The episode before our take-off

So... everytime before a holiday, we tend to be specially careful with diet; especially for the kids. The trip this year to Hong Kong on the 21st of April is what everyone has been looking forward to. But back at dearie/my head, the trauma we had when we flew to Langkawi a year back was still haunting us.

No matter how we tried, the inevitable arrived. Anne had fever on 4th March, after she came home from school. We thought it was just the normal flu or chill and therefore gave her fever meds. Fever didnt subside after a day and so we brought her to the doc. Doc said she wasnt having any sore throat, so deduced that it might be viral. Told us to continue with paracetamol and monitor for the next few days. From Tues onwards, her temperature yo-yo between 37.8 to 39.5 deg. Whenever it hit more than 39, myself, mi or Erma would put in the suppository. Poor girl yells in pain everytime we have to put it in.

We were already contemplating if we should bring her to the hospital for drips as she wasnt active at all and hasnt been eating or drinking much. The call came when despite taking fever meds, her fever shot up to 40.1deg on Thursday night. Immediately we put in the suppository and headed straight to the ER of KPJ Kajang.

At the ER, once the doc saw her, he told us to admit her as she was clearly dehydrated. Her lips were cracking and she was totally restless. My heart sank as the scene where she has to be admitted 3 years ago for mild HFM was still vivid in my mind. It was a nightmare trying to get the drips in then.

It didnt help when Anne was very curious as to what was happening/will happen next. Wherever I carry her, she'll ask 'mommy, where are we going? What is the doctor going to do?'

It was so painful to carry her to the bed wjere the nurses would tie her with the blanket and put the drip in. Luckily the nurses this time was more professional than those we met 3 years ago. They managed to find Anne"s vein at the first try and blood was extracted very quickly (for various tests) as well as inserting the drip in. Needless to say, Anne was crying all the way and was pleading for the nurses to stop. Frankly, I think my brave darling did very well this time. When the nurses told her not to move, she really stopped moving (but continued to cry and plead). Once the drips were in, she stopped crying immediately.

After waiting awhile, we were brought to the paed ward where Anne took the last bed available. Soooooo many kids were unwell.. kids ranging fr as young as 5 months old to 11 years old. So heartache to see all the juniors having the drip needle on their hand.

During the entire stay in hospital (4nights), I stayed and slept with her at night. Dearie would come in the morning and we'd have lunch together before I go home to freshen up and have a nap. Jyn was with DiMi whenever we had to be in the hospital. We nvr brought Jyn to the hospital for fear he'll get the illness.

Anne's fever only totally broke on the 3rd day in the hospital. During this period, Anne was given antibiotics via drips and fever / purging meds orally. She was purging quite badly. On top of that, her right eyes got really swollen and red on the 2nd day in hospital. Doc gave us eyedrops (which was a nightmare to put for her coz she was soooo scared of the liquid initially! She yelled and kicked the nurses when try tried to pin her down to put the drops!!) and an additional oral antibiotic for the eye bacteria.

Blood test finally revealed that Anne was having mycoplasma infection, a very infectious bacteria which is trasferable voa contact. Mycoplasma requires antibiotic to clear and could be serious if not treated.

So our poor girl was on antibiotic drips (twice a day), fever meds round the clock (literally), purging meds twice a day, eye drops once every 4-hourly, once a day antibiotic for the eye infection for 3 days and vaselin gel for her cracking lips. Horrible right? Franky, considering the amount of meds she had to take, Anne was veryyyy veryyy cooperative the whole time. Didnt really give me any major problems when I had to feed her; except when the nurses had to put in the suppository once during the stay coz fever went beyond 39deg AND the eyedrops episode.

She only started eating abit on the 4th day.. n started drinking normally thereafter. Before that, she would only take a sip of water everytime, even if I gave her ribena, orange juice, 100+ etcetc.. she just refused to drink. Luckily she was on drips..otherwise, imagibe how dry she would be *gasp

On the 4th day, doc told us her fever has subsided and we could try go home if we want, but would have to monitor closely on fever. We removed the drips on the 4th day as she started to eat a little. However, we did discharge her as doc said the bacteria is at its most contagious period when its about to recover. So since we have the little boy at home, we decided to let Anne stay another day at KPJ. The 4th day was good. Fever didnt come back.

We discharged on the 5th day with Anne happily discharged free of fever. At home, we were to continue the eyedrops til the drops finish and continue the antibiotics until the next day.

At home, everything was fine.... until... our worst fear came true.. Jyn started to have fever :(

Fever started the day after Anne returned home. We tried as much as possible to separate them to no avail. Jyn's fever peaked at 40 deg. Again, the cycle of suppository and fever meds started. We brought Jyn to KPJ outpatient treatment to get the same meds like Anne as we/doc suspect Jyn also contracted mycoplasma. Good thing was Jyn still had his appetite and was willing to take in liquid. Took him 4 days to recover where which during the same period, Di also fell ill with sore throat and body aches. (Forgot to mention that when Anne was in hospital, Erma was also down with chills and gastric; so much so that she was totally unable to take care of Jyn and Mi had to takeover while Dearie & I were in hospital with Anne.)

And after we thought the horrible ordeal is allll over, Dearie got the bug. Super high fever, vommiting, purging. Quarantined himself to the next room, took meds and was a total zombie for 3 days. During this time, Anne still hasnt gone back to school as she was still very weak from all the meds she had. Jyn was recovering well..

When Dearie got better, I noiced I was getting sore throat.. slight fever followed and my right eye was getting redder by the day. Withour hesitating, went to the Doc and told him to prescribe me meds for mycoplasma. Told him what happened at home and he said everyone at home should go on a mild dose of antibiotics coz mycoplasma is higgly contagious. Should clear it before it spreads out or else it will be like Jyn and Dearie.

So i checked with Xzan and Mi to see if they were ok. Both said they had bodyaches and purging :S Mi took meds from her doc while I got an additional prescription of antibiotucs for Xzan. Just once a day for 3 days.

And finallyyyy... on the day before we flew to Hong Kong, everybody was clear of fever, sore throat and purging (except for me who still had red eye until the 3rd day we were in HK)

Pheww... til now, Dearie still says we shouldnt pre plan holidays as sumthing like that would surely happen.

Thank god everyone recovered in time to enjoy the much anticipated holiday. March was supposed to be a great memorable month every year as I name it 'my month'.. but whoa.. this year's March was just totally not what I've expected it to be. Never ever want to have such an experience again ...