Saturday, April 17, 2010

DAY THREE - recovery

So this week I am living and breathing caring for my 5 year-old as she recovers from having a tonsilectomy & adenoidectomy. Day three was no picnic. In fact, it was probably the most difficult, challenging day yet. I don't know if it's the lack of sleep or the helplessness that led to me "losing my mind" or a combination of everything. It was an emotionally hard day.

She threw up again this morning and I finally realized that it was probably due to the fact that I was giving her both the Tylenol with codeine AND the antibiotic (amoxicillan) at the same time, on an empty stomach. Two mornings in a row of throwing up and I finally figured that out.

It was a long day. She is so done with being sick. She just wants to get back to life as usual, which is great, but not so easy on the caregiver, if you know what I mean. She is acting very irratic today...she wants it but she doesn't want it; blanket on her legs, blanket off her legs; wants to eat this, doesn't want to eat this; and it goes on. She is grouchy, and she has reason to be. But that doesn't make it any easier. I want to fix it. I want to take care of her. I want her to let me. I'm stressed out and overwhelmed. Nothing else is getting done and although I'm okay with that, the pile of dishes in my sink are growing, the dishwasher needs to be emptied, the blanket with throw-up on it needs to be washed, and that's just the icing. Just trying to be real here.

I lost it on many occasions today. It's surprising how many people told me not to cry today. But all I wanted to do was cry. Anyway...tomorrow is a new day.

She continues to struggle taking the medicine. And I struggle knowing when to give it to her. She has been on an every 5 hour schedule (and needed to be), but just this morning we slept passed the 5 hour mark, gave it to her at 6 1/2 hours and she didn't seem to be in excruciating pain. So that's a good thing. I'm thinking tommorow might be our last day on the Tylenol with codeine and then we'll go down to the regular Tylenol. I think she's constipated (TMI?) because of the codeine, so we may try some apple juice, pears or prunes in the near future, if she can get them down.

Once again, I am reminded how hard it is to stay positive under pressure. That by the third day of this I'm so overwhelemed I'm not dealing. How much I need prayers for patience and strength. And how comforting it is to cry out to God knowing I can't do this without Him (and some good friends).


Other posts on the tonsil & adenoid surgery:

Day two
Day three
Day four
Day five
Day seven
An Addendum

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