A mother sacrifices many things to take care of her children or to see that they are taken care of. She never thinks of herself and her needs, nor puts them before her children’s needs.

Thursday morning, my daughter woke up with a temperature of a 101. Since I had a late class, I scheduled an appointment with her doctor, and then called her daycare to say that she wouldn’t be in today. Her doctor had checked her out and said that she has an ear infection and prescribed antibiotics. This was the same ear she had an ear infection in a few months ago.

I took my daughter home and gave her her medicine, and then I went off to class. When I came home she was snuggled up on the couch with one of her stuffed animals. I couldn’t get her to budge for food nor drink even though I brought it to her. I finally got her to eat a few bites and drink something, though very little, then put her into bed for a nap. When she got up from her nap, she had a temp of 102. I immediately put her into the bath and her temp went down. She didn’t want to do anything but snuggle up on the couch. I still couldn’t get her to eat nor drink anything. I myself hadn’t eaten all day, but was too tired to even think of fixing anything but a bowl of cereal.

At 2AM she woke me up crying. She was burning up, her temp was now 103.4 and she was throwing up. I quickly got dressed and we were in the car, headed to Children’s Hospital in Little Rock. We only had to wait an hour before being seen by a nurse, then a doctor was in there checking out my lil one right away. I told them what was going on, when it started, that I took her to see her doctor the day before. My daughter’s temp had gone down from the walk we had in the cold air outside. She had one nurse checking her temp and blood pressure, one nurse that gave her a nausea pill, and another nurse that gave her juice. Her doctor continued to check on her regularly; no vomiting, no wet diaper (this was what we were waiting on so we could leave), and no high fever. Finally at 7AM they finally let us go; she still hadn’t peed yet and her fever had not gone up.

When I got home my mom was waiting for us, as she was going to watch my lil one. I had to rush off to class, but not before getting a shower and a quick bite to eat, and then call to say she wasn’t going to be in daycare again today. I gave my lil girl her meds and then she drank a small glass of Gatorade before she snuggled up on the couch with her stuffed animal. I only had one class, and then I had to stop at the store for a few groceries.

Friday and Saturday was spent mostly curled up on the couch snoozing, or in my bed curled up snoozing. Then three baths to get her temp down. Today, she’s feeling much better, her appetite is slowly returning, but her sleep is off. We slept in until 11AM this morning, which I’m sure it is what we both needed.

I really don’t mind sacrificing anything, so as long as my child is taken care of. That wasn’t the first time I’ve pulled an all-nighter, especially with her, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. I’m not complaining.