Yay! So the doctor confirmed yesterday on the check-up visit that the antibiotics seems to have done the trick. The ear, nose and throat infections have all receded, the various swellings are down, her chest is open again – in other words Jessie is back to full health again!
The only minor side affects that we are still dealing with is a nasty little nappy rash brought on by the antibiotics messing with her pH balance (shame, she definitely has her mommy’s sensitive skin), as well as a slightly discoloured tongue due to her vitamins reacting with the antibiotics.
But other than that, all is A-OK, bringing the Lotter household back to 100% seeing as Chantelle is also back to normal.
Of course, I’m sure it is only a matter of time before it’s my turn :(
Anyway, we’re now in the final month of looking after Jessica at home before she gets accepted into the daycare centre, and at this point we really do have to mention just how much of a godsend Chantelle’s parents have been in terms of helping us out here, because without them I simply don’t know what we would have done.
I still look after Jessica every Tuesday when I work from home and Ingrid takes her in most Fridays (when her own kids aren’t sick), but seeing as my mom had to withdraw her assistance early on thanks to her knee giving out on her, the remainder of the week has had to be picked up by my mom-in-law, dependent on course on which days Chantelle is off and of course which shift in the day she’s actually signed on for.
This translates into some very early days and sometimes particularly long days being tossed into the mix for poor Cheryl, but without moaning or throwing her hands up in the air, she has braved the cold, dark and long trip each and every time we’ve put out a call for her, and in the process has been an absolute star with little Jessica. Of course Monty can’t be left out of the mix either, because he too has made as much as possible effort (even going as far to put in sick leave) to join Cheryl on her expeditions out here to Gordon’s Bay in order to lend a helping hand, be it with Jessica or with the numerous odd jobs around the house that Chantelle always seems to foist upon him! (Shame, I really do feel sorry for all the work she’s making him do!)
Anyway, the point that Chantelle and I want to make is actually quite simple: Thank you so, so much Ma and Pa, we really can’t tell you how much of a help and how much these sacrifices from you guys mean to us. I’m not sure that we’ll ever be able to thank you enough, but know that we really don’t believe we’d be able to do this without you!
What I do know however is that in a month’s time, little Jessica is most definitely going to miss all this quality time spent with Oupa and Ouma that she has been blessed with over these last couple of months – that’s for certain!