me or her?
on tuesday i realised that sela had been sick for a few days. really quite sick – fever only controlled by medicine, cough really quite bad, nose really shooting out interesting colours.
as ursula and i skived off and had a quick smoke (me, passive) between volunteering stints at kennedy school, she spoke of how her son harrison had been to the doctor with his high fever and cough and the dr had said, "it isn't pneumonia yet". i got home from volunteering and grocery shopping and felt my little girls head. she had been napping for three hours and was hot. she had also had a morning nap.
i knew it was time to see a dr. and i called until i found a pediatrician who would see her.
a hasty taxi ride into central.
the nurse flipped when she read sela's ear temp. she then gave sela an oral thermometre. it registered 40.4. i began to feel a bit guiltier. sela was whimpering, wanting to go home. we saw the dr, who listened to chest, looked at ears and throat. felt glands.
and suggested an x-ray.
sela was such a good girl but was crying with tears, not loudly.
the xray showed pneumonia. we were given five medications (not including the fever medication we had at home) and sent on our way.
i asked the doctor…"i am supposed to go to shanghai on thursday. it is not an essential trip. should i go?" and he said, "have you bought the ticket already?" i said yes, and he responded, and i appreciated him for this, "no."
i told my friends i probably wasn't going. they told me they understood, but not to discount the power of prayer. i agreed. we all started praying for the antibiotics to kick in.
and they did. sela has not gone back to school, but she is sleeping through the night, has regular coloured mucous, and her fever no longer is controlled by medication.
today is thursday. the plane leaves in three hours.
i will be on the plane.
i do not feel guilty about my decision.
i feel excited about my adventure and proud that my daughters told me to go and take pictures (and buy them something). i will, not out of guilt, but because i want to share part of my trip with them.
and you too. so wait for the pix, they're coming soon.
i'll post tonight.
