethehobbit]

That's scary. I'm glad he's alright.

Here's hoping he doesn't get too discouraged about missing the first day of school.

[samaranth]

I really hope so too, Rosie. It took lots of encouragement over the last 8 weeks to keep him motivated. It's a big year this year (the School Certificate), and he definitely needs to buckle down from the get go.

He's off to school tomorrow - better late than never!

[volkhvoi]

Scary stuff!

I swear I've seen the inside of the pediatric emergency room in nearly every city we've traveled to!

And it just doesn't get any easier.

[samaranth]

No, it doesn't get any easier. You've probably developed the same 'drill' when these things happen: pack jacket, water, things to eat and some distractions - both for you and for the young man. Sessions at Casualty can go on for a very long time. And they're not the most scenic part of travelling, are they!

[volkhvoi]

Yep. I get a lot of exercise, pacing to stay awake at 3 am!

And I have learned that the scariest emergency department is the quiet one; it means that nearly everyone on the floor is in the trauma room, trying to save someone. Sometimes they don't.