Hendrik has another episode of coughs these days. It started last Thursday (07 July), but before Thursday it was just colds. I knew that his colds would become cough in no time. And yes, he is very bothered by these viruses. He doesn’t know how to sneezed his colds out and spit his phlegm after every cough. I would also be worried because there will always be a night or successive nights that he would cough continuously, cry and groan through the night making him sleepless and weak (especially if the virus is at its peak). Joseph and I could not sleep also. Then more stress comes in when Hendrik will vomit because of colds and phlegm clogging his airways and throat. He has this habit of covering his nostrils when he cries and he is afraid of his vomit. Sometimes I can feel him a little trembling after vomiting because his vomit was all over his arms and body, although we try very hard to prevent it from scattering by placing a towel in his mouth when he is about to do it. Maybe he is afraid of the feeling of throwing up or maybe he doesn’t like the feel and smell of it (who likes vomit anyway?!). He would vomit not only once, but a few times during the night and also at day time when he has coughs and colds. Our bed and Hendrik’s cot would have traces and smell of vomit. Sometimes we wouldn’t change bed sheets right away since he vomits until his cough is gone… =(
The memory of January/February 2010 would always come to mind whenever Hendrik gets colds and coughs. He was admitted at Mt Alvernia Hospital for four days because he had acquired pneumonia. It all started with a simple cold, then turned into coughs. He was admitted to the hospital after a month after our family trip to Hong Kong during the New Year holidays. We always thought that Hendrik got the virus in HK since the weather was cold and it was there when we first noticed of his coughing. When we got back in Singapore after the trip in early January 2010, we started giving Hendrik medication prescribed by his doctor and discontinued the over-the-counter cough syrup we bought from a pharmacy in HK. His cough was on and off during the succeeding weeks in January. He also started to have slight fever. This was also the time when Hendrik disliked medication. He didn’t want to take any medication, would cry, scream and run away; and we had to struggle and put the cough syrup and fever medicine to his mouth. Usually, it needed 2 persons to give him his medication – 1 person to hold his arms and body to make sure that he doesn’t move and the other 1 to open his mouth and put the medicine. It can be frustrating sometimes because he wouldn’t swallow it and spit it out of his mouth instead. Then we had to do it again and again until he had taken sufficient amount of medication. Then after this, he would be very weak from the struggle and had cried a river. This scenario was on and off in January 2010 until we noticed that he was not getting better and fully recovering as the days passes by. My Mom also noticed Hendrik getting thinner and getting weaker. At first he would be so strong when he tried to avoid his medicine, but during the last week of January my Mom told me and I also noticed that Hendrik would still struggle but he no longer had the strength as before; and he would just cry abhorring the taste of medicine. And then his fever reached 40 degrees celsius and he was also not taking in food, even milk for a couple of days; only water.
~ lowest point in our lives ~
After a number of consultations with Hendrik’s doctor, Dr Lim, and after a series of tests, it was found out that Hendrik had acquired pneumonia. =( He was admitted to the hospital the day the test results were out. This was in early February 2010. This was the lowest point in our life as a family since it was the first time Hendrik got really sick and was admitted to the hospital. It was the first time that he was injected with a needle for his dextrose. I could still remember his scream while he was in the prep room while Joseph and I were waiting outside. I was sobbing since it was so painful for me to hear him scream and know that my only son was suffering. Actually tears started escaping from my eyes since I brought Hendrik to the doctor that day, when we were doing his blood tests and everything. I knew there was something wrong, and I was just hoping that it was not that serious and life-threatening. I honestly wanted Hendrik to be admitted to the hospital so that he will be taken care of by trained professionals and Dr Lim would be able to monitor him always. In this way, I would be reassured that everything will be okay since Hendrik was in the hands of experts. I was also comforted by the words of one of the nurses stationed outside the prep room when she told me not to worry because according to her Dr Lim is very good. She added that Dr Lim had handled more serious cases than Hendrik and that the doctor was able to make them well.
"I am strong. I am a child of God" ~ Hendrik
Since there was no more vacancy for a single room, we temporarily settled for a 4-bed room while waiting for other patients from a single room to check-out from the hospital. I thought Hendrik disliked the 4-bed room since he would cry out loud whenever I attempt to lie him down on the bed, and he would rather cling on me even though he was already so tired. He was also crying non-stop. Maybe aside from disliking the room he was still very upset about the ordeal that he had gone through in the prep room with the nurses and his doctor (Hendrik is the type that doesn’t like people to flock to him; he doesn’t want people, more so strangers to surround him and hold his hand or head); he was very tired and sleepy, and hungry, and his whole body was unwell. Yes, it is really stressful when a child gets sick. But, thank goodness by noon that day a deluxe bedroom with Mickey Mouse and Friends deco was made available. The room was so bright, colorful and spacious. Hendrik lighted up a little bit when he saw his new room. It was far more pleasant compared to the small and dark 4-bed room we were in earlier that day. And since the room was spacious, the whole family (Joseph, Lola and I) slept there and watched over Hendrik.
~ happy with his bright, colorful and spacious room ~
Because of his experience in the prep room with all the nurses helping out the doctor prepare him for admission, he was kind of traumatized because whenever our hospital room door opens and when he sees someone he doesn’t know he will scream and cry. He didn’t want them to get near him. The nurses, helpers, cleaners, and even Dr Lim would receive screaming from Hendrik. During his confinement he learned to take in medication. He had no choice. He had to be restrained, just like at home, whenever he objected. I guess he finally realized that no matter how hard he tries, he had no escape but accept the fact that he had to take it no matter what.
~ one of Hendrik's medications ~
~ taken the day before he was discharged ~
My Mom suggested that we ask the missionaries, Elder Ratnayake and Elder Murphy, to come over to the hospital and requested them to perform anointing of the sick to Hendrik. Surprisingly, Hendrik did not scream at the missionaries when he saw them coming into his room. We were very thankful to the missionaries for paying Hendrik a visit, more so were comforted after they conferred a Priesthood blessing to him. Hendrik was discharged from the hospital 2 days after the blessing.
Well… so much for the sad memories. This is why I am very worried whenever Hendrik catches a cold, which will eventually turn into cough. I would always hope and pray that his antibodies are strong enough to fight the virus so that it would not worsen and that he would recover very soon. I dread the year 2010 memories when Hendrik was in the hospital. Hendrik is getting better now. He still has a cough though, but at least he is not down anymore compared to the past few days. He has started to play and getting active again. I am so looking forward to the day when he will fully recover… very soon…
~~~ end ~~~
