How is Christmas just around the corner? I’m sure it was only a few weeks ago that we were struggling to keep the Dude cool enough with soaring temperatures, yet suddenly there are letters coming home about school trips, Christmas raffles/fairs, Santa… and now we have the opposite issue. Keeping him WARM!

We resisted putting the heating on right up to the final week of November, mild weather helped, as did warm clothes. Then the first of the Autumn/Winter chest infections hit and it was clear that we couldn’t risk leaving the heating off any longer… it’s not the cold as such that’s the problem but the damp in the air that gives him (and me) issues.

I’ll be honest, he scared us a bit with the speed he went downhill but antibiotics were started quickly enough to stave off the worst and we managed to keep him home, albeit with a ‘home HDU’ in operation. All medical parents will recognise the set up; SATs monitor, suction machine and oxygen cylinder set up, tray of syringes with various medications, paracetamol and thermometer at the ready.

Its hard work, exhausting and worrying having any child poorly

. Add in regular physical interventions such as chest physiotherapy, suction to keep airways clear, seizure monitoring/management and the constant concern over whether they are reaching the point where we need to move them to hospital and you’re got a potent mix for anxiety, sleepless nights and exhaustion.

As he so often does, the little monkey bounced back almost as rapidly as he’d tanked and within days he was back to his usual self. Less than two weeks later, and he’s home from school – temperature, coughing, rattly chest.

The phrase ‘here we go again’ flies to mind, as my poor little boy passes out on the sofa, his beloved and ever faithful Merlin never far from his side. Excuse me while I hunt out the Groundhog that must be inhabiting my home somewhere (because Merlin certainly isn’t looking for it).