Sick but hungry, hungry, hungry

It is one of the most heartbreaking things to see your child struggling. 

The Lodger is sick.... again. 

Since starting school, he seems to be catching every bug going.

Last October in the midst of Storm Ophelia, The Lodger vomited for the first time. For those not in the know, people with PWS rarely vomit. It can be a sign of serious illness. He showed no sign of illness beforehand. In fact, we were out for a walk when it happened. His version of the story is very to the point...

"We were walking and then I stopped, my mouth opened and the sick came out!"

Straight afterwards, he asked for his snack but a frantic call to his PWS nurse, as I sought to find out how I'd know if his stomach was rupturing, emphasised the point to him that he'd have to wait a little while for his snack. 

The Lodger has 100% respect for what his PWS Nurses and Doctors say.

And as an aside, I didn't tell The Lodger that I thought his stomach was rupturing. I remained somewhat calm but internally I was in crisis mode. A phone call to my beloved, who directed me to phone his PWS team as I picked The Lodger up and started walking towards the GP!

Since then, he's a had a few tummy upsets and ears/nose/throat infections.

And having PWS means that food is still very very very important even when you're sick.

Actually, it's one of his signs of illness. The Lodgers interest in food heightens when he's under the weather. Everything becomes about food and the anxiety of what meal, when and where increases!

When he had his tummy bug, it was torturous for him

He wanted to eat but his tummy was sore. He didn't want to eat because his tummy was sore but he wanted to eat because he needed to. 

The drive to eat is so strong. 

Currently, he has a really bad throat infection. He wants to eat. 

One spoon of mashed banana followed by a five-minute rest.

An attempt at another spoon. 

'Mum I can't eat it. Can I have something different?'

'Mum, I still need my lunch, my afternoon snack and my dinner.

Mum, what will I have.

Mum, don't forget my meals. 

Mum, has Dad gone to buy my dinner.

Mum, I will need to have my lunch and my afternoon snack and then my dinner. 

Mum, does Dad know?!'

He's zoned out now. He's exhausted. He's almost asleep and I hope that when he wakes he forgets about lunch and afternoon snack, that he just thinks there's only dinner to come. 

Fingers and toes crossed that this bout of illness is the last and that we have our caring, smiley, less food obsessed boy back soon!