I spent last night attending to a vomiting child, then awake off and on for hours, ever-alert for the sounds that would require me to assist with bucket-holding and brow-stroking. It was not much fun for either of us.
For those who don't already know - I am completely intolerant of nausea. In the face of nausea, I am a snivelling, moaning, wailing, groaning wretch. It's truly pathetic. One of the main reasons we only have 2 children is because, as wonderful as babies are, you have to spend the best part of nine months feeling queasy in order to get one of these amazing creatures (or at least that was my experience of pregnancy). Being pregnant twice, and enduring the vomitousness (a very new word - you may not have heard it yet) - that was enough for me. Labour - well that was tough, but I got through it, and I'd do that again more readily than deal with the churning stomach. Crazy? Not really, just weirdly phobic about nausea and vomiting.
Hence when my children are queasy or vomiting, I am just so anxious for them. I know that awful tumbling tummy feeling, I dread on their behalf the moment when they bend over the toilet in tears. I wish I could wave a magic Anti-Vomit Wand. Now there's something that would sell.
Last night Ben woke with a bad dream, then couldn't stop crying, and eventually was copiously sick. I held him, I rubbed his back, I mopped his face. He sat on the bathroom floor afterwards, with tear-matted eyelashes, and asked me quietly,
"Mummy, when you were a little girl, and you vomited, did you cry, too?"
"I sure did," I replied seriously, "and sometimes I've even cried when I've been grown up and vomited."
"Oh". He seemed oddly comforted by that.
As kids often do, Ben has bounced back quickly. He's racing around the house as I'm typing. And so we come to the end of another day in my family life!
15 comments:
I hope Ben (and you) are fully recovered and that the rest of the family don't succumb.
I'm like you, hate nausea, whether it's mine or other people's. If one of the children vomited then I immediately felt that I was getting whatever they had. Talk about mind over matter.
Hope you have a stress free week ahead.
Sorry about your night. Do your kids really make it to the toilet before they get sick? Not always the case when mine were little. Glad he is feeling better now, get some sleep!
Kids are quick to be sick and even quicker and more resilient as they recover. As mothers, however, we are left with the mess, smell, sights, and sounds, and often the feeling that it could happen to us.
For me, at this stage of my life, not only have I paid my dues raising the kids, and sometimes dealing with the grandkids, but I must now deal with my cats' messes because husband refuses. His pat answer is, "If it was up to me, none of them would be in the house." What we do for love!
I hope little Ben's episode was transitory and does not hop, skip, and jump over to other members of the family. Motherkitty says get some rest.
Ah, poor little Ben...I'm glad he is feeling better this morning.
I can stand pretty much about anything, but feeling nauseous...I just hate that feeling...but for me, once I vomit...it's over and I'm better. I hope Ben's was just a transient episode after crying so much...and not something that will spread to the rest of your family.
I know how tired you must feel this morning, after your interrupted sleep...Maybe Fatty will watch the kids while you nap a bit.
I did not have morning sickness, while I was pregnant, and I've often said that if I did...I would have only had one child. It seems so un-natural for the body to get nauseous during such a natural and normal event, like pregnancy. After all, we didn't put something in our bodies that we shouldn't have...or did we?
Sorry you had such a rough night. What a good mother you are! Don't be hard on yourself if things get piled up while taking care of sick kiddos. I know it can be overwhelming, cleaning up vomit and things vomited on. Thank you for sharing and giving us a chance to let you know we are thinking of you.
Glad to hear than Ben is feeling better this morning.
Harry has been vomitin a bit lately, but seems to be over it now. When he is feeling sick like that I always put a bucket next to his bed when he goes to sleep, and make sure he knows it's there!
I'm pretty good with it all now, after 3 kids, I've had to become immune to it, but I so hate to see kiddies feeling so miserable...
I hope your boy is feeling better. It is sad to watch them wretch. My teenager doesnt throw up much now, but occasionlly when he has a migraine headache. I still stroke his forehead, and tell him to just try to relax and let it fly! I haven't thrown up in a long time, but I have dealt with many, many drunks, who are ALWAYS throwing up, esp when they are in the back seat. One night I was on the way downtown with a prisoner when I heard the familiar "ralph". When I checked the guy (because he was handcuffed behind his back) he had thrown up perfectly into the front of his bib overalls, not even a chunk in the police car!
Brad is the puke cleaner-upper in our house. Ever since a patient projectile vomited while I was pregnant with Crash, I can't deal with it.
Glad Ben is feeling better.
I'm prying tha you don't get it, because if you cry I will cry too.
Oh, Jelly, I can feel your pain all the way from there to here. I hope all of you feel much better very soon. Wish I was there to offer some Motherkitty support and assistance. Erk is right!
Oh I am not a fan of vomit either, whether it involves me directly or anyone else for that matter. The last time we had a big vomiting event in our house, my husband handled it for the most part. Now my oldest is actually an expert - doesn't even hit the toilet seat! As for me, I try as hard as I can NOT to if the urge ever happens. Thankfully I was never sick as a pregnant person, otherwise we would have stopped at 1 kid!
I hope the poor kiddo (and the mama) starts to feel better soon!!
Well, nothing like reading all those comments about vomit for a good bit of entertainment :)
Sorry you had such a rough night. Hope you and Ben are feeling better.
My son and daughter-in-law just recently went through the same thing with their 2 yr old (he had a stomach bug)...32 hours before his birthday party was due to happen. Luckily he had recovered enough to have the party. His mum and dad were pretty wiped out though. Then my son caught it. Yukky stuff!
Thanks for all the sympathy, everyone! I feel very supported in my world of vomit! (update is that we ALL came down with it last night ie Fatty, Laura and me. But now, late Tuesday, we are all eating toast and smiling again!)
And, DaybyDay, I didn't cry. So no need to cry on my behalf!
Yes I am with you and don't deal well with the whole vomiting thing. Marcel is better at taking care of the clean up than I am.
Shame you all got it. Glad you are feeling better. Hope you have a quiet day tomorrow.
I read on MK's blog that you were all sick, hope all are well now!
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