Archives: ill

Jack not so well today. We went out to Manchester… there was a pretext that I hand in the job application to the GMP that I’d competed at 01:15 yesterday. Thence back into the centre of Manchester – some food, & Louise & Jack went one way with me taking Eve, Jude & Esme down to Paperchase (via the vodaphone shop – spec for Eve’s birthday pressie. loopng back to meet up with Louise & Jack at Watertones.

Jack was sick this evening – bit of a temperature, but he’s quite a bit better at the moment (just right for staying up all night…) He has a new mp3 player that I picked up for him off the market for £8 – was worried that it might not work, but it seems fine – he’s onto some audiobooks.

Later in to work because I’ve left my keys there – not that work is starting earlier – reduced hours in place due to the festive season.

So – are we prepared?

Hm – well – that’s a little difficult to say.. I’d say yes.. but only provisionally. I’m not convinced & I’ve been sent out today with instruction to purchase other bits & bobs. At least I’ve basically finished struggling home somewhat overburdened with stuff that needed to be sneaked into the house while Louise is picking the kids up from school. Plans there weren’t helped by Jack, Jude & Eve being of ill. Esme was ill away from playgroup as well, but that’s less … well, less that being away from school. They’ve all had a nasty cough/cold/sore throat/fever/sicky combination with varying degrees of differing seriousness on each symptom. Louise & I have been a little off, but thankfully nothing as bad as they seem to have had. Louise took Esme to the doctors because it included night time fevers, and once past the receptionist firewall obfuscations the doctor was quite conciliatory & understanding that we’d bring her in with fever & cold symptoms (after everything)

We’ll see we’ll see…

Still to finish off wrapping (must remember more paper!) as there’s been quite a bit to do. Jack was muttering to Louise that he always seems to get books or some such. He does read voraciously… It is a good option (on the whole) but then I do understand because he’s a kid & it’s good to have frivolous toys & fun things. He does have.. well… at least one thing… um… Hmmm.

I’m aware that the blog thing has not been updated for a while. I’m concious – I’m aware – I’m… well, no – I’m not especially guilty. I’ve had time pushed from all quarters & I just shrug & continue as there’s no point in worrying about it as that would imply that I think there’s something unjust & unfair whereas that’s just the way things are at the moment.

Here are other things I should worry about as well, but I’ll have time later (maybe).

School nativity plays… Had to carry Jude down to school last night because he was adamant he didn’t want to go. Not very adamant though because he let me carry him (bit of a give away that). Eve couldn’t participate in her play because she’d been ill at home all day. She came along though as it’s not like she can stay at home on her own… Jude went into the class to change & get ready quite happily (so much for reluctance) & we settled down for the wait (20 mins in the hall while they got ready). They did fine with the play. Jude had his narrator’s part (3 narrators in all) & there was the traditional loud annunciation for which infants nativity plays are well known. Jude fluffed a line or 2, but did fine. His teacher though he was more nervous that yesterday when he was word perfect, but he was probably a tad more nervous because we were there (?) & he was also a bit tired (it takes t out of them a bit) I noted that he was giggling with narrator one (Rhapsody) from time to time as the play went on (the dropping nerves?). I took Esme home after the infants play – didn’t hang about for the Junior’s play because she probably would have fallen asleep during the longer play anyway… And Eve wasn’t in it anyway…

Not been typing for a while… Nothing wrong per se – I’ve just been preoccupied reading.

So… yes… writing…

Well – the days have passed as you’d expect them to – so no real revelations there: days are days no matter what spin you put on them.

But what has bee happening within those days?

I’m not sure, but I think I’ve been so lax that I didn’t mention hat we got up to on my birthday. Louise & I went to Leeds & did a little shopping. I got a couple of books (thanks to the present from my brother). Louise managed to get a couple of bit of clobber from Mark’s & Esme enjoyed the day (I think).

At the moment Esme is not so well.. Jude is getting a little better. Jack is over it & Eve seems to be coming down with the lurgy that’s been lurking around the family. I seem to have scraped through (but given that felt lousy a few weeks back I may have had it already I may have not quite so much escaped…) As Esme’s been very warm in the night Louise took her to se the doctor yesterday & it seems that it’s agreed that there’s something awry & they even conceded that as we ended up with the hospital bout over April that they quite understood Louise’s concerns (unlike the firewall receptionists who seem to think it their duty to use tactic to make you feel guilty or stupid for deeming it necessary to try to see a doctor). Esme has some antibiotics, so they must think there’s a bacterial element to this illness rather than it being just a virus.

Jack was off school the end of last week with this bug, Jude had Friday off (I think) & has had a racking cough that only abated yesterday. Louise is worried that Jude’s got skinny again. Unfortunately last night’s school nativity seems to have taken its toll on Eve. She complained of a headache & sore throat from the shouting & singing. This morning before I left for work she (she’s stirred n bed & asked for some more water because hers, “Tasted funny”) she was very warm & complained of a headache & sore throat. I suspect that if she’s not a lot better when she actually gets up that she’s going to find that Louise may keep her off school. Naturally this will cause problems getting Jude to school… He is a lot better though – he can’t hope to justify it.

