SICK CHILD ON HOLIDAY

I’m in Spain. On holiday with friends and two out of three of my children (third one arriving in a few days). However, instead of hitting the beach and the markets and indeed even “Super Tramp” last night at an old amphitheatre/quarry venue (despite only knowing two of their songs) I am holed up in the villa with a sick child. Amazing how life changes when one of your children is ill. Suddenly everything pales into insignificance as you do all that you can to ensure they get better.

My poor youngest son went off to stay with a friend’s family near Cadiz last week and fell ill almost immediately. It started with a very nasty vomiting bug, so I had to get him across Spain to join my friends and then fly out early to meet him. Since then it has developed into some sort of Tonsilitis as well as headache, temperature, swollen glands, feeling sick, hot, sweaty and deeply unhappy because this is not what being on holiday is all about. In fact it makes it 10 times worse when everyone else is in a great party mood, disappearing off to the beach and the pool and generally having a great time.

So here I am, just mopping his brow and timing the medication. Willing him to get better in time to enjoy at least some of his holiday before he has to go back home. Today has been the first day that he has shown any sign of improvement and fingers crossed he is going to feel better tomorrow and slowly improve.

I took him to the loveliest Spanish doctor ever who checked him over and gave him a three day course of antibiotics – do we ever get given that in the UK? Is it a stronger dose? Why do we have to take them for a full 7 days? Then he gave him Paracetamol at 650mg strength per pill. 650mg??? REALLY??? We have to take about eight pills to get the equivalent strength in the UK? What is the rational behind that?

My mother has been sending me helpful advice such as “put him outside in the shade with a small blanket for some fresh air” – and I have to go back and tell her that it’s far too hot outside even in the shade for that to be a good idea. So then she says “but avoid air-conditioning as they can harbour awful bugs”…which is impossible inside. However, we are doing the oldest and best form of throat treatment thanks to her advice “gargle every hour with salt water” – nothing since then has been a lot better has it?

Not sure how pleased he is to be sharing sick bay with me (and vice versa frankly). Most nights he’s woken up in pain with one thing or another. Last night as he sat up, holding his ear and his throat and moaning that he just couldn’t sleep and I said “what’s the matter? Is it your ear? Your sore throat? Have you got a headache? Do you want some water?

“No mum, you’re snoring and I can’t sleep”.

Oops. Sorry.

Travel updates shortly hopefully. In the meantime, I can describe the colour of the walls and the sky (a bit cloudy) but that’s about it. Could be anywhere in the world. Life just gets a whole lot smaller when you’re in this situation.