12 June 2015

Being grateful: Trusting my gut

Last week I wrote a post about trusting yourself. As a parent I need to trust myself more, and not worry so much about what others think. I need to go with my gut feeling when I think something is wrong with my girls, and not doubt those feelings. Thankfully this week I did just that. 

Last week Cherub was sick with a high temperature, congestion, runny eyes and cough. I thought she had picked up the same cold as Popette and myself had been suffering, so kept her home from preschool on Tuesday while she was on the mend.

Then I thought about taking her to the "special" playgroup we had been attending on Wednesdays, but thought I'd give her one more day at home. I didn't want her catching something else if one of the other kids was sick with something.

Cherub enjoying some colouring-in on a recent outing

Of course Cherub complained, she wanted to get out of the house and play with other kids. So I made a deal with her, if she was okay by Thursday we would go to playgroup. 

So off we went to playgroup. We had a lovely morning catching up with friends. Cherub had fun riding trikes and playing with the kids outside. 

Then when we got home I noticed a rash behind her ears and on her face. At first I thought she might have been bitten by something, then thinking about how she was sick the week before I decided to take her to the doctor's.

Call it mothers intuition I must have sensed something was not quite right with her. Not that she seemed tired or grumpy, she was her happy little self and kept telling me "I'm fine Mumma". 

It was when the doctor told me so matter-of-factly that Cherub had german measles. Aaarggh!! I must have looked worried, as he reassured me that if we were all vaccinated (yep), I wasn't pregnant or have a baby then there was nothing to worry about. There was no cure for it, and really nothing I could do except keep her home for 4 days while she had the rash.

After we picked up Popette from school, I rang everyone I could think of informing them that Cherub had contracted german measles. What I wasn't expecting was a phone call from the local Health Unit giving me the 3rd degree about my daughter. 

Our conversation went something like this.

"Is your daughter vaccinated?"
"Yes she's fully vaccinated".
"How old is she?"
"She will be 4 in September".
"Has she had her 4 year needles yet?"
"No, as she hasn't turned 4 yet"!!??
"Well she can have her 4 year needles from 3 1/2 years of age" (I didn't know that)

She went on and on asking me questions, making me feel like it was my fault that Cherub had contracted german measles! It got me so mad as I had done the right thing informing everyone, taking her to the doctor, having her vaccinated at the appropriate ages (ok maybe not her 4 year needles yet!!), what else could I do to protect my daughter?

Cherub had been to so many places she could have picked it up anywhere. One friend asked if she had picked it up from an unvaccinated child from preschool. I have no idea. 

I'm just grateful that I trusted my gut and took her to the doctor's when I did, otherwise we wouldn't have known that she had german measles and she may have infected more children. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that none of her little friends from playgroup come down with it.

Have you ever experienced german measles? Have you ever experienced mothers intuition? Do you trust your gut?

13 comments:

  1. Not sure if my last comment came through - good on you for trusting your instincts. I hope I would've done the same thing if I had been in your shoes - linking in from FYBF, Lauren x

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    1. Hi Lauren, No I didn't see the last comment. Thanks I'm glad I did too :)

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  2. Good on you for trusting your instincts, Julie. Us mums are often thrown off by other's people's opinions that we forget that we just need to listen to ourselves.
    Not too happy about that doctor who was asking way too many questions. Like motherhood isn't hard enough!

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    1. I know Grace, well I guess it keeps us on our toes :)

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  3. oh wow...that was a not-nice phone call and who knew they could have their immunisations early? You were so right to listen to your mother's instinct. German measles is a benign-looking and behaving illness in so many but can have devastating effects too but you already know that. My role as a Deputy Principal in a school quite a few years ago meant that if there was a reported case of german measles I had to ensure every female teacher was told (confidentially) in case they might have been pregnant. Happened to be that my daughter was on a teaching block there and when she was told she said....."well Mum now I guess I need to tell you you are going to be a grandmother!!!" Oh yes. Cue tears and a visit to the doctor for her to rule out where she had the antibodies as when she was a kid she'd had GM but she didnt have the antibodies but remained well...and little bub turned 18 last year. Denyse

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    1. Thanks Denyse, Wow I'm glad everything turned out ok for your daughter!! I'm just keeping any eye on Popette to make sure she doesn't show any symptoms. If she comes down with it, I will be calling the school to let them know.

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  4. There is no denying that a mother instinct is the most powerful weapon to protect our kids. I had German measles as a child but we have been lucky enough to avoid it with the kids. I hope she is on the mend soon hun and the rest of you manage to avoid it xx

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    1. Thanks Son. Well it looks like it wasn't german measles, phew!! We saw a different doctor on Mon to check she was over it, and that doctor thought she wasn't sick enough to have german measles and that it was a different viral illness that causes a rash at the end. So hoping she's right and the other doctor was wrong! x :)

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  5. What a horrible phone call to receive! I didn't know you could give your children their 4yo needles at 3.5 years either, I have always had them done just after their 4th birthdays. Good on you for sticking with your gut instinct, it's hard not to when you're a mum, it's always better to be safe

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    1. Thanks Erika, I know me too! I used to wait until they turned the right age then take them down and get their needles done, but not on their birthday, cause that would be mean! :)

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  6. I had the german measles when I was a teenage and I was vaccinated against it!! My daughter is 3.5 years old so I think I will take her soon to get her 4 year old needles! Glad you listened to your gut instinct.

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  7. I had the german measles when I was a teenager and I was vaccinated against it. My daughter is 3.5 years so I will take her to get her 4 year old needles soon. Glad you listened to your gut instinct.

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    1. I don't remember having the german measles, but do remember being in line at school waiting for the rubella injection! I think I'll wait until Winter is over than take Cherub for her needles. We are very lucky that she didn't end up having them, it was some other viral infection that causes a rash ;)

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