Subtitled: Sleeping with Steriods
We now have a name for the respiratory ick that has invaded our house. Pertussis. a.k.a. Whooping Cough. a.k.a. The Whooping Cough.
We prefer The Whooping Cough. We don't actually prefer the cough, just the name, in case you were wondering.
Now. Before anyone gets all bent out of shape and thinks I am making fun or light of this disease in any way, get over it. I'm not. Pertussis is a serious disease. It has caused all sorts of angst and concern and distress over here. But. (There is always a "but" in times like these. Have you noticed?) But, as in many of life's not-so-fun situations, there have been many funny and sweet moments directly associated with the disease and its treatments.
Since I'm not all about sharing the tender moments, you just get, well, whatever I want to tell you.
So...
One of the sweetest parts of Pertussis is that I get to sleep with Caroline.
One of the hardest parts of Pertussis is that I have to sleep with Caroline.
Let me try to describe.
Due to whooping and wheezing and choking and gagging and lack of air and such, Caroline needs to be with David and/or I at night to hoist her to sitting or to the sink (barfing goes along with Pertussis, not a glamorous ailment) and help her through the coughing fits.
That can make for a long night, all that coughing and whooping and yakking. But the whoopy and exhausted patient immediately collapses back on her pillow to sleep and await the next fit. While unpleasant and a bit scary, it does allow for some rest for the household...until the patient deteriorates to the point of needing prednisone. Lots of prednisone. Lots and lots of prednisone.
PARTY TIME!
Now when the wheezy, whooping girl wakes and whoops, she has a brief shaky and docile period...and then...
"Hi Mommy! My tummy burns. I'm hungry. Can we go get something to eat? Are you hungry? We can go get something to eat together. Do you want to do something fun together? I could read you a book. Look! Hop on Pop! I can read Hop on Pop to you. Would you like me to read to you? My tummy still hurts. I really want something to eat. Can I go get a drink of water?" (All in one wheezy, high pitched, staccato, manic little breath.)
I mumble that water is good, go for it.
She returns to bed. "Mommy? Look at the clock. It is four...zero...five! four..zero...five. Is that 4:50?" "No, Whoopers (what I am now calling her) it is four-oh-five. At night. It is still night-night time. Let's go to sleep."
"But Mommy, I am still hungry and my tummy hurts. I know! I can tell you a story!"
Long story about a horsey, a bunny, a duckie and a piggie. They picnic and have a party and eat cake. Chocolate cake. And lemonade. Lemonade. Bummer. Now I have to powder my nose. I brave the freezing world outside of my covers, do what needs to be done and immerse myself back into the warm world that is my bed. Hmmm. There is silence. I smile. Mmmmm.
And then...
"Mommy? Look. The clock says four..two...three. Does that say four twenty three?" "Yes, sweetie." I slur.
The stories continue along with requests for food and "fun things to do together."
The last clock announcement I remember for this particular episode was "four..two...five." This woke me up as I knew four...three...five was reported sometime during the last duckie story. I queried her and realized that she was switching the 2 and 5 and we were now nearing 5 a.m.
Take this scenario and repeat 2-5 times a night.
We are now in the ramp down stages for the prednisone. Ahhhhhhh. High hopes for the future.
But you know. Pizza delivery at 4 a.m. really doesn't sound that bad. Maybe I'll try it tonight.
Is this the same illness you wrote about a month ago? Regardless, I'm so sorry! Has anyone else besides Caroline been afflicted? We'll pray for a complete end to the misery at your house, and that at the same time you'll continue to have plenty of "funny and sweet moments" -- just not related to The Whooping Cough!
Posted by: Ruth at January 18, 2008 07:47 PMYes, same illness. Pertussis does not present itself clearly for the first three weeks so we did not recognize it. Parker also has The Whooping Cough, but to a lesser extent because he has been vaccinated. We currently know of 5 friends who have tested positive. That plus the recent call by the county health department puts us on the dangerous-to-be-our-friend list. :)
Posted by: Pertussis Steph at January 20, 2008 09:55 AM