Hopefully she’ll be back tomorrow as I’ve yet to sneak all the Christmas presents home from work. It’s daft – I can’t get them into the house when there’s anyone about, & next week they’re no longer at school.

We’ve also got a ridiculous amount of wrapping to do.

Other sparkling highlights missed out on are the fact that I redid the seal around the bath at last. Cleaning out the rabbit’s hutch with rabbit in situ (she doesn’t like getting out) She doesn’t seem to mind at all.

Cold this morning & not feeling espcially inclined to type. Got a bit of a headache & my belly is not so happy. Am I excused?

Weekend was easy enough. We were going to go tot his Kidsfest thing down at the town hall & then onto Hebden for the Cinema, but Jude wanted to go down to the school open day (there would be face painting?) & in the end we did neither. We did get out to the cinema, but Louise discovered that she didn’t have her wallet at the bus stop, so had to go home & then was not inclined to chase after us. She was not going to see the film anyway, but would have searched for a winter coat for Jack.

The film was Igor. It was enjoyable enough, if a little unfocussed. Esme slept through the most of it.

Was a clearing up night the previous night as Esme was sick I her bed. Thankfully although it was pretty horrible for her (on the side o0f her face) it was not like some of the disasters the others had done & I was able to clear up quite effectively. No scrubbing carpets this time.

Sunday we pottered. Jude played well on his own after an our of self sustained Maths book practice (he wanted to do something in the Maths practice book) Esme went shopping with me (in her pushchair). Was happy & chatty & singing (good company) then handed me the bread she was eating on the way home, asked for her mittens & promptly fell asleep.

Don’t half feel better.
I had to give up the thought of going to work last Friday as I was feeling right horrid. My tongue was starting to swell up a bit as well. It was painful to move it too much, so it was very difficult to eat – to the point where I judged it better not to. I managed to get an early doctor’s appointment & as suspected, it was a salivary gland infection of some form. I said that I thought it was rather like what Louise had, & he agreed, & gave me the same treatment – a course of antibiotics. Homeward bound was hard work – cold & wearing. Got in – took tablets, fall onto the bed determined to get more sleep. Louise woke me later returning with Jude. Chatted, Jude fell asleep & I was left to fall asleep with him while Louise went to get Eve from playgroup. Ah whatever – with Eve in the house that was my last snooze for the day. I’m sure I must have been starting to improve as by Saturday I was OK enough to go on a much needed expedition to the shops (Xmas is coming after all).

Sunday, & I was basically feeling fine – feeling better than I have in a long while in fact. I wake with one heck of a (hangover style) headache, but that fades soon enough.

We went swimming (Jack & I). He can do the backstroke (at quite a pace) but not swim unaided on his front as yet. There is one more ‘duckling’ class & then he’s onto a Thursday evening class next year; something a bit more difficult. It would be pointless he repeating what he’s done so far in this class again.

Jude is better – well- he was last week as I was in decline. He’s giggling & smiling more & is the happy soul he usually is. Mind you – he basically was when he was at his spottiest. The spots & blotches are fading well. You’d hardly know that they were there. The doctor I saw asked after him as he was due to see him on the… I think it would have been the Tuesday evening when we thought that he was getting better & called to cancel – then regretted it later when more spots came again.

Not a lot of typing this week as not very well.
Going to work today against common logic.
I believe I have what Louise probably had the other week.
It’s kinda odd to have aches & pains & a fever without the snot of flu, which is a relief in a way though.

Jude gave us a bad scare on Monday night as well. Louise was undressing him for the bath when an alarming rash was revealed. Lots of raised areas with red centres. On the phone to NHS direct. Then on the phone to a local GP service. Many calls later, it was decided that as Jude was not seeming to suffer any ill effect he was probably all right. Keep an eye on him & take him to the doctors the next day. In general he was much more his usual self unlike last week with the rubella like rash; quite chirpy & playful.
I’m not quite sure how the Dr.’s visit went on Tuesday, but the rash was calming down then. The red spots had developed into little purple areas that looked a bit like bruises. The swelling had died down. There were no new ‘welts’. They were explained as an allergic reaction to a virus… Which kinda makes sense… Hives.
Unfortunately by evening he had a fresh crop again. Oh & by this time I was feeling shite as well…
We took him to ‘health clinic’ yesterday (I took the day off work as I had little sleep & a raging temperature). Jude’s ‘hives’ looked most alarming. They are confined on the whole to his legs, bum & elbows… He was happy enough & scurrying off with delight down the corridor of the health centre at every opportunity.
Further explanation is that it’s a way of fighting the virus rather than a fever. They do not itch & they do not seem to disturb him that much… but as said; it all looks rather alarming.

