How to keep a drip in a 17 month old?

We have had a horrific few days, Zoe has been very ill and ended up being taken by ambulance to Orleans hospital, which was built as a childrens hospital.  After having the swine flu jab on Wednesday afternoon she couldn't keep any food down.  As we were travelling and busy we didn't give it enough attention I just kept thinking after her next meal she wont be sick and when we ge home and she has a good sleep she will be fine.  I now know sick once = rehydration salts, sick twice = doctor.

On sunday morning she had a seizure and was unconscious for about ten minutes, James was amazing and calmly phoned 112 the european emergency services whilst I put her in the recovery position, silently panicking whilst my heart broke.  There were nine paramedics in our living room! From what I can understand its because they send the nearest first - every town has volunteer fire people who are first aiders, the last were paedratic specialists.  We have both never been so glad to hear her cry after being unconcious for what seemed like eternity.  Forty minutes after the first fit she was in Urgencies and on a drip to return her blood sugar to normal, she had two more seizures in hospital, we were so glad when she started to get better but for two days we were worried sick.  The doctors said she was hypoglycemic because she was very poorly, which is not enough blood glucose to fuel the brain, our bodies are meant to keep sugar levels higher to stop thing like this happening but obviously things can go wrong.

Good view of the Cathedrale St Croix

The swine flu jab information leaflet was worse than useless, it has been so dumbed down that it doesn't even have the technical name of the vaccination on the cover, of course 'swine flu' means nothing to the French and as it wasn't a routine vaccination it wasn't recorded in the Red Book, very embarrasing in a country where the population hold their own doctors notes.

Exhausted but happy Mummy

This has to be the absolutely worse thing that can ever happen in a foreign country and I think we all coped incredibly well.  All in all my experience of French hospital - V. good but not something we ever want to repeat!  She's bounced back to being beautiful, cheeky, loving Zoe now!

Homecoming cuddles with Daddy