His patience, bravery, tolerance and good humour contradicted everything I once understood about the male species. He couldn’t always draw breath with ease, his every task was interrupted by a cough or a splutter and he was utterly sleep deprived for the best part of a week. He was miserable but he would always attempt a smile mid-sneeze just to let me know that he was ok. The wee man has just fought off his first cold.
Not to put to fine a point on it, men can’t handle being sick. I’m not just implementing the obvious main man in my life here but any man I know! Men don’t take well to being unwell. And so, it was with some surprise that I experienced the sheer determination of a baby boy whose spirits stayed high in the face of adversity.
First things first, a confession. I know it’s autumn and the common cold is just that – common. But I brought the little man to the Dublin County Final last Sunday week and I must not have had him wrapped up well enough because a week of sleepless nights began 24hours later. So it was my fault and that made it all the more difficult to watch.
Séimí is a smiler, he’s a grubber, and he’s a social animal but by Tuesday he had no appetite although I think that particular difficultly had more to do with the fact that if his mouth was closed or full he couldn’t breath. His little nose was completely stuffed up and no amount of toiling with a nasal aspirator (TMI sorry!) would bring relief.
My heart broke that day because that’s the only day ever, that my little boy didn’t smile at me. He was just so sad, he was clingy and wouldn’t go to anyone which is completely out of character.
Night time was the worst for him. I had let him take naps sitting up in my lap because he just couldn’t quite figure out how to breathe through his mouth in his sleep. I elevated his mattress at his head to help him at night but he would only last forty minutes without having to be lifted upright again. We used Karvol drops on his bed sheets and baby Vicks on his chest. Needless to say by Wednesday night we were reaching breaking point and had started looking after him in shifts.
I was tormented by what Séimí went through last week. The fact that I got no sleep was irrelevant. I wanted to breathe for him. I wanted to stay up, so that he could sit up. I wanted to warm him up when he was cold and cool him down when he had a temperature. It was hard work, in every way.
Evanne is relieved to have Séimí back to full health and his usual happy-go-lucky best
It took a full week of diligence but Séimí was the picture of health by the following Sunday, his Christening Day. We persevered with TLC and whatever medical treatment was appropriate for babies as he soildered on through in his own little way.
Friday was the turning point but it was bittersweet. The wee man was starting to feel better but Friday also saw the beginnings of a sniffle (God forbid) in the big man. Today, we’re three days into ‘Man Flu’ and you better believe we all know about it!
I’m so glad that Séimí is back to his bright and bubbly best. Let’s just hope the baby of the house can learn from his good-natured courage.
Chat next week friends, E x
