I Thought He Was Dead

Kenesa has been really sick the last couple of days. On Monday Philipa (the nurse who checks in) was playing with the little kids outside and noticed that he was sleeping…which is really unusual. All of the sudden he threw up twice. He had a fever of 102.4 but with children's ibuprofen it was soon back to normal. He stayed with me all day and slept, colored and watched movies and had some bread and tea - which he threw up. He slept in my room that night and didn't throw up any more. Tuesday morning he said he felt sick again after breakfast but didn't throw up nor did he have a fever. Again he stayed with me throughout the morning but after lunch he was back outside playing with the other children.

Tesfanesh (the nanny) asked him that night if he felt sick and he said no. Wednesday morning I went in to get the kids ready for the day and he was still sleeping. I thought that since he didn't have a nap yesterday he was probably still tired and let him sleep on. I put his clothes on his bed and took the little ones to get clean clothes. I told myself that after they were dressed I would go get him but I forgot about him. After every one was dressed, the babies bathed and fed I remembered. I rushed to his room while burping Yabsira and he was still sleeping. I felt his forehead – he was burning up. I felt so bad that I had forgotten him. I rushed back and put her down and grabbed my thermometer…103.6 and it wasn't even done – I didn't wait. I stripped him of his clothes and we ran back to my room – literally ran. He was so hot and he wouldn't wake up. I grabbed some wash clothes, pedialyte, children's ibuprofen, water and water basin. I gave him the medicine and pedialyte and took his temperature again – 103.8. I nearly cried as his naked little body with a huge distended stomach was lying on the spare bed in my room. I don't think I have ever prayed so desperately. It seemed like as soon as I would lay a cold washcloth on his body I would have to take it off because it was hot. I got him to wake up and drink some diluted crystal light.

His temperature was finally back to normal after an hour and a half of constantly wiping him down with cool wash clothes. I put some clothes on him and he fell back to sleep. I went downstairs to get some breakfast and when I came back Yabsira was crying so I went and fed her. I went to check on him he was cold and damp…very very cold. I thought he had died. He wasn't moving or waking up to my calling his name or gently shaking him. I frantically searched for his pulse – he still had one! I sent up a quick prayer of thanks and took his temperature again – 96.6. I sat him up and tried to get him to drink some more but he fought me. He wasn't awake or speaking English but he was refusing to drink. Right now he is in such a delirious state. He is sweating so profusely and mumbling and refusing to be moved let alone touched. I wipe his head off with a cloth every couple of minutes and he barely lets me do that.

I called Philipa to see if there was anything else that I should do. She said there wasn't much else because it is most likely a virus. Hiwot came in and said that it was malaria because he is from that region but I know it's not. His cold sweats have finally stopped although his temperature hasn't risen past 97.0. He keeps dry heaving. He vomited once before when I sat him up to give him more medicine and it was just bile. Now there is nothing left in his stomach to throw up. He is in such pain every time I touch him he cringes…his body aches. I made him scrambled eggs for dinner because he was hungry…he threw it up after 5 bites.

He is the most precious four year old I know and it hurts to watch him. He comes up from behind me and hugs my neck and then leans around and kisses my cheek when I am outside playing with the kids. He tried to do my hair the other day with Hannah and Tamirat…he just thought it was the strangest thing…I don't think he has ever touched non-curly hair before because he was just giggling the whole time.

It is Thursday morning. I did not sleep at all last night because he was throwing up the entire time. I felt so bad as I held his little body while he was dry heaving. When I left he was still throwing up anything he drank. Thank the Lord we have pedialyte. I hope this flu virus doesn't hit anyone else.

Thank you so much for all your thoughts and prayers.
Emily