I hate hospitals.

I hate hospitals.

Ironic, seeing as I am a nurse. What I hate even more however, is my child being ill. 

We have been extremely blessed so far with Lizzie. The most ill I have ever seen her is when she had a chest infection and could barely keep anything down. I was worried sick. But it could have been so much worse.

The day Sam had to go to the children's hospital however has been one of the worst of my life so far. It turned out he had Bronchiolitis -which in neonates is potentially life threatening. You know it's something serious if you get seen straight away in A+E and get taken directly through. As soon as the nurse took us into resus I was starting to panic. They attached him to monitors, took his blood and cannulated him (which took about 40 mins of holding him down screaming.) He was surrounded by doctors and I was crying. Ryan bought Lizzie through and she started crying too. I told him to take her out, it was the last thing I wanted her to see. All sorts of things go through your mind. Was this it? 

About an hour later they had established he only had mild bronchiolitis. Relieved is not the word. But he still had to stay in hospital, for what turned out to be 5 days. Ugh.

Bless him. Samuel, the baby who absolutely screams when you change his nappy continued to be traumatised that day. He had to have oxygen so they put on nasal cannulae, complete with teddy stickers.

Yes, he cried. And cried. I think he got a name for himself amongst the nurses, as one morning I found him with this sticker on his babygrow:

Sarcasm, methinks!

And then there was this. The dreaded sats monitor. It beeped day and night. The silencer gave you 90 seconds to get a catnap before it went off again. The first night I stayed up all night just continually pressing the silence button so my hubby and baby could get some sleep. I am glad to be rid. Oh yes.

It has a been a tough year so far. Job problems, financial worries, new baby with insomnia, and hospital visits. But I would be totally ungrateful not to recognise just how blessed we are. We have 2 beautiful, healthy children. And are very happily married. We have very supportive family and friends who helped us get through everything. And I am fully aware that Samuel was the most well child on the ward. There were some very poorly kids there, who barely ever see home.

We are blessed. Who couldn't appreciate these two cuties?

Yes, I know I'm a mean mummy, but I couldn't resist :)