Jack's Pulling a Sicky

Jack had only been in school an hour and his teacher, Kate, called to say that he had been sick, 3 times.  She knew I would be collecting him shortly to take him to the school dentist so she just wanted to give me a heads up.

My heart dropped to my feet cos I am already feeling overworked and underpaid and adding sickness to the mix is just piling on the pressure.

Saying this, the school, since they are new to Jack, over react to almost everything because they are quite literally terrified!  Whilst I totally understand this, it certainly doesn't make my life very easy.

So off I go, freezing my bits off while my car warmed up and I scraped the never ending ice off of the windows.  Winter, don't you just love it?  NOT!

I arrived at the school to be ambushed by Holly and her friends.  After hugs and chatting I escaped into the warmth of the school.  As the Kestrel House security door was locked, I'd to fight my way through the groups of teenagers in the canteen and then fight my way back once I had informed reception that I was here.

Once inside Kestrel, I was told that he was really not a well boy and that they were extremely worried.  As you can imagine, I was obviously concerned and was expecting Jack to be slumped, listless in his chair and a bit feverish.

He was sitting slumped a bit, but this is because he now has a curve on his spine and he naturally slumps to the left and no amount of support seems to correct it.  When I knelt down to his level and spoke to him, he responded by lifting his head and looking at me and I could see that his eyes were pretty clear.  His breath didn't smell particularly sweet and sickly either which it can be with a sickness bug.

The beginnings of a smile

After asking a few questions as to whether the sickness was after a seizure or after he had been peg fed and exactly how much sick there was, I came to the conclusion that he didn't have a bug, that I could tell but maybe a touch of reflux which makes you a bit sick, especially after eating and drinking.

But to be sure, I would take him along the corridor to the dentist and then assess him when I came back.  Sandra, one of the auxiliary's came along with me and she was able to watch and assess him too.  We were only in the dentist 10 minutes and I am pleased to say that his mouth, teeth and gums are "just lovely", the dentists words not mine and that I was "doing a great job".  I was chuffed because cleaning a disabled child's teeth is no mean feat, especially one that aspirates as you can't use much toothpaste and water is a definite no no.

Back in the unit, I stayed with Jack til 12noon.  He showed no more signs of being sick and in fact gave me quite a few smiles.  The wee rogue! Ahh but I didn't mind cos a smile from him is like the sun coming out, makes you feel all warm and fuzzy or is that maybe alcohol??  His smiles are also so rare these days but lately he has been less mean with them and bestowed me with enough that I was able to catch it on camera!!

Look at my lovely teeth!

I left Kestrel House with my fingers and toes crossed that they wouldn't need to call me again.  I don't mind going in an reassuring them, because the more chilled they become, the better it is for Jack to have people who are quite relaxed around him.  I used to do this all the time in the primary school, some days I was there a whole morning or afternoon but it is worth it to allow him the freedom to go to school and mix with kids his own age.

He needs it because I am damn sure he is fed up looking at my face all day every day, a person needs some variety.  I have thought of wearing masks just to give him a laugh and a change of scenery but then I might frighten him when I have to take them off! No smart arse comments from you lot now ya hear?

It is now 2pm and so far so good, no phone calls and hopefully no more sick and I can hopefully breathe a sigh of relief.  There are days when I think that I would really love a job but then I have days like this and I think "are you nuts?".   Can you imagine it, I would be a basket case within a very short time and Holly's told me that if I do crack up, could I at least be interesting, ya know, like pretend I'm a fruit bat and hang upside down so at least she would have something to take into show and tell!!!

Words fail me!