When a Child Gets Sick

by Caz Makepeace on July 26, 2011

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Kalyra is feeling poorly lately and is currently throwing up beside me on the couch (well 5 minutes ago)

She was howling with pain the other night, complaining of a hot tummy, sore legs and a sore neck.

As any parent would, I turned straight to Dr Google to see what the prognosis was.

My heart literally dripped to my knees when the first returned result came up as Signs of Childhood Cancer.

After freaking out for several minutes, I finally found my calm and sanity to realize that this Doc wasn’t really evaluating Kalyra on a personal case basis but just some general symptoms that could also be a sign of cancer.

Common Sense told me that it was probably just the onset of the flu and to play mummy nurse for awhile and should any niggling persistent motherly instinct concerns take over then seek a real opinion.

One thing the whole five-minutes-of-fear experience brought forth to me was the absolute terror and agonizing pain a parent must go through whose child is so unfortunate to get cancer or any kind of devastating illness.

My heart bleeds for those little babies and their parents.

How life works sometimes, we will never understand, but I don’t think anything can cause us any more sorrow than a child who is unwell in this way.

It made me scoop up my little baby and hug her fiercely, so grateful was I that she is healthy and we don’t have to experience something so traumatic with her. I don’t know how I would ever survive it.

It is so easy with the demands of our life and motherhood to forget to count every second we have with our children as absolute blessings. We never realize that at any moment that could be taken from us, just as our own lives could be.

Spend some time today just being with your child and appreciate everything about them, from the annoying traits to the things about them that make your heart and soul burst with happiness.

Tell them how much you love them and don’t take a minute for granted. Think of all those who are not as fortunate as you today.

Thank, whoever the powers that be, that you have been able to hold your child for one more day with such love and happiness, and without fear.