Admission To Hospital

It was not long after this walk that again Rebecca became poorly. We thought at first she was coming down with a cold, as she had a runny nose and was coughing and sneezing. Mother went to the chemist where she brought the good old faithful Calpol. After a further day of only getting worse, now with a temperature that soared off the charts, mother then decided to take her to the doctors. Rebecca had a period of time where she was constantly catching cold and chest infections, but mother knew that this time it was something more than that; as this was worse than the others, as it had more of an effect on her breathing, as she struggled as she coughed. Whilst at the doctors, the doctor told mother that Rebecca will have to go to hospital, and the lady doctor phoned the ambulance right away. Mother phoned me whilst I was at home and then told me to go around to Barbara's or April's until father got home, as she was going to phone him once she knew I was safe. Once she had gone to hospital, she was admitted right away to her usual ward; and mother stayed with her a few hours before coming home, then she told father and me what the doctor had said. She told us that he said she had an acute lower respiratory infection otherwise known as pneumonia. That she could have contracted it because it was not long ago that she had influenza, and he felt she had not completely got rid of it. She had been poorly a further week after the flu, after she had got over the majority of the sniffles; and we all thought she was fine. But she still seemed to have prolonged symptoms of wheezing and coughing, which mother thought could have been another cold or asthma. It was only when she had an x-ray whilst being admitted to hospital, that the doctors said that it was pneumonia. She was kept in hospital a further three weeks, where she was given stronger antibiotics, and lots of fluid to drink, as well as from time to time she had the fluids put in a drip whilst she slept. When Rebecca was in hospital, mother had come home, after a few days of staying with her; so she could have a nice bath and get a few more clean clothes. She was quite lucky that she was still working part time, and her place of work were absolutely brilliant towards her; by letting her take as much time off as she needed. I stopped at home, as I had April and Greg come and stay with me, and then in the evening when father came home; he used to get changed and we would go together and go and see Rebecca; as Greg and April went back home and waited for me to get back. Whilst I was at home, mother said that if I needed anything, I was to go to the lady next door as she would sort me out; whilst I waited for father, or I could go to Mrs Chambers, but either way I had to leave a note for father to let him know where I was. If I was on my own, mother always asked her to just pop in and make sure I was ok, but nine times out of ten; if I was not with April and Greg's house, they were at mine. It did not matter if I was home alone, as I was not an unruly child, and the lady next door did come round a few times in the day to see if we were ok; apart from being able to see us in the back garden from her kitchen window.

So mother went upstairs to take a shower, and get changed. She went into Rebecca's room to pick up a few clothes, and then came back downstairs.

"Mother, do you love me?" I asked

"Yes I love you Amanda, why would you ask me that?" she relied

"Sometimes it feels like you don't. Becca." I said as I was interrupted

"Is this because of Rebecca? She is poorly Amanda." She replied

"Yes I know she is poorly mom, I am reminded of it every single day. It is just that you never seem to have time for me anymore." I said as I had a few tears start to come to my eyes

"Amanda, my time is given to Rebecca more, sure I will not deny that. But it does not mean I do not love you any less. Would you prefer I left Rebecca alone at the hospital, and spent the day shopping with you?" She said in a bit of a temper

"Of course not mom, although it would be very nice to go shopping with you from time to time; and you know I am not that selfish." I said

"Then why are we having this conversation?" She asked

"Because it feels like you do not have time for me anymore mom. When you are not at the hospital, you just sit in the lounge in your own little world. Even if Becca and I are playing outside, you seem to be more interested in her well-being than mine." I cried

"Amanda don't be so silly, I am always careful with Rebecca that's why; because I worry about her." She replied

"Yes that's just it mom, you worry about her; and I have never once heard you say that you worry about me. Come to think about it, I have never heard you say that I love you either mom." I told her

"Well you are a daddy's girl anyway Amanda and I do love you. I just know that you are ok, and I am so thankful for your help." She said to me

"Well once in a while, it would be nice to be told that you're loved." I said

"I do love you Amanda, now stop being silly. I am struggling to cope with all of this Amanda, but I have to be strong and plod on for Rebecca. If I don't give you all of what you want, it is because I am trying to understand what is going on with Rebecca. I am learning to just cope with taking each day as it comes, and not take it for granted Amanda." She said, now getting tearful herself.

