Stephen has been sick since yesterday around this time. I knew something was up when we went for a walk to the post office and he didn't want to get out of the stroller and run around. Then we walked around town some more, and he was very whimpery and didn't want anything to eat anywhere, just plain water to drink. Then we got home and he just collapsed on the couch, only wanted to watch TV. I was trying to get him to eat something when he threw up. It didn't seem to bother him the first time -- just Urp, there it is. I'm slightly amazed that the chocolate soy milk stayed pretty much the same the entire 5 hours it was in his stomach -- was the same coming up as it was going down. Poor kid was just drenched, though, and so I started a load of laundry (the first of three yesterday).
Unfortunately, that was not the last upchuck. He couldn't keep anything down yesterday, not even warm water, and by the evening, he was getting very upset whenever he had to throw up. He'd cry, "No, no!" and when that didn't stop it, he'd say, "I'm saying no!" as though that would keep it from happening. The doctor's office said to try to keep him hydrated with small sips of water every 10-15 minutes. He got thirsty a lot more often than that, though, so here we were trying to explain to a 3.75 year old kid that we can't give him a drink of water, even if he said please, because his tummy wouldn't like it and he'd throw up again.
This went on pretty much all night. At about 30 minute intervals, he'd either ask for water, or, if he'd had a drink in the previous interval, throw it up. I think David and I got about 3 hours of sleep in 20-minute chunks last night. Plus, every time I got up, Sophia would wake up, and I'd need to nurse her back to sleep, which meant that usually she was still nursing the next time Stephen needed something, which just meant I had to repeat the whole procedure. Whee.
Right now Stephen is sleeping while David naps in the same room, so that he can help Stephen if he needs to throw up again. Stephen is keeping fluids down a little better, and is peeing (I was worried he'd get dehydrated), but still isn't a happy camper. I wonder how parents of chronically-ill children cope -- just watching Stephen have a 24-hour (I hope it's just 24 hours!) bug makes me feel awful for him. I can't imagine doing this every day.
Unfortunately, that was not the last upchuck. He couldn't keep anything down yesterday, not even warm water, and by the evening, he was getting very upset whenever he had to throw up. He'd cry, "No, no!" and when that didn't stop it, he'd say, "I'm saying no!" as though that would keep it from happening. The doctor's office said to try to keep him hydrated with small sips of water every 10-15 minutes. He got thirsty a lot more often than that, though, so here we were trying to explain to a 3.75 year old kid that we can't give him a drink of water, even if he said please, because his tummy wouldn't like it and he'd throw up again.
This went on pretty much all night. At about 30 minute intervals, he'd either ask for water, or, if he'd had a drink in the previous interval, throw it up. I think David and I got about 3 hours of sleep in 20-minute chunks last night. Plus, every time I got up, Sophia would wake up, and I'd need to nurse her back to sleep, which meant that usually she was still nursing the next time Stephen needed something, which just meant I had to repeat the whole procedure. Whee.
Right now Stephen is sleeping while David naps in the same room, so that he can help Stephen if he needs to throw up again. Stephen is keeping fluids down a little better, and is peeing (I was worried he'd get dehydrated), but still isn't a happy camper. I wonder how parents of chronically-ill children cope -- just watching Stephen have a 24-hour (I hope it's just 24 hours!) bug makes me feel awful for him. I can't imagine doing this every day.