Monday: So what exactly could happen? Well, within 18 hours of Ian leaving for his latest 3 week trip and whilst enjoying our first enforced (Grrr) family snow day confined at home with a little ice and now just 1" of snow blocking us in at every doorway... I'm the very first casualty of the day as I manage pretty early on -oh about 8am - to cut my finger - on a pathetic box. It had a razor sharp plastic covering OK? How sharp do they have to make boxes these days anyway? The tiny cut bled for an hour much to my amusement, but to the distress of Ellie meanwhile nothing even appeared on Luke's radar. Then while I'm still bleeding Ellie cuts her toe, even she doesn't know how...."It just appeared Mummy." Yeah, yeah like mother, like daughter I just know many of you are saying that!, but she was just as brave as I always am (ha ha!) probably more so. Chip off the old block. Second trip to the plaster cupboard.
Then guess what? Like mother, like son. Oh yes, because next up is Luke with a cut foot, we're not sure how it happened but we did find an open safety pin with an Indian flag on it (some of you will appreciate the irony!) on the playroom floor that neither me nor Ellie have ever ever seen before. This was Luke's first ever ever brush with blood and yes, let me just say that I think blood will be a very tough thing for him to deal with in the future. Oh the drama! Didn't we all just know about it! Another trip to the plaster cupboard was necessary and now, three days later I have only just managed to prise his socks off - I think he thought his foot would follow!
Tuesday: Every school is the area is still closed bar Ellie's which is opening on a 2 hour delay. This week she is 'Student of the Week', and we made a big snowbound poster with her favourite photographs of herself, family and friends that is to be displayed on the wall, she gets to be lunch monitor and choose a helper which she had given a great deal of thought to. We all get up get ready and all is hunkydory. Without warning she spins into a total meltdown, we butt heads big time, she tantrums and I lose my patience and send her back to her room, she screams blue murder and I tear my hair out while Luke just wants "more pancake pease."
The school run is not much better. Ellie normally happy and singing is miserable and sullen and just not herself. Because of 'the poster' I opt out of Car Pool and take Ellie in myself which gives me an opportunity to have a word with her teacher...."Not herself today, no temperature, can't put my finger on it, call me if she worsens". Then she asks in a hushed whisper...."Is D.A.D.D.Y away at the moment?" Well actually, yes he is. "I'll let you know if there's any change" she winks.
An hour an a half later I get a call...Ellie is still complaining she doesn't feel well, she doesn't have a temperature but she looks pale and hurts, "I'll be there in 15 minutes" I say. I get there and she does indeed look terrible. We get in the car and drive off. Within 2 minutes she's fast asleep. We get home she sleeps some more, she wakes, she's hot, she's cold, her temperature is now all of a sudden very high, her glands are swollen, she won't eat, she won't drink in fact the only thing she does want to do is go to bed, that's definitely not my girl - It was a long Calpol fuelled night.
Wednesday: Luke's day for pre-school and I am ever so thankful that they decide against following 'Wake County Inclement Weather Guidelines' and actually open. More for Ellie because when she's around, Luke just wants to play and play with her and she just didn't want to that day, she just wanted to lie on the sofa and have a Duvet Day. I was torn about what to do with her and it's right at moments like these that it dawns on you just how far away from home we are, all the resources we know, our family, our friends, our friendly GP that you can call to discuss things and the cherry on top is a big fat 5 hour time difference that complicates things further. It also dawns on you that you're very much still a novice parent whose partner in crime and sounding board is far away and you're not quite sure what to do next.
Enter Lesley - A British mum of two teenagers, she came over for an impromptu coffee, she took a look at Ellie for me, asked her a couple of questions and told me to make an appointment with the Pediatrician, had she not come over at the short notice she did, I may have left things to see what happened (yes, that very British habit of not wanting to waste a doctors time!) but by 3pm we were down there, examined, throat swabbed, result: A nasty case of Strep Throat, first dose of antibiotics at 4pm, an almost new child by 6pm.
Note to self (and other expat Mums) - trust your instincts, accept help, we're all in the same boat. You're not a neurotic nuisance, reassurance is good and some people are more experienced in areas than others and can add perspective to a situation...for the best.
Thursday night: All is peaceful, just 2 and a half weeks and D.A.D.D.Y will be home!
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