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I was 44 when our one and only child was born, my Wife was 40 and neither of us had wanted kids up until a year or 2 beforehand. In December 2011, my Daughter, Tegan, came along, she's now 6.
I'll always remember my teens, I could be heading out on my pushbike, off shooting, walking, chasing the ladies, whatever and my Mam would always say, "remember your time home". Of course, as a 14 year old, I'd scoff at it, stay out as long as I liked, then face the fallout when I got home, not that it was ever bad. My Mam also used to say " one day, you'll understand" and I now realise, her words were very true.
Since Tegan came along, I have never known worry like it, she may have a sniffle and a fever and it's like what if it's something sinister? She can be outside playing and I could be trying to work (I work at home) but 80% of my brain is listening and watching for her. It's so easy to get carried away with it but you have to apply common sense too. Tegan has had some worrying temperatures at times, nudging 40 degrees more than once, and also febrile seizures to go with it, but thankfully, mostly with fairly normal kid's stuff, tonsils, ear infections etc.
Last Friday is a day I will never forget. Tegan wasn't herself Thursday evening and by 22-30, had a fever over 39 degress. That's the panic button for me
, I always call a doc or NHS 24 if it's out of hours if she goes through 39. I phoned NHS 24 this time, as it was late and they are always excellent. I did take them a while to get back this time, just about half 2 in the morning, by which time, Tegan was fast asleep. She was assesed over the phone, which involved me waking her and doing some alertness stuff, etc etc. They were happy that she didn't have to go to the out of hours doc to be checked and said just to keep an eye on her.
Next day, with the bank holiday looming, I phoned our GP to see if he would take a look at Tegan, just incase it was bacterial and needed antibiotics and he said to just pop around, he's great with kids. Long story short, he was alarmed, as he couldn't find anything obvious wrong, except a heart rate of 160, temp over 40 and she'd been complaining of a sore head. In his words, he said "there's no need to blue light your car, but get her to hospital, A+E, I'll phone ahead, I don't want to miss sepsis".
Now, when I say scary, that doesn't come close, it was terrifying. I got her to the hospital, she was still quite alert, if subdued. Another long story short, they did some tests and diagnosed a urine infection and dehydration.
Relief.
I had hoped being a dad would get less scary, but it doesn't. It's the best and most rewarding thing I've ever done with my life, more than anything else but it's also the most terrifying thing I've done, and I've done some scary things. She is my shadow, we are a double act and very close.
Apparently, it's even worse when the grandkids come along.
My Mam was right!!
I'll always remember my teens, I could be heading out on my pushbike, off shooting, walking, chasing the ladies, whatever and my Mam would always say, "remember your time home". Of course, as a 14 year old, I'd scoff at it, stay out as long as I liked, then face the fallout when I got home, not that it was ever bad. My Mam also used to say " one day, you'll understand" and I now realise, her words were very true.
Since Tegan came along, I have never known worry like it, she may have a sniffle and a fever and it's like what if it's something sinister? She can be outside playing and I could be trying to work (I work at home) but 80% of my brain is listening and watching for her. It's so easy to get carried away with it but you have to apply common sense too. Tegan has had some worrying temperatures at times, nudging 40 degrees more than once, and also febrile seizures to go with it, but thankfully, mostly with fairly normal kid's stuff, tonsils, ear infections etc.
Last Friday is a day I will never forget. Tegan wasn't herself Thursday evening and by 22-30, had a fever over 39 degress. That's the panic button for me
, I always call a doc or NHS 24 if it's out of hours if she goes through 39. I phoned NHS 24 this time, as it was late and they are always excellent. I did take them a while to get back this time, just about half 2 in the morning, by which time, Tegan was fast asleep. She was assesed over the phone, which involved me waking her and doing some alertness stuff, etc etc. They were happy that she didn't have to go to the out of hours doc to be checked and said just to keep an eye on her.Next day, with the bank holiday looming, I phoned our GP to see if he would take a look at Tegan, just incase it was bacterial and needed antibiotics and he said to just pop around, he's great with kids. Long story short, he was alarmed, as he couldn't find anything obvious wrong, except a heart rate of 160, temp over 40 and she'd been complaining of a sore head. In his words, he said "there's no need to blue light your car, but get her to hospital, A+E, I'll phone ahead, I don't want to miss sepsis".
Now, when I say scary, that doesn't come close, it was terrifying. I got her to the hospital, she was still quite alert, if subdued. Another long story short, they did some tests and diagnosed a urine infection and dehydration.
Relief.
I had hoped being a dad would get less scary, but it doesn't. It's the best and most rewarding thing I've ever done with my life, more than anything else but it's also the most terrifying thing I've done, and I've done some scary things. She is my shadow, we are a double act and very close.
Apparently, it's even worse when the grandkids come along.
My Mam was right!!
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