Gastroenteritis

It’s been a year already when Elijah had gastroenteritis or stomach flu. We rushed him to the hospital because of non-stop vomiting and diarrhea and we were told to stay in the hospital.

I was the only young mom there and everyone was looking at me as if I committed a crime. This is the first time we bring Elijah in the hospital and hoping that it will also be the last. Upon our four days stay in the hospital, his dextrose was transferred many times into his hands and feet because they let student nurses to take in charge, knowing that they knew nothing about it and still need the guidance of a licensed nurse, they let them experiment on my son’s body and left us with no choice. I wanted to pull him out of that hospital but we don’t have enough money to bring him in a private hospital so we stayed, hearing Elijah cry breaks my heart and until now, whenever I remember that event, I can’t help but cry.

It was the darkest days of my motherhood. We went home and Elijah was not feeling well yet. The vomiting and diarrhea only stopped when he received a massage therapy from Aling Nene ( family friend).

We tried to give him all his favorite food and he never refused. He didn’t like the pedialyte, the doctor prescribed him to drink for re hydration. I was also suffering from diarrhea that time but never tried to consult a doctor because I know it will only add to our hospital bill. I know I was his only strength at that time and I don’t want my sickness to be a hindrance in attending his needs.