Monday, March 05, 2012

Ebb and Flow

I had thought I might write one of the umpteen million thoughtful posts I have backed up on my blog to do list (yes, of course I have one of those- I have a to do list for just about everything). But Petunia is sick again. We have long since acknowledged that her frequent fevers are just something we have to accept- a cold that another child will shrug off (and therefore bring to day care), will give Petunia a high fever and send her whining into my arms, asking for her favorite shows on TV. It was my turn to stay home with her today, and as long as the Tylenol was working, she was reasonably happy. We played outside in the morning, and went for a walk (pushing her baby in the green stroller, with her toy keys shoved in the stroller pocket).

So, I could theoretically have had a semi-productive day, either managing to do quite a bit of work or writing a meaty blog post. But I didn't.

I was feeling a bit run down, too. Petunia had a rough night, so I was tired. And somehow I forgot that I'd given her Tylenol at 6:30, and thought that I'd given it to her at 8... so I missed the time when I could have given her another dose, and let her fever spike up again. (There is no chance that I'd ever mess up in the other direction, and give her a dose too early, because we always write the time of the dose on a piece of paper that we keep next to the Tylenol on the counter.) Her fever had started to creep back up much earlier, and she had gotten clingy and just wanted to cuddle with me on the sofa and watch shows- so I put in a series of her favorites, and got my Kindle out and read while the shows played and Petunia snuggled into me.

By the time I went to give her another dose of Tylenol, her fever was over 102 and she was so miserable she didn't even want the Tylenol, let alone her lunch. I managed to get the Tylenol in her and some lunch in me, and then we went and had a nap together. I woke up after two hours, but when I tried to get out of bed, Petunia whimpered pathetically and said "Mommy, bed." Really, how could I say no? So I grabbed the Kindle and read next to her for another hour, while she dozed and snuggled and complained anytime it seemed like I might be trying to leave.

We finally got up at 4, and I was so happy that she was awake that I let her watch another show, while I sat with her on the sofa and read some more. She perked up a bit after her next dose of Tylenol kicked in (the fever had come back up in the middle of the nap), and "cooked" with her toy stove for awhile while I started to make dinner. But on the whole, we spent the majority of the day snuggled together on the sofa or in her bed, and I spent most of that time reading. It felt almost decadent to read so much. I was reminded of Anandi's recent post about how it is OK sometimes to not be productive. I'd had a crazy busy weekend. If Petunia had not been sick, I would have gone off to work today and work hard to be productive, just like I usually do. But when the universe offered me a chance at a little break... I think it is a good thing that I took it.

I have a lot of things I want to do, but I don't always have to be trying to do them. And it shouldn't take an incredibly snuggly sick toddler to give me license to just sit around and read every now and then.

10 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:49 AM

    Hoping that everybody is feeling a little better now.

    Thought that you may be interested in these articles
    http://www.australianprescriber.com/magazine/23/3/60/1/
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8351085/Parents-warned-against-giving-paracetamol-and-ibuprofen-for-mild-fever.html

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  2. Ah, the art of doing nothing. I'm really good at that. But, I'm also in introvert with depressive tendencies so it's less a luxury I have to give myself permission for and more a survival mechanism.

    I kind of like it when they get sick and cuddly. (Mine are not cuddly generally, and I'm a high-touch person.)

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  3. Thanks for the links, @Anonymous. I've seen the research. Her fevers get as high as 103 under her arm. Our doctor has advised us to bring them down. Ibuprofen doesn't touch them, so it has to be acetaminophen (paracetamol).

    @Erin- Petunia is a real mommy's girl usually, so I get lots of cuddles even when she's healthy (although not as many as I got yesterday). But my husband doesn't get as many, except when she's sick. There's a line from some song that goes "Baby, if you never got sick, I'd never get to hold you," which he often sings to her.

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  4. Those are some of my favorite days (when they aren't so sick that you are worried about them but they are still too under the weather to do much but cling or at least have an at home with mommy day). I feel totally justified on those days to block out everything but hanging out with Tate. I hope she's feeling better and you feel recharged, not behind.

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  5. Thanks for the shoutout, and I bet that day of relaxation was good for you mentally, as well as P :)

    Hope she feels better soon. And bummer that ibuprofen doesn't work - it's like our magic fever drug plus it lasts longer.

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  6. Oh, I hope Petunia feels better soon!
    I loved you upbeat post even at the end of such a day as this.

    I too had to stay at home with my son this Monday. Initially I was all guilty for missing work. I had to repeatedly tell myslef "this is perfectly fine!" ;-)

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  7. Alexicographer1:29 PM

    Oh no ... hope she feels better soon. I mean, I realize an important point of your post is that this wasn't, in fact, a disaster and is, in fact, part of the process, but I still hate to contemplate Petunia feeling sick.

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  8. Aww...hope she feels better soon. Nothing like a sick, fevery child to slow down your pace of life once in a while.

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  9. Get well soon, Petunia!

    I totally sing a version of your DH's tune about my DD, who is a complete and utter Daddy's Girl. ;)

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  10. Petunia is much better- still not 100%, but her fever was gone and she was eating a bit, so she went to day care today. She was so excited when we told her she got to go see her favorite teacher today!

    Thanks for the good wishes, everyone.

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