A Series of Maladies

A Series of Maladies

Meryl has been plagued by a series of maladies for the past month or so; From cough to rash, to cough again then sore throat and the rash is still healing. Most of the time, she is still the cheerful and active girl but there were times I could see her discomfort which resulted in disturbed sleep especially when the rash acts up (she, like me, needs sleep aplenty!).

It struck me just last night that the number of days that she has been sick this year is actually MORE than the TOTAL numbers of days that she had ever fallen sick for the last 4 years!!! She had been the heathier baby and is always the last to fall sick in the family and 1st to recover. On an average, she falls sick about twice a year and is usually for mild ailments such as coughs/common colds or sore throat except for 1 time in 2007 when she had mild bronchilitis. I accrue her slate of good health to having plenty of sleep and the chinese powder that I've been giving her since she was 1. (I ran out of this powder since last Dec..umm..could this be the reason?) But this bout of maladies have left me confounded.

The only reason that I can think for this prolonged illness is the change in environment. She has switched from SKMCC to Ascension where her brother is and her new schedule includes 2 hours to and fro the school on the school mini-van and about 3 half hours in school, all air-conditioned. My explanation to Meryl is that she is new to the school and the viruses there are 'gettin to know her' and 'welcoming' a new victim. Her brother has long been immuned to them cos he is healthy as a fiddle and did not succumb to any of the viruses that Meryl has caught! I guess Meryl will just have to 'fight it out' until her body develops the necessary antibodies (and I better go get my powder soon!).