Easter. The holiday that ends before it has even started. (Part 1)

Day -2  Wednesday.  Two days before the school holiday, I got a sudden call from EggEgg's kindy.  "Your child is sick, and we couldn't find his asthma puffer."  What? He is usually quite careful about packing it into his school bag.  So I shoved the two younger kids into the car, and got to the school in no time.  EggEgg gave me a limp smile when I turned up at the sick bay.  He could barely carry his own school bag, yet I couldn't help him as I have got baby in one arm and Cola in the other hand.  By the time EggEgg got home, he's sleeping away, puffing Ventolin round the clock.

Day -1  Thursday.  It was supposed to be EggEgg's Easter Hat parade at kindy today, we hate to miss it, as this is the first time in years when he could actually sing the songs, designed and made his very own hat. The doctor was not optimistic, "The long weekend is approaching, if EggEgg needs medical attention, please go to your nearest ER."  She prescribed a strong steroid to bring down his inflammation for the next 3 days.

Day 0  Good Friday. Apologies sent to church friends and family friends to cancel all events in the next couple of days.  "When are we going for the bike ride/ Easter show/ park?" Cola asked.  "When EggEgg gets better."  I've forbidden EggEgg to ride his trike inside the house, or run around in the garden.

Day 1  Saturday.  Inevitably, Cola and Bobo caught the bug too.  Both of them are coughing and feverish.  Panadol marathon for the next 48 hours.  "Please, don't have another seizure." I quietly prayed, as we have just been to ER last month when Cola has a seizure due to a sudden fever.  The kids (who never rests, who dropped their day time nap as soon as they turn one year old) are now truly sick, as they just sleep day and night, day and night.

Day 2  Easter Sunday. Cola begin throwing horrible tantrums all day long.  He whinges at the slightest provocation, have abysmal appetite, eczema, runny nose all came back with a vengeance.  I'm beginning to have symptoms too.

Day 3  Monday.  Oh, I should mention the flooded basement. In the past few days, whenever we have a long shower or bath, the basement floor gets wet as the water is not draining away. "I'll get the plumber to have a look later.  Tomorrow! Tomorrow is another day."  In the meantime, we rationed our water usage: 3pm for kids shower, 6pm for baby bath, 9pm for adult shower, midnight for dishwasher, and 8am morning for washing machine... We are barely holding the fort.

Day 4  Tuesday.  The basement begin to stank of poo and urine.  The smell creeps upwards, and I couldn't access the laundry room without feeling disgusted. The kids are forbidden to play in the toy room downstairs. Tonton kept