Thankful

My youngest daughter has been sick since Saturday. She has had trouble holding food down until today and has been awake most nights for hours at a time, crying and clutching her tummy. I have been cursing the meat pie she ate for lunch on Saturday, whilst the rest of the family had sushi…. I think food poisoning is the most likely culprit because nobody else in the family has gotten sick.

As a mum, I can just tell by just looking at her face she is not well. Her eyes are dark and have lost some sparkle. She isn’t her chatty happy self and just lies on the couch staring off into space. There have been times that I have felt helpless and frustrated because I have not been able to do anything to ease her pain.

Today our GP thought that she may have appendicitis. Her side was very tender and she had a high white blood cell count in her blood and urine. He sent us off to the hospital  for an ultra-sound.

Thankfully, the ultra-sound showed inflammation throughout her lower abdomen, not just the appendix. The inflammation may have resulted from an infection such as gastroenteritis or from food poisoning. We have been told to keep an eye on her and return to the hospital if the pain gets worse again.

Although it never eventuated, the possibility of surgery on my little girl scared the hell out of me!! I know that parents and children go though this all the time. I even felt a little embarrassed at myself because I know that some parents are dealing with surgery for life threatening issues for their children such as cancer and other serious conditions…..and here I was, so worried over a simple appendicitis, that wasn’t even an appendicitis!

It must be an absolute living nightmare to see your children suffer with such serious, life threatening conditions. The parents who support their children through serious illnesses are just absolutely amazing.

So today, I am  thankful that my little girl is OK. I am also thankful for the medical technology that enabled the doctors to determine that she probably didn’t have an appendicitis. I wouldn’t want her to go thought the surgery and recovery if it wasn’t necessary.

 I am also thankful that I am one of the lucky parents. A parent without the heartbreak of a critically ill child. To be completely honest, I’m not sure I would be strong enough to cope.

To the parents of very sick children, I so deeply wish I could do something to help your child and ease their pain and yours. I know that life just isn’t fair. Today, I even feel guilt and sorrow that I am one of the lucky ones, when others are dealing with so much pain.

I love my little girl so very much, She is beautiful, kind, loving and determined. Last night, when I kissed my little girl good-night, I struggled to stop my voice from breaking... simply because I am so thankful that she is my daughter.

Today, I am sharing over at Kate Says Stuff, for Thankful Thursday....Come and see what others are thankful for and be inspired!