"I am so sorry mom, it is just that I really do miss you too. I wish Becca never had this illness, and every day I ask why; why us?" I cried

"I know sweetheart, I ask the same all the time." She replied

"I love you mom." I said now very tearful

"And I love you too Amanda you silly girl, now I have to get back to the hospital. Your dad will be home soon, and Barbara next door said if you need anything to go round and see her." She said

"Ok mom, but April will be here in a bit." I replied

"Ok sweetheart." She said

She then said goodbye, as she gave me a hug and kissed me on the forehead; as I waited for my father to come home; as again she called me a silly girl as she kissed me on the forehead. The next day when I got up, I had my wash and had brushed my teeth, when I then took father in a cup of tea and some toast with a little pot of jam. He asked how I was, and I just lay on the bed with him talking, as he placed a slice of toast in my mouth. He then placed his arm over my shoulder and brought me close to his chest where he told me that he loved me. I just spent about ten minutes having a cuddle with father, telling him little stories of no interest really as they were girly stories. Then I got off the bed, and told him I was going to go downstairs to watch a bit of television until he got out of bed and got up. Just as I got off the bed, father got up and then threw a pillow at me. I looked at him and gave him a dirty look, so he threw another pillow at me. With that I got the pillows and before I got back up he picked me up and threw me on the bed where we had a pillow fight for a few minutes. I told him that mother would not be happy us jumping on the bed and having a pillow fight; especially as these pillows were brand new from Debenhams.

"Your mother is not here, so what she does not know will not hurt her." He said, as again he hit me with the pillow almost knocking me off the bed.

Shortly after our fight I told him we must get up and get ourselves ready, and that we must make the bed as it looks like a bomb site.

"You need to get out of your pyjamas dad, and start to get ready." I said to him

"Ok Princess, have you seen my other slipper, as it has come off during our fight." He asked me as he now lay on the bed looking under the duvet.

"Have you tried looking on the floor by mom's side of the bed, because we did jump over there?" I replied, not letting on to him that I had it in my hand.

Just as father reached over to mothers side of the bed, and he moved his head so that it was looking underneath the bed; I jumped on the bed and slapped him across the bum with his slipper, and goodness didn't I half make him jump.

"You sneaky little devil." He said, as he got back up and jumped off the bed chasing me out of the bedroom.

I ran into my room and shut the door behind me, as he tried to get in. But I was leaning against the door, and kept telling him that it served him right and he should take a shower now. I never heard anything for a while except for the bathroom door to open and then the shower to start running, so I opened the door and started to make my way across the landing. All of a sudden father jumped out at me from Rebecca's room and made me jump out of my skin, where he then chased me back into my room and hit me with my pillows; as we ended up having another pillow fight. After all the excitement, I again told father to take a shower, and I would make a pot of tea for him. He then got up and gave me a kiss on the cheek, as he made his way to the bathroom.

"We have not played like that for ages Amanda, and now you are growing up you are getting too fast for your old man." He said as he laughed.

"I am dad, and you had best be careful I do not slap you with your slipper again." I replied

"It was fun though wasn't it? I am just glad your mother was not here as she would have given us both a good slippering." He said; as he put his finger to his mouth as to say keep it a secret.

"Yes dad, and not to mention the fact you would have also had Becca gang up on you." I replied smiling

"Ah yes, the two of you together ganging up on your dad. I do not think that is fair somehow." He said as he made his way towards the bathroom

About an hour later we had made the beds, so that mother did not know what we had been up to; even though she would have had a right giggle after she had told father off. She knew that father was just as much a big kid as we were, but did not like a lot of mess in the house. The back door opened and in walked April, as we were going to go to the hospital together today with father. As we got to the hospital, we made our way up to the ward, and Rebecca was sitting on the bed with mother; talking contentedly. Within twenty minutes of us being there, the doctor came in to see mother, and told mother and father that Rebecca could go home, as she would be discharged shortly; as everything seemed to have cleared up. Rebecca stood up on the bed, and threw her arms around me in joy, as we almost fell off the bed. Father told us to sit down for a while, as he and mother needed to wait for the discharge papers, and had to see if Rebecca needed any medicine to take home. I just lay on the bed with Rebecca, and put one of my earphones into her ear, and started to play some music from my cassette player. All of a sudden April had a funny moment, where she placed one part of her earphones onto Mr Pipkins, which really made Rebecca laugh. We just then all lay on the bed, until mother told us to get up as we were leaving. Rebecca said goodbye to Rosie, as father gathered the cases, as we all left the hospital to go home.