We’ve been back in Melbourne for almost a week now. Our journey back home went smoother than I thought it would, although it was still very challenging and quite exhausting. I’m so thankful my mum travelled back to Melbourne with us. Couldn’t have done it without her.

So we left Kuching at 5.30pm last Thursday, arrived in KL at around 7.00pm, went to pick up our luggage and then queued up to check-in for our flight to Melbourne. Had dinner at McDonald’s (the airport was very warm, too busy and quite muggy so we were sweaty and uncomfortable) and then waited for our flight. Micah was being very hyper, a little bit out of control, but thankfully we had his travel pram and while we were eating we managed to keep him busy with toys while he sat on the high chair. Finally, our flight departed at 10.30pm from KL and we arrived in Melbourne at 9.20am Melbourne time. Throughout the 8-hour flight, Micah probably managed to sleep for about 5 hours, and was awake the rest of time, whingy and wriggly and wouldn’t sit still. Thankfully we had the front section seats so he had a bit of room to stand up and walk a few steps and play with a few toys on the floor when the Fasten Your Seatbelts sign wasn’t on. Still, when he was awake on the plane, it was full on. We didn’t get much rest at all, but it could’ve been so much worse… at least he slept.

When we arrived back in Melbourne, we went through luggage pick up and customs very quickly, thanks to Micah’s whinging we were pretty much ushered to the front of the line for our sake as well as others. As soon as we passed customs, Micah fell asleep on his pram, didn’t even get to see his excited face when hubby met with us at the arrival terminal, stayed asleep even as we transferred him from his pram to his carseat.. and slept all the way home. Yepp, he was so tired and fully knocked out he slept the entire hour and half from the airport to our home in Berwick! When he finally woke up and saw his dad, he was so excited and happy.

Hubby kindly took Micah to his sister’s place for a play with his cousins while mum and I had naps at home that day.

From that point onwards, we pretty much took it fairly easy. We completely cleaned out our fridge and stocked up on new food supplies. It was fun grocery shopping for new things! We went to a few social gatherings and caught up with some friends. Did some more shopping and mum’s been tirelessly doing our laundry. It’s like she does a few loads each day! She is a housechores machine!

And then came the sickness…. it all started late Monday / early Tuesday when Micah and I both pretty much started having “sexy croaky voices”. At first I thought we were just dehydrated from the travel so we just stayed home and had lots of water and rest, etc.

The next day, Micah woke up at 5.30am crying like a seal. Poor kid could barely cry properly! That was when we decided to take him to the 24-hour clinic to check it out. This was 6am. The doctor told us we both had a virus that’s been going around, and prescribed Micah some medicine to help clear his airway to make sure it doesn’t get too narrow for him to breathe, and told me to just stay hydrated and get plenty of rest. Doctor also said if Micah is not better by tomorrow, or if he develops a fever, take him to the hospital.

Next day (Thursday), Micah’s voice got a lot better but I got worse, so I stayed in bed most of the day as Micah happily played with my mum. I literally only got up to eat, go to the toilet, drink and breastfeed Micah just before his naps. By 4pm I was so bored from staying in bed that I got in the shower, took some Panadol and decided to just go out and DO SOMETHING. We went to Fountain Gate and picked up some things we forgot to get while grocery shopping, and even that was enough to make me feel like I didn’t completely waste a day….

And then by 7pm just as I was putting Micah to sleep (he was sleeping early because he missed an afternoon nap) I started to notice Micah had a temperature. I put him to bed anyway, hoping a sleep would make the temp go away. At around 8.15pm he woke up, so I knew something was wrong. He not only woke up because he had a pooey nappy, but he was boiling hot. So hot. I gave him some Baby Panadol and then took his temperature. 38.4C. It was hot, but probably not hot enough to go to the hospital… yet.

He stayed up and cuddled for a bit, waiting for the Baby Panadol to take its effect. He was getting hotter and more miserable. Took his temp again…. 39.4C!!! So we packed all his stuff and took him straight to the Emergency Dept at Casey Hospital.

To cut the story short, we didn’t come back from the hospital until after midnight. Micah’s fever eventually came down and we were allowed to go home. He is going to be fine, just have to give him Panadol every 4 hours for at least the next 24 hours to keep his temp down. Lots of fluid, plenty of rest. 

It was Micah’s first time at the hospital ever since he was born, and all mothers can relate when I say it wasn’t a fun experience. I knew he was going to be fine, but I didn’t like seeing him tired and miserable like that. It was very difficult to get him back to sleep when we got home from the hospital. He played for a bit, and then finally we all went to bed at 2am…

Micah woke up this morning at 8am. His temp is a lot better, thank goodness. Doctor said to keep giving Panadol though, even without the fever, so he’s due for another dose in half an hour at lunch time.

I’m feeling a bit better today too, thank goodness. Was feeling so sick of being sick. Sick of feeling useless and wasting days doing nothing. I have a list of things I want to do, people I want to see, and it’s hard when you’re sick because you don’t have the energy to do it or you can’t because you don’t want to spread your germs.

Anyway, our trip to Malaysia was great. So many wonderful memories, especially Micah’s memories that he won’t even remember, but at least I have many, many photos to show him when he is older 🙂