Sick Watch

The weather in Florida took a turn for the better earlier in the week, with temperatures finally hitting above 80 degrees. I suspect that this abrupt shift in heat and humidity has taken a toll on Daniel, who has developed a bit of a wheezing cough. While it could just be allergies, or even a case of too much sun and too little water, I've now entered the waiting period that every mother dreads: the sick watch.

Daniel woke up prematurely from his nap yesterday because of a coughing fit. He was already tired from a day in the sun, and this abbreviated naptime made him even more tired and cranky. As the evening progressed, I could tell he was not himself. He ate a good dinner (one of the things a mother knows is a strong indicator of her child's health) and seemed playful before bed. Upon finishing his bottle, he began coughing uncontrollably, and threw up all over the place (that place being mostly my shoulder and back). I comforted him for a while before putting him to bed. He fell asleep immediately, which was a good sign, and I began my vigil.

The sick watch vigil goes something like this: you pray that your child will fall asleep peacefully, you listen intently (usually with your ear pressed up against the door) for any little noise your child makes, and you check on your child a million times to reassure yourself that he is still sleeping/comfortable/breathing/alive. I have been very fortunate to never have endured an all-night sick watch. I was hoping that this evening wouldn't change all that. It's bad enough having a sick child when you're at home, but the inconvenience and hardship grows to monstrous proportions when you're on vacation. I was trying my hardest not to think about spending the next day at a Boca Raton public health clinic with my sick 20-month-old. Oy!

Praise G-d, Daniel slept through the night. He didn't stir until well after 8:00, which ensured that he had received a full night's rest (another measure of solid health). Still, he felt a bit flushed to me, so I resolved to get him some children's Tylenol to nip whatever his body was fighting in the bud. He has been okay so far today, but I still worry about the next day or two. I'll continue to pay closer attention to his sleeping and eating habits, and his general demeanor. I can't afford an ill child right now. So I remain on sick watch.