First Time In A Hospital

Gabbie had fever for almost four days that was sort of on and off, and as high as 38.9 C. Whenever I gave her Tempra, her temperature would drop to 37 C so I thought it was enough. It was also weekend and the next day we were going to attend a wedding so I just relied on Tempra and sponge bath (but deep in my heart I was really worried and I wanted to bring her to the ER already).

She was really hot the whole Sunday, even during the wedding ceremony. But the next morning, she was fine. We were able to attend the farewell party of her summer class. Then in the afternoon, we had a manghihilot come over to our house to check her. She had pilay. The next hours she was already playing with her cousin, although the fever was still there and I started to notice her lips cracking already.

On Tuesday we brought her to the pedia.The doctor said she was dehydrated and we were instructed to do CBC and Dengue Antigen Test for Gabbie and to give her Pedialyte and continue withTempra. I didn't want to go home without making sure that she's spared from Dengue so I requested that the blood test results be rushed. The result was out after two hours and she was negative for Dengue Antigen but the CBC results showed her Total WBC was only 2.8- the normal values should be at least 5.0; and her platelet was at 200 which was still normal but already nearing the lower threshold. She has also lost weight and her appetite was really poor.

When the pedia saw the results, she requested that Gabbie be admitted immediately so the meds especially the water could be given properly via IV. We reserved a room at the Admitting Section and went home to get our stuff. Then went back to Capitol Medical Center at around 8PM.

That night she had no more fever. I was relieved because it meant one medicine was taken out of the list. She was only given vitamins and that dextrose to regain her electrolytes.

It was my first time to see a kid's BP being taken and I was amused. But I was even more amused at Gabbie who was so behaved all throughout, even taking the medicine cup from the nurse and take them on her own. She would also voluntarily raise her hand when she sees the thermometer and she would inhale-exhale when told.

Her wrapped hand (where the IV was connected) did not stop her from playing her PSP. 

The next morning her appetite was back a little. She already ate rice with soup and we had otap for our snacks. Only dark colored foods were not allowed because they were still monitoring her pupu.

That afternoon we were advised that her WBC and platelet we improving, although they couldn't disregard dengue yet. Her urine and stool were also OK. The doctor said she needed another blood test the next day to see if it will improve again. But rashes in her back and tummy were starting to show. She was given Alnix (antihistamine) for the rashes.

The next morning she was already up and back to being makulit. The pedia advised us that her WBC was already 5.0 and her platelet already 240. It meant no blood extraction anymore. And dengue was already disregarded. We just needed to monitor her for fever for 24-48 hours. Gabbie was already singing and dancing when the doctor left the room.

By Friday night daddy was already with us (his trip was cut by one day). He was the one who attended to Gabbie that night so I was able to rest more. The rashes were totally gone that time.

The next morning (4th day) the pedia gave the discharge instructions already. The diagnosis was (unknown) viral infection and the rashes was due to Roseola virus or tigdas hangin.

Before we left the hospital, eto na sya, ganito na sya kakulit:

Songs From Gabbie's Summer Class

These are some of the songs Gabbie learned from her summer nursery class.

The Tagalog song goes "Ang umaga ngayon kayganda, kayganda. Tayo ay magsaya magbigay ng ligaya, ang umaga ngayon kayganda kayganda..." 

The next one which we call "He's The Lord" is the very first song that she learned and sang to us at home.

The other English one is Three Little Monkeys. Funny 'coz she learned English songs easily and faster than the Tagalog one.

These videos were taken the night that she started to have fever.

The sick flower girl and the preggy bridesmaid

Gabbie's temperature when we went to Tagaytay last May 15 for Ninang Jenny's wedding was 38.9 C. She was sleeping the whole time on the way to the church. But despite the really hot weather and the fever, she still managed to march down the aisle without tantrums (unlike the other and older flower girls who were all nakasimangot while walking). She slept during the ceremony but woke up when it was already picture taking with the newlyweds, and then fell asleep again on the way to reception.

During the reception she was getting cranky. After the dinner, we already left. It was also a very tiring day for me because I was the one driving. Hubby was out on a business trip and unfortunately there was no one who could drive but me.

Sweet Girl Award

Gabbie's summer class ended last May 16. We almost didn't make it because the weekend before that Gabbie had very high fever.

