Rough Weekend with a Sick Baby on Board

Despite a fever, she still found the energy to help daddy re-bed a porthole...more on this later!

Nothing puts a damper on a weekend like a sick baby.  Poor little Isla suffered fever after fever (ranging from 101°-104°) since Saturday morning which lasted through last night.  We'd keep it at bay with infant Tylenol, cool washcloths and limited clothing when it got out of hand, but for the most part - the poor little thing rode it out.  It was heartbreaking.  We cuddled on the settee all day watching cartoons on my computer (we don't do t.v. at all in normal circumstances but this was an exception) and snuggling.  She wouldn't sleep without physically touching me, so I camped out in the v-berth with her the past two nights, waking with her every two hours or so to ease her cries and try to help cuddle her pain away.  Needless to say, neither of us got much sleep at all.  In the states we most certainly would have brought her to one of the many 24-hour care clinics available to us but being here in the islands, the only option is the hospital - which we didn't think necessary.  We tried "paging" the one pediatrician on the island we know of but no one got back to us, which left us with Google.  We're not worrisome parents by nature, and we never got overly concerned with Isla's symptoms, but seeing your typically happy baby miserable and writhing in pain is tough on anyone.  We're taking her to the local pediatrician today to rule out any sort of treatable infection, but already it seems she's on the mend.  Right now, she's giggling with daddy, squealing in delight as he tickles her and she seems to have her (abundant) energy back; running around the boat like it's her personal obstacle course, doing "ballet" on her tippy-toes, and jumping around like a little bean.  Very welcome sounds and sites, for sure.

We'll be back to our regularly scheduled program tomorrow or the next day.