365 Photo a Day Project Photo
“Home where he belongs”
After a night in a children’s ward in hospital – I am more than happy not to repeat the experience and feel so bad for those who are in there for long periods.
I didn’t mind the noise of the baby who cried and cried for hours and couldn’t get to sleep – I just felt for her poor exhausted parents as they tried in vain to distract and settle her. And the little girl who screamed for about 30 minutes as they tried to take blood tests/insert a canula? Poor little thing. Both kept us awake but I just was so sorry for them being so upset and in so much pain.
What I DID mind was the couple who came in about 1.30 with their daughter and then talked to each other (not even to her) at full volume. In the end I went over and whispered to them that perhaps they weren’t aware that we could all hear every word…which worked for about 10 minutes before they carried on as if I had never spoken. As only one parent can stay, the Dad disappeared about 2.30 and came back at 6am and resumed his conversation – which included a number of swearwords and some subjects not entirely suitable for a children’s ward.
But overall it made me feel very lucky that Dx was in there for something so minor. The “noisy” couple were there for their daughter’s broken leg, fractured in 3 places and requiring 5 weeks of traction.Only 3 and she needs to spend 5 weeks lyingon her back 😦
Also in our section of the ward were a boy of about 14 who he told us “suffers from depression” who had injured himself so badly “jumping off something” that he will be there for 3 months before he can attempt walking. He was watched 24/7 by two social workers at a time who never spoke a word to him while we were there.
And opposite us was a lovely young boy struck down with a mystery illness which has seen his weight plummet, his skin break out and seen him spend the last 4 weeks in hospital, undergo numerous tests and with still no answers as to what is wrong with him.
We were lucky indeed.
After breakfast we saw the consultant who helped Dx to his feet and found he can now stand a little – very wobbly but a big improvement on yesterday. It turned out from the blood tests that his ear infection has spread infection through his body and it is affecting his muscles. But the great news was we could go home.
We sent a text to Sx on his mobile from Dx…(the missing word is “funny”)
and soon Matt came in with them all to take us home. THe children had a play in the ward playroom while we waited for Dx’s medication to be delivered from the pharmacy
Then lunch arrived – and as Dx is so picky, Sx was happy to help him out by eating his roast pork! D x wasn’t even very impressed with the jelly!
When the medication came, we set off for home…via McDs!
I am so proud of my littlest boy. We had a bit of a wobble about the idea of blood tests(but not even a wince when they were done) and a bit of concern about staying the night and not going home. But then he just got on with it. EVen when it looked like we might not make it home today. He grinned at the Doctors, tried everything they asked him to do even if it hurt and laughed when they pulled his body into obscure positions. I am so glad to have him home.