The whole class held a party/picnic after their recognition ceremony where they were given their summer class completion certificate and their individual awards. Gabbie's award is The Sweet Girl Award. According to the teacher, she is the only student who is all-smile every time she enters the classroom, and is sweet and friendly to everybody.

It was a potluck party. I cooked spaghetti for the kids, teachers and parents. The others brought cake, fried chicken, melon shake, pancit, puto , lumpiang shanghai and rice.

I guess Gabbie is already 100% ready to go to formal school in June :)

Ninang Jenny's Flower Girl

The wedding will be on Saturday May 15, 2011 at the Chapel of Transfiguration (Caleregua) in Nasugbu Batangas. Gabbie will be a flower girl, and me... a preggy bridesmaid this time. This is Gabbie's gown, during our 2nd fitting. Can't wait to see her walk down the aisle again on Ninang Jenny's big day :)

Puzzle Time

The girls are currently into puzzles so during their free time after school, we set up a camp in the garage and there they do their stuff.

This is a really effective way to lessen their TV time. So the one-hour a day is now reduced to half, because by the time they ask for cartoons, they'd be tired and sleepy. They couldn't even finish a 30-minute cartoon show on Nick.

School Girls

These are our school girls after their summer classes, taking their afternoon nap.

So far we have been successful with regards to their daily routine. TV/cartoon time has been limited to an hour a day which is a significant improvement than before they went schooling.

7-7:30 Wake up

8:00 Eat breakfast

8:30 Bath time

9:00-11:00 Summer school

11:30 Lunch

12:30 Review of today's lesson

1:00 Cartoon Time

2:00 Nap time

4:00 Snacks and indoor activities (play toys, puzzles, building blocks, etc)

5:00 Outdoor activities (biking, playing with neighbor kids)

6:00 Study for tomorrow's lesson

7:00 Free time (sing, play, read books, coloring books, etc)

8:00 Dinner

9:00 Prepare for bedtime

10:00 Sleep

And so far, both girls are behaving well in school, although Gabbie is, at her age, still very playful. But among the 3-yr olds in their summer class, Gabbie is the only one who never needed a companion inside the classroom since day one, and unlike most of her classmates, she doesn't cry or throw tantrums. She even finishes her snacks and she has improved a lot in terms of attention, focus and following the routine, according to the teachers. We just need to practice her coloring skills and grip because when she writes, its almost invisible especially when she uses a pencil.

Baby Rafa :)

Meet Baby Rafa at 10wks and 4days. His expected date of delivery is on November 8, 2011. If he stays for three more days inside (like Ate Gabbie whose EDD was Jan 9, 2008 but came out Jan 12 instead), he will be born 11-11-11. We'll see :)

Amazing!

Last weekend we attended Darla's first birthday party at Alexandra Clubhouse in Pasig City. Darla is Dana's little sister. Dana is Gabbie's bestfriend. Darla and Dana are my friend Kitte's lovely daughters.

The party was hosted by a magician named Kuya Alex. His magic tricks were so amazing that we were caught by one of the photographer looking like this:

I've been watching a show where they reveal how these magicians do their tricks. But still seeing one do it right in front of my two eyes make me still go "whoa! how did he do that?"

Gabbie's First Day in School (Summer Class)

First day of summer class, Gabbie asked me "Mommy, can I bring my PSP?" I said "No, that won't be necessary." She just said "Ok" then went to the bathroom to bathe and brush teeth.

At the school, she went immediately inside the classroom, totally forgetting that there's mommy and daddy watching her from outside. I had to get her attention to bid goodbye to daddy before he goes to work. She just kissed daddy goodbye and joined the other kids playing toys inside the classroom.

Outside, I waited for two hours just sitting and listening to other moms talking about their experiences with different schools they've been to. Sometime I'd fall asleep. And then I remember the PSP, I should have brought it with me, Gabbie was right. Haha.

Then about 30minutes before dismissal, I head a kid crying. I peeked at the room to check if it was Gabbie. It was another kid. But when Gabbie saw me looking, she said "Mommy, come inside." "No, anak it's not allowed" "Its ok, mommy. Come."

It was time to eat their snacks. "I thought you were the one crying", I told her. "I'm not crying! It's just the baby boy" she proudly answered. "But why is he crying?" I asked. "Maybe, he's hungry" she said.