Category: Spawn

There’s so much more to it than I ever thought possible.

A cruel twist

I had the follow up appointment with the infectious diseases specialist on Friday. I am clearly on the mend, and although still tired, I am able to start doing some light exercise. Like running around after a four and a half year old. I’ve lost 10kg, and am now down to the same weight I was at 10w pregnant with the twins. Another 40kg and I won’t be over weight any more!

The doctor asked if we were planning to have another child. I retorted that “planning” is a very strong word, but he remained serious.

Although I am no longer infectious to others, the virus is very dangerous to babies in utero, and can cause birth defects for a long time after primary infection. At six months post infection, the risk of serious birth defects is still 1%. So we have to wait until at least Christmas. At which point Inigo will be five, and I’ll be looking less like a mother and more like a freak of nature if I get pregnant at 43.

I’ve spent a few days crying, and I’m still not sure if I’m going to go out fighting, or just collapse whimpering in a corner. Time will tell.

In the meantime, I have an exam to study for, a recovery to manage, a cold/virus to battle, and the worlds best kid to wrangle and wrestle and smother with love.

And in Inigo news, he had his first swimming lesson as a sea dragon today, with a new teacher, and he was very nervous. He did amazingly well! Did a proper back float, and dove down to pick up a toy from the bottom of the pool – both for the first time. I love watching him expand his horizons, and fill with pride at his accomplishments!

Babyloss mamas – researcher needs you

There is a national perinatal grief study being done at the moment, and the researcher needs about another 80-100 responses so that she can finish her research. Currently, the health professional handbook has only ONE paragraph about perinatal grief and loss, and that is woefully inadequate. If you are an Australian resident interested in helping to change the outcomes for women who suffer the loss of a baby in the future, and you are between 6months to 5 years from your loss, please consider filling in the survey.

Piano Concert

We had less than ideal conditions for his first piano concert – it’s been four weeks since he’s had regular practice since all of us have been ill, and it was late in the day, with Inigo third last. By the time it was his turn he was jumping out of his skin, so it’s a little wonder he found it hard to concentrate.

But no matter what, I was so proud that he got up and said his name and announced his piece in front of every body – and he got it right, just as my phone ran out of storage, so I missed the end of his performance. But the applause was pretty good 🙂

Squish goes Splat! Part two…

The hospital has a handy little card that they give to parents of kids with head injuries – symptoms to look out for in the 24-48 hours after the accident.

This morning, he was fine, but this afternoon, he was complaining of a severe headache, nausea, and sleepiness. three of the symptoms they want you to watch for. He also had a fever.

I rang health direct, who told me to take him back to emergency straight away.

So we spent another 4 hours at Hornsby Hospital casualty, he had a much more thorough neurological assessment, (and a urine test to rule out another bladder infection), and we were sent home. I’m confident that he doesn’t have any brain damage, but possibly concussion combined with a virus which is causing the nausea and fever.

We’re home now, he’s asleep, and I’m looking forward to a good long time before we have to reset the “Days Since Squish has Been in Hospital” counter.

And I got the results for my mid semester exam today, a Distinction, so I am very relieved!

Head injury

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Squish spent the day with Gonad today while I officiated a funeral for a lovely family.

When I turned my phone back on, I rang mum, who told me that they were en route to Hornsby hospital for observation. He’s fine, and that massive lump is actually a good sign, it means that the brain isn’t swelling. We have to stay here until 6pm, but we’ll probably be allowed to go home without issue.

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Hospital update

So I was supposed to go in for a checkup and histopathology reports on Friday, but I have this damn essay to do and I forgot. I rescheduled for today, and yup, I forgot again.

Tonight I had a phone call from the lovely woman in EPAC (Emergency Pregnancy Assessment Clinic). Apparently my histopathology was all fine, she checked that my symptoms were all within normal limits, and informed me of what to expect in the coming months, and what to do if it doesn’t happen (i.e., have a normal period).

Then she told me that there was no need to come in, saving me another trip to that dreadful place. I thanked her profusely, and asked her if she remembered me from 2010. She did, and she knew that Archimedes had died, even though I hadn’t told her – clearly the hospital grapevine is working. Of all the people I met during those months, hers is a face I remember as being always a positive, smiling and caring one. I took the opportunity to tell her what her work had meant to me all those months ago, and we both had a little cry.

I also told her about some of the awful stuff that happened, and she encouraged me to put it in writing to the hospital, in the hope that other women don’t have to suffer through the same crap. It must be an immensely difficult place to work, giving people bad news so often, I hope it gave her some joy to know that the bad news is better coming from someone who really does seem to care.

She could teach a few health professionals a thing or two 😉