Trials of a parent

Life as a parent is very different from life before. So much more challenges and so much more strength is needed to get through at times. Yesterday, I woke feeling ill, and still had to get up and go through the day with my son. It appeared to be a flu (a 24 hour bug thank the Lord), nausea, dizziness, exhaustion, slight sore throat, you name it. Once my hubby got up (around noon), I handed off our son and went for a nap. Only an hour into the nap, it was time to feed our son again, then I changed him. This is when I noticed the blood crystals in his urine.

Just the day before, we had met his new pediatrician and I had brought his diaper b/c that morning he had some blood crystals in his first diaper of the day. She assured me that it is ok and common to have it from time to time, but that if he had it again in the next few days, to bring him back in. Here we were, just over 24 hours later with the same thing. Upon calling the pediatrician, the nurse informed us that she was with another patient but that they would talk to her and call us back with her directions. An hour later, we got the call. Unfortunately, she was not able to squeeze us in, but b/c of his UTI a month and a half earlier, she feared it had either not gone completely away, or that it was happening again. Her directions were to head right to CHEO (Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario). Having been through this b4, we packed bags just in case he was admitted and after informing family of what was happening, we flew out the door.

After 7 long hours, and another urine culture via catheter, Jonah was given a clean bill of health and the doctor explained what kind of blood crystal to be leary off. The ones he had had the past few days were copper in colour, whereas the one he had when he had his UTI was blood red and stringy, and that is the one to worry over. They assured me that we did the right thing by bringing him in. This was especially trying for me as I had the flu and sitting upright for 7 hours in an uncomfortable chair when I wanted to vomit and curl up in a ball and sleep. I made it through and upon returning home, we ate an especially late dinner and then went to bed.

I had often wondered how mothers did this, how do they still get up and tend to their children when they are ill? How do they do it when they are pregnant for their second, third, fourth, etc child? I know from experience how exhausted one feels in the first trimester and I couldn't imagine not going to lay down to sleep when you needed it....in fact, the thing I dreaded the most of parenthood was the lack of sleep. I learned immediately that you find the endurance and energy from deep within. I really don't know how I got by the first month, the most exhausting part, sleeping for only an hour or two some nights.... How was I NOT a walking zombie?? God really knew what he was doing when he created us, he gave women an energy pool that is only accessible once they become a mother. Ingenious!

I woke this morning feeling much better, and thankful that all I had was a 24 hour bug. Today was much easier, but thankful still for Jonah's nap time.