Right – I’m still not ‘good’ but travelling – so I’ll stop this typing & rest – as that’s what I really most want to do.

Louise conceded that it might be a good idea to go to the doctors on Saturday morning – what with her near inability to get up & all that – so she did. I thought I was bad at going – but it seems Louise is even worse. She tried to back out a couple of times, but was reminded how rubbish she felt. It being an ‘open surgery’ on Sat morning you didn’t have to book – but you did have to wait. Fortunately it did not seem any more busy than usual really. Louise forged on ahead while I pottered on with the kids… Jude on the Wilkinet, Eve in the pushchair & Jack on the Buggy Board. Jude was good enough not to pull at Jack’s hair as he was within easy reach.
Louise was asked if she has been in contact with anyone who has Mumps? It seems the glands on her neck are swollen – they being the ones that Mumps has a go at. Not that we are aware of… None of the kids have been that well of recent though. Jude is badly off. He has a rash at the moment that looks a lot like ‘Rosa Bella’ as (I think) similar was called for Eve when Louise took her to see a doctor. Nasty little rash – temperature & generally delicate & unhappy.

We went into Manchester yesterday to get some shopping. Not too bad – more hectic than we thought it would be. I carried Jude most of the day & most of the time he huddled into me, not especially keen on viewing the outside word. ‘Busy’ seemed a bit too much for him. We suspect the kids all have ‘something’ as they are all ‘a bit piquey’; their skin seems delicate & they mark even more easily.

Me? I’m fine. I have a cold – but that’s not exactly news… I tend to have one most of the time… Gosh even had a suck on me inhaler this morning as I had to dash to the station – being late setting off

Louise was ill yesterday, so I stayed at home to get the kids to school & all that. I have things easy as she looks after Jude a bit as well – so Eve gets to play a little with me, rather than clamouring for attention away from Jude. I even managed to set her to play with a train set while I cleared the ‘top of the cellar’ area of all the stuff we push in there ‘out of the way’ – a job that’s needed to be done for far too long.

Jack went to school yesterday even though he protested that he was not so well the night before (I do not recall him complaining in the morning – but that does not mean that he didn’t). I bumped into him in the playground after taking Eve to school playgroup for the afternoon & he complained again quite plaintively. I cleaned his snotty nose & gave him a hug or two, but didn’t take him up on his offer to come home. Still, I felt guilty & tried to see what he was doing as I departed. He was with someone else, but I lost sight of him in the melee of playground. He had evidently complained to his teacher that he was not feeling so well as she mentioned it when they came out. She also said that he was shouting & laughing with the rest of them at the visiting theatre company they had in the afternoon. Hmmm….
They seem to have a lot of those… I recall one or two when I was at school, but they seem more abundant nowadays…

Jude cried a lot in the pushchair when I took him shopping. He was not sure at all about this ‘mummy being ill’ thing. He wanted her for reassurance, rather than mean ol’ daddy – so he was not for being held by others & not happy at being in a stationary pushchair (must – keep – moving!). He’s starting to engage a lot more. There are regular episodes of ‘holding up your hands’ at tea time. His facial expressions are amusing as well. He’s taken to doing quite a curled lip snarl. I’m not really sure why (what mood it imparts) but it may be to do with teething. He cut an upper left incisor last week (Thursday?). It’s funny when he snarls & then you make him smile – snarlsmile… heh.

Jack is 5 now. It’s kinda strange to think of that – 5 years. Louise was saying that she finds it odd. She does not miss not having worked the past 5 years & I was a little (…brain not working well enough to get the right word…) that she felt that way – I meant – who would really miss work? I know I would not. She also does not have time to miss work – 3 kids! I mean! Mind you – Eve stayed at college playgroup on her own last Friday, & she did the same on Tuesday! Cor! Previously she would find ways of getting out being left alone. Louise would say “I’ll just go and get some shopping while you’re at college today” & Eve would mull this over, think it though, & say, “Better go with you.” as if she were needed to ensure that Louise didn’t get lost.
I would rather wish this cough would go away. Jude seems to have the same one, & it seems to have lingered for far too long. I mention it now as I’m to a stage where my limbs feel heavy & I cannot walk at my normal pace without getting short of breath. Resigned to disliking being ill.

Jack’s party. There were 21 kids in attendance in the end! Blimey! It’s a good venue for kid’s parties, & the numbers did not fill the place. They had a good old time in the indoor adventure playground/ball pool thing, but we only just felt that we were in control. Fortunately there were a good mix of boys & girls, & although there were boy & girl groups, there was also a large overlap between group play & no boy girl acrimony. Jack chose the people who came, & all got along well. Nice bunch of hyper kids. We felt a little short on the adult contingent at some points, but then – it’s a kid’s party.