Exhausted

Still very tired

So much has happened over the past couple of days. I feel like I'd like to run away to somewhere quiet and dark and just sleep for a couple of days; nothing fancy, just to catch up on sleep.

Felix woke up yesterday morning, after an unsettled night, with a really high fever and completely listless. Thankfully we were able to get him in to see our Doctor before lunch time. Our concern for him was due to these strange fevers he seems to be spiking every so often, coupled with the nose bleeds he's had recently, his loss of appetite, not putting on weight and some swelling in his ankles. The Doctor agreed with us that we needed to do a blood test to rule out leukemia and, although we were fairly confident it wouldn't be that, it still meant a nervous wait for the results. The thought of leukemia being even a remote possibility, makes me feel sick inside. The Doctor had difficulty looking inside Felix's right ear (the one the surgeon had problems with when he put the grommets in), and he couldn't see the grommet and his ear looked infected. He put him on antibiotics and it looks like he may need another surgery to replace it.

Those eyes......

I had to take Felix up to the hospital for his blood test. Usually he's so good when he has them and has never cried but, this time it broke his heart when the nurse put the needle in his arm. I think he was feeling so sick and so exhausted, it was just too much for him to take. He cried and cried, but still sat perfectly still. He was really brave and I was so proud of him. I took him straight home and he slept for 5 1/2 hours before I went in and woke him up to get him to drink something.

The blood test results were available by 4.30pm and the Doctor gave me a call to let me know what they were. His white cell count was 18,000 which, although fairly high, indicated that his body was struggling to fight off an infection and nothing as serious as leukemia. Although I wasn't surprised, it was still a massive relief to be able to cross that off the list.

Felix had a get well visit from his nephew

Today, Felix woke up a little bit better. He still has a fever and hasn't had much to eat or drink, but he played a little bit and had a lot more strength back than he did yesterday. I took him back to the Doctor and he was happy with the way he has improved. He said the fever will still hang around for a few days, but he should start to pick up now. He had another 5 hour sleep this afternoon and I'm sure he only woke up because I kept going in to check on him. He was still pretty warm when I put him to bed, but definitely not as hot as yesterday.

In amongst the lack of sleep from a sick toddler, and visits to the Doctor and the hospital, we have been running around getting last minute stuff sorted out for our son, Joshua, to move to the city tomorrow. We needed to get a bank card for him, a haircut, school shoes and other bits and pieces. We have spent time online working out what uniform items he's going to need for school and, to top it off, today he decided to go and sit his driver's licence test (he's pretty pleased that he passed). So, of course, amongst my crazy day I had to make time to take him for his first driving lesson. With Joshua, go his frogs and the aquarium they are in. Anyone who has kept an aquarium will understand the work involved in moving one. We have spent tonight scooping gravel into a giant container for the trip tomorrow and cleaning it up.

I feel emotionally spent. It's been hard having Felix so sick, on and off, for the past few weeks. Having to say goodbye to my best friend was difficult and, tomorrow, we move our precious son (number 3) to his new home over 400km away from us. Next week our beautiful Mel, along with our Grandson, Noah, also move four hours away. That being said, there are so many positive things happening with our older kids at the moment. They are all happy and settled; their jobs and study are going well and Bekah has just moved into her first apartment and is over the moon. I've always known that, even with 8 kids, they would all eventually have to fly the coop, but it doesn't get any easier to say goodbye. I'm just so thankful that, despite the distance, our relationship with them is closer than ever.