Wednesday 6 May 2009

The Swine

I spent most of last week dismissing the whole swine flu panic and accusing everyone of getting over-excited. Then at the weekend, I thought Kyle had it and went into complete meltdown!

It started on Saturday when we all went to see Sasha in her school musical showcase. It's a big deal - one of the main events on the school calendar when lots of agents are invited to attend and Sasha was in quite a few of the numbers.

For most of the week before Kyle had been saying he didn't want to go because one of his friends was having a party which he'd rather be at but I just kept telling him that he had to be at the show to support his sister which of course, didn't impress him.

Before the show, we went out for an early dinner and all was well. Kyle was tucking into his slow roasted pork (!) when suddenly he stopped eating and said he didn't feel very well. He said his head was was banging, that he had shooting pains up and down his back and that he thought he was going to be sick. My mother started clucking round him but I told him not to try it on and that he wasn't going to get out of going to see the show. He said he really wasn't and suddenly I realised that he was being serious.

We got him out into the fresh air which I think made him worse as he then seemed on the verge of collapse and was sweating. Ewan said he would take him home and my mum said she would go back too and look after him. I told her to stay and that I would go back but she very firmly (and loudly) put me in my place and told me I had to stay and support Sasha and that she would look after Kyle. I wanted to scream at her but Ewan said she was probably right and that once Kyle was home and in bed he would probably be OK.

That show seemed to go on forever. Sasha was brilliant of course and brought the house down with one of her song and dance numbers but I was in pure panic and just wanted to get back.

He was actually fine when we returned but still hot and complaining of a bad back. He had a peaceful night, even though I was in and out of his room checking that he was still breathing !

On Sunday morning, he seemed fine but quiet and then suddenly during lunch he said he felt ill again and this time he was really hot. We put him back in bed with more paracetamol but he looked really bad and I was absolutely convinced that he had the swine. Ewan's sister's husband (who I despise!) is a doctor and he unhelpfully just told me to calm down and monitor his condition for a few hours before rushing him off to hospital.

I really hate to admit this but he was right! After a very long and deep sleep, Kyle was fine by the evening. I knew that, because he was cracking his very bad jokes. One of them was as follows:

Not too long ago, if someone said that there would be a black president, the reply would be "when pigs fly". Now look, theres a black president and ....swine flu.

Appalling! More of the same, meant that things were very definitely back to normal and he has been absolutely fine since.

I was mentally exhausted on Bank Holiday Monday. While I was lazing around, a text came through from Matt.

I'm lying in bed and I can't stop thinking about you. I've told Kelly I'm not well so that she won't come round here bothering me. Why don't you escape from your family and spend an hour with me. You know you want to...

I turned the phone off without replying. I'm well aware that someday soon he'll be treating me like that. I don't know why I'm with him - he really is a total and utter swine !

5 comments:

  1. Ugh - The sicknesses that are going around! Crazy. When my parents came to visit me in Australia a few months ago - my mom and I both got really sick. I kept getting super high temperatures...it sounds similar to what Kyle had. A lot of sleep is what finally cured me!

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  2. I would have been worried too and probably have assumed the worse!

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  3. I think the swine flu hysteria has abated somewhat. Hope so. But, you were well to be worried.
    Now, just sit down and be good to you.

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  4. I've tagged you on my blog!

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  5. Oh you poor thing - there's nothing worse than ill children. Hope he's feeling much better. As for Matt, deep breaths...whatever makes you feel better x

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