How small...how fragile...

My baby is ill...there is nothing to worry about...it's just a fever...but it is our first fever!

As a parent, one always rejoices in how healthy one's baby is; how seldom she cries; how she is not fussy at all; how well she eats; how happy she is; and so on and so forth.  There is something in everything that has the potential to make us proud.  During those times, we often forget that as much as these things are part of her life, there are other aspects as well.

We cannot thank God enough for having given us a healthy child.  And so far, she has not taken ill even once in the last six months.  However, yesterday evening, she developed a fever.  It was evening and she had just awakened after her nap.  We realised she was warm but we initially attributed it to her having slept during a warm Bangalore afternoon!  When it did not subside later on, my wife suggested we meet the paediatrician.  I thought it was not called for and called Mel-Mom who told us how they handled fever.  

My wife still kept insisting we see a doctor, but I remained stubborn saying, "It's just a fever; it will pass."  However, as the closing time to the doctor's office approached (9 pm), I was getting restless.  What if I was wrong?  What if it was not 'just a fever'?  I immediately packed up my wife and kid and reached the doctor's office just in time for Jennifer to be his last patient for the day.  Thankfully, it just seems to be a fever.  The doctor prescribed some medicine and told us to observe her for the next 24 hours (ya, as if we wouldn't have otherwise!!!) in order to be sure that there is nothing else to worry about.

My good wife took care of Jennifer most of the night...I offered to help, but was told that she would handle it.  At 4 in the morning, I took over the crying baby so that my wife could at least catch some sleep.  I carried Jenny around the house, with her feverish cheek pressed against mine and listening to her whimpering...it was both cute as well as sad.  She felt so fragile...she is so helpless...she cannot express her discomfort or her pain...She depends entirely on us to 'read' her properly...And to see a constantly happy and laughing child in a condition like this only increases the ache in one's heart to see her well and healthy again.  She finally did fall asleep and slept quite well for almost 2 hours uninterrupted.

I realise I might be exaggerating.  But as I said, we have never seen our Jenny-kutty ill before...so the entire scenario is new to us as well.  I just hope the fever will subside today...that my child will be back to her normal, happy self soon enough....that she will get a good night's sleep tonight...and that by tomorrow, this all will be in the past.