The research team are recuiting about 150 kids across Melbourne. I saw an ad in the MX 'news' paper a few weeks back, and decided that as I was very pregnant, any chance to prevent BallFiend picking up the flu virus and then passing it on to me (or Thumper once bub is born) was probably worth taking. Plus there is the good karma earned through altruisticly furthering research in medical science.
So yesterday, after I had rushed around in the morning (return library books, grocery shopping and then attending a local breastfeeding meeting), I made it home just before 1.00 pm, in time for our appointment with the swine flu researchers.
A doctor, a phlebotomist and a nurse walked into
First, an anaesthetic gel was applied to BallFiend's arms to numb the spot where a blood sample would be taken. Then he mucked about while the gel took effect and I signed numerous consent forms. Next the blood sample was taken. Doctor Jenny distracted BallFiend by blowing bubbles while Judith the phlebotomist drew the sample. The gel must really work because BallFiend didn't even notice his arm had a needle in it.
I had mentioned to him earlier in the day that the doctor was going to come to our house and take some blood out of his arm. He has watched both DeepSpice and me have blood samples drawn before and seemed to find it very interesting, so he certainly had no sense of fear about this procedure... just interested. I asked him what colour he thought the blood would be and he said green (currently, his favourite colour).
When BallFiend saw the blood sample - a very dark purple colour - he said "it's black, not green!"
Next came the actual vaccination. He was busy watching his favourite TV show: 'the funny men' (or as it is officially known "The Upside Down Show") and not really paying much attention as his shoulder was bared for the jab. Then suddenly screams and tears as he felt the prick. He turned around to the doctor and said "I don't want it anymore!" while she tried to offer him a Disney-themed sticker. BallFiend has little interest in stickers, so this didn't really help much, but he was easily consoled when I offered him a chocolate cupcake. So although I'm sure it hurt a bit, it was probably more the shock than the pain that made him cry.
A few minutes later, he decided he did wanted a sticker and he looked over the sheet, trying to find one with a ball. Eventually he spotted one with Goofy playing with a basketball. But BallFiend only wanted the ball, not Goofy with it. So I handed him some scissors so he could cut the ball out. He did so, but got frustrated when he accidentally cut the edge off the ball. So then we had to find another copy of the sticker in order to obtain a whole ball. He insisted that I cut this one out for him and then he returned the Goofy part of the sticker to the doctor.
Next there was a 30 minute observation period, to ensure BallFiend didn't have an allergic reaction to the vaccine, and during this time, the nurse explained to me out to correctly fill in the various diary forms for the study. I was asked to note any pain, redness or swelling at the injection site and if BallFiend had an elevated temperature, vomiting/diahorrea, irritability or loss of appetite over the next 7 days.
Then the research team were on their way and I was left to get a weary but hyped-up BallFiend off to his cot for a nap. So far all was going well. BallFiend went off to sleep and I had a short rest too. Then did some housework and started making a pumpkin and ginger soup.
DeepSpice came home around 6.00 pm, and BallFiend's aunties, CutLuce and DesignerSis arrived to help me with final plans for his birthday party (to be held this weekend). After party planning and dinner, we got BallFiend ready for bed, took his temperature as required for the study (37.7 C), and bundled him off to the cot.
Around 9.00 pm, both DeepSpice and I were feeling worn out and ready for bed too, but our plans for an early night were interrupted with the sound of BallFiend crying and coughing. He was vomiting and thus began our long, long night! DeepSpice remade the cot with fresh bedclothes while I comforted BallFiend and we muddled around trying to work out what to do.
His temperature was now 40 C, so I stripped his clothes off and we gave him some water. DeepSpice rang the research team's number and left a message (we were instructed to let them know if BallFiend got a temperature above 39.5 C).More vomiting. Time for Panadol... but then we discovered the bottle in the fridge was past expiry. So DeepSpice went to the local pharmacy to get some more while I continued to cuddle our dear, sick, little boy. He kept dozing off in my arms but being 8 months pregnant, I couldn't sit still in one position for long, and kept disturbing him every time I moved.
The panadol worked pretty quickly to reduce the fever and by about 11.00 pm, BallFiend's temperature had come down to 38.6 C, but he needed to be held upright to sleep because lying down seemed to bring on more nausea and vomiting.
We decided to set up the sofabed in his room so DeepSpice could sleep with BallFiend whilst leaning up against pillows (not something I was going to be able to do very easily whilst pregnant). I left DeepSpice and BallFiend and by midnight, I was tucked up in bed. I slept till about 3.00 am until I was roused by the sound of BallFiend vomiting again. This time it was mainly just dry retching - nothing left in his tummy. But he seemed to quickly improve - his temperature was down to 37.4 C and about 10 minutes after vomiting, he was saying he wanted to get up and kick a ball in the hallway! So I left DeepSpice to try and convince BallFiend that it was still the middle of the night and time to sleep!
I decided I needed an early breakfast before I went back to bed, then I slept for about an hour, but was woken up around 4.00 am due to a combination of very uncomfortable braxton hicks contractions and lots of squirming and somersaults from Thumper. Finally at about 6.00 am, I fell asleep again, only to be woken at about 7.45 am when BallFiend decided to get up and play. He was full of beans! No sign that there had been any dramas from the previous night. Not so for us, the long-suffering parents. DeepSpice had managed to sleep on and off through the night, sitting upright for quite a few hours and then eventually lying down after BallFiend was properly settled into sleep. We were both walking zombies.
Someone from the research team phoned at about 9.00 am responding to the message that DeepSpice had left the night before. I also got another follow up call around 1.00 pm. They had decided that BallFiend would not be getting the booster shot, which was planned for 3 weeks time. I was very relieved to hear this, as I don't want another night like the last one, especially not in the week that Thumper is due!
PS. The pumpkin soup turned out OK, but I burned the onions! Not a bad effort, all things considered.
--
No comments:
Post a Comment