It's an epidemic....

The Department of Health had to be notified about our whooping cough as it's a "notifiable illness".

They had 20 cases reported in Sydney on Friday alone! It's truly an epidemic!

We discovered this morning that Boo can't swallow tablets. Apparently. It took HALF AN HOUR to get him to swallow the anti-biotic! He was desperately distressed (as was I) but he finally did it. I found out afterwards that I can break open the casing and put the inside bits into water for him to drink. Which works a treat. Thank God, as we have to take these three times a day for five days.

And then the poor little thing had a major coughing / vomiting fit while weeing. He literally painted the bathroom. Poor thing was so drenched that he had to get straight into the shower. More washing (towels, clothes) for me.... and such a waste of loo paper! He drenched the whole pile of spare rolls! I seriously had to laugh (once I knew he was okay) before mopping, wiping walls etc. I'm still kind of laughing.

See? I'm trying to find the amusing bits in amongst the agony.

Toto's last day....

... and man it was emotional.

The whole school forms a large arch and the Year 6 kids walk through it... to the tune of "Time of Your Life" by Green Day (which is actually called "(Good Riddance) Time of Your Life"! Huh!). Who wouldn't cry?

(and thank you M for the wonderful hugs)

Toto meandering through the arch. Don't you love the "hat hair?"

"Yeah, I know you're there Mum! Do NOT expect me to look at you."

It's official. The diagnostic results are in. Whooping Cough. And just after we came home from school, Toto fell into a heap and started coughing too.

Apparently the fact that he's been at school isn't a problem (according to the doctor)... it's now, with listlessness and fever and feeling ill that is when he begins to be contagious. I still feel bad about him having been at school though. But without a crystal ball, how can any of us tell what's going to happen?

So we have to stay away from babies and old people. And have started a heavy regime of antibiotics (me too, just in case).

Both boys want to stay home with me this weekend, instead of being with DH. I had to tell him over the telephone, and he actually said "I just want to be supportive of you and give you a break". Can you believe it?

I replied, in a very very quiet and calm voice.. "DH (I actually used his name, but jeez it was tempting), the most stressful thing I have going on at the moment is you taking me to Family Court, so please don't patronise me with false offers of concern."

So... more nights of no sleep. More days house-bound and bored. Except for me.. I'm still trying to get all this bloody stuff finished in between soothing and feeding children, cleaning vomit off the carpet, emptying vomit-filled buckets and washing vomit-covered clothes and sheets. It's so frustrating to be unable to get to the shops. I'm dying to go to Spotlight to buy some fabric to complete some Christmas present bags, but just can't get there. Hopefully no-one will expect too much from me this Christmas.

Amazingly, or perhaps not so amazingly, the song that is on loop in my brain at the moment is "Things Can Only Get Better" by D:Ream.

Boo's worse...

This is an horrendous illness.

We're getting no sleep... the coughing until he vomits is worse at night, although it continues through the days as well. Days when I'm desperately trying to do :

a) the legal docs
b) a Child Support change of assessment response
c) 6 years of tax returns

And there's nothing I can do to comfort him. Well, other than the Vapor rub, the humidifier, the cough medicine, the sympathy.

It's heartbreaking.

And he's missing ALL of the end of year school activities. Not fair.

Toto has his very last day of primary school tomorrow. We had the formal Year 6 Farewell dinner on Wednesday night and (of course) I was teary and emotional.

Hope my tears don't embarrass him too much tomorrow. I'm too exhausted to hold them in.

Down to earth with a bang....

I've spent the last 3 days in earth-shattering agony. At first I thought it was a migraine headache..... which kind of made sense after 6 weeks of being on the go ...... but when I heard a POP and felt SEARING pain through my head, I started to think "brain tumour".

Luckily I have the best GP in the world, who, no matter what time of day or night, will talk to me on the telephone. He instantly diagnosed an infected sinus and sent me into a hot shower for 20 minutes ("What about water restrictions?" said I) and onto strong anti-biotics and pain killers.

And, oh thank you God, I am beginning to feel better.