Serious bad luck.

Once again, I am writing from a hospital room typing with one hand while balancing a baby on my left leg. Little man L developed a fever and started panting like a puppy on Wednesday night. I had a big presentation on Thursday for a new project and worked until 12:30 and this happened after I finally switched off the laptop and headed for bed. He didn't sleep a wink longer than 20 minutes at a time during the rest of the night. Terribly sleep deprived I dragged myself to work to print the last items for the presentation and to contact the paediatrician's office for an appointment as soon as possible after the presentation. Thank goodness! The client was impressed and my business partner delighted. And off I trotted to the paed for hopefully, something as simple as an ear or throat infection and some antibiotics and problem solved! This was not to be.

At the paed's office little L's temperature was 38,4 degrees C, high indeed, and no sign of any obvious infection. We were sent for a lung x ray to check for possible lung diseases following on last month's bronchiolitus, but the x-rays came back clear for the lungs but reporting his heart slightly enlarged. The doctor immediately recommended admitting him to hospital for a battery of tests and to control the fever and very high heart rate. He speculated on a possible virus attacking the lungs. To our great relieve the tests came back positive for urinary tract infection - apparently rare in boys unless there is some physiological reason such as valves not working, reflux in kidneys etc. Thank God that all the tests, sonars and x-rays on the urinary tract system came back with great results - nothing wrong! The doctor hopes to test again tomorrow and assess how well the anti-biotic is working to estimate when we can go home. Once again I will try to work from here on Monday.

We are at a different hospital this time - the children's ward is not as nice as at the previous one but it is much closer to home, only about a 10 minute drive which is important if one twin is at home and the other in hospital. I am feeding Little man L and expressing after for Little man C at home. Poor dad is busy entertaining C and A at home, luckily with my mom's help. I have also obtained a mom and baby room here. As an encouragement towards breastfeeding the hospital only charges R100 extra for breast feeding moms to stay in with baby (not covered by medical insurance)- I can hardly think that they cover the 3 very nice meals that they serve.

I really find it very hard to leave 2 of my little ones at home and be only with the sick baby, especially Little C as he misses his little boetie (brother) tremediously. But I saw both of them for about an hour and a half this morning and will try to do the same tomorrow. Oh, and did I mention I have the irritating cold? I am sure that more women will breast feed longer if you could drink a really effective cold medicine while still breastfeeding.