cough cough cough

Ting’s cough suddenly made a turn for the worse yesterday. Sigh.. Just when I was thinking of tapering down the flixotide dosage from twice a day to once a day, she started to cough pretty badly by the evening. MIL told me she didn’t sleep much in the day and had been crying and screaming often. At night, I got pretty tired and impatient staying and lying with her to make her sleep and asked ky to take over.

Either she loves me too much or doesn’t like her daddy, the moment I stepped out she turned on her vocals, cried and screamed till I finally entered the room. I carried her then put her to bed and nursed her. She was falling asleep then she let out a cough she seemed to be suppressing.. suddenly, I found her vomit spewing out from her mouth. I quickly carried her and she continued to vomit for the second time and let out piercing screams and cries. We had to change the bedsheet but fortunately ting got better after vomiting and was able to sleep shortly after.

This morning when we reached mil’s place, ting looked gloomy, didn’t smile nor babble. Fil was not free this morning so mil had to send fu to school. I tried to make ting sleep by nursing her again but…déjà vu striked. Fortunately it was not so much vomit and the vomit did not land on the bed. I decided to bring ting to Dr Bel..

Maybe consumed by some blind pride, I brought ting to MEH on my own without the stroller via the MRT. I suddenly remembered what my mum said when I accompanied dajie to see dr bel. “long long time ago, we had to take a big bag, carry a baby and probably hand hold another toddler’s hand and take a bus to the doctor. Now, two adults go with a baby and somemore take a cab!”.

Consumed by this thought and the previous experience of bringing fu to dr bel’s when he was having high fever on my own, my arms seemed to have attained strength of Hercules’. I was almost completely soaked in perspiration when I reached dr bel’s with ting sleeping in my arms. We had to wait a long while as the clinic was fully booked and we had to go as walk-in patients. It was finally our turn and I told dr bel I think ting’s caught a new bug since my throat turned really sore this week.

Dr bel marveled at ting’s chubby face “hi chubby…” I’ve always enjoyed watching how dr bel handles and communicates with babies, so genuine and loving. :) "She still doesn't wave or clap her hands?", this is the third time dr bel asked. I replied, a little embarrassed, "no she doesnt, she justs flaps her arms like a butterfly." Thoughts of Johann filled my mind at that point.

1) She “stethoscoped” ting and agreed it’s a different cough (not a chesty one this time) and not wheezing either.
2) Checked her throat, “haha, her teeth so cute”
3) examined her ears (since her nose has been running for more than a week) ting was fighting the probe off, “wah you so fierce ah?”

Eventually nothing was prescribed. Flixotide will not help in “throaty” coughs. Also mucus is clear. We’ll have to observe for a few days and that if cough turns “chesty” we’ll need to puff her. If mucus turns green then we may need antibiotics, “you know me, I don’t like to give antibiotics”. Before we left, dr bel asked ting to flap her arms for her.. haha.. of cos ting didnt.

OK, so I footed the bill, feeling quite pleased that there’s no need to be too concerned over ting’s condition. Ky called to say he can give me a lift and the moment I saw the car, my arms went limp..