I guess after 10 years it makes sense I would know what to expect. I fully anticipated Josiah would get sick. I thought it would take 24 hours. It actually took closer to 36. Josiah woke up sick, Sunday Morning. He spent the entire day doing what he does best when he’s sick. He slept.

A few times he woke up wanting a drink. We gave him only small sips. A few hours later, he’d wake up and bring that small sip right back out. When he is sick, Josiah shuts down. He sleeps non-stop for hours. He sleeps non-stop for days actually. He’s done this since he’s been an infant.

It used to freak us out. It just didn’t seem natural for a child who is so extremely energetic and bounces everywhere to do the exact opposite when he’s sick. It seemed like too much of an extreme.

Many times it did result in dehydration. Though we tried repeatedly to encourage fluids, it wasn’t easy to do. It was quite difficult to get Josiah to wake for even a small amount of water. We tried injecting water from a syringe down his throat. Though he was completely out of it and nearly non responsive, that small syringe full of water might as well have been a water hydrant full. It was too much and he was having none of it.

Often times, the dehydration meant hospitalization. Not fun. As if the poor boy didn’t feel awful enough, rehydration meant an IV. Josiah has very tiny veins. Getting an IV inserted would be challenging if he were a calm, cooperative patient. He’s not. Getting an IV inserted in a terrified, wildly thrashing body is nearly impossible.

It takes many hands. It typically takes 3 or more strong adults to hold Josiah down for the procedure. And then, most every single time, it has to be redone. Often times it blows a vein. Josiah ends up with bruises and swelling and I’m sure lots of discomfort. Often times he’s had to have IV’s redone 3 and 4 times.

This is all in an attempt to help him feel better, but I’m not sure how much he understands. It always breaks my heart.

This morning, since Josiah was still sleeping and still getting sick with next to nothing in his system, I knew he was getting worse. He was beginning to wake up periodically and moan. I figured it was time to take him to the Dr.  Rick and I took him in together.

Josiah will not stand on a scale to get weighed, even when he’s feeling well. So, Rick holds him. The nurse weighs them together. Then Rick sets Josiah on the ground and the nurse weighs Rick alone. A little subtraction is all it takes to get Josiah’s weight. Today, almost instantly after Rick set him on the floor, Josiah threw up all over everything. Guess we didn’t need to explain why we were there.

Josiah is not dehydrated, yet. The Dr. prescribed some medicine to help prevent vomiting. We have to continue to give him very small amounts of water as often as we can. If he doesn’t turn a corner in the next 24 hours, he will definitely need an IV. I’m praying that doesn’t happen. Josiah has been through so much in his little life, it just seems unfair he has to endure being sick as often as he does.

On a side note, a few days ago, we assembled Josiah’s new tent bed.. He doesn’t like it. He refuses to get in it. It’s much smaller than I thought. But, I climbed in and tried to encourage Josiah to join me. He wouldn’t. Chandler got in and tried to get Josiah to join her. Nope, he wouldn’t. He even ran out of the room.

We pulled it onto the floor and put a different mattress on his bed. He slept soundly in his own bed, but wouldn’t even look at the tent just a few feet away. I figure it’s going to be a slow process to acclimate him to the tent. We will take it slow, just one step at a time. So, for now, while he’s not feeling well, it will just sit in the corner of his room, unused.

Last night Rick did not want Josiah to be unattended. He wanted to be sure he could be there to help his son in the event Josiah woke in the middle of the night and needed some help. So, unbeknownst to me, while I slept peacefully in our King sized bed, Rick got up, stuffed his 6 foot tall self inside Josiah’s tent enclosed bed and slept there til almost 3 am.

I am so glad Josiah has such an amazing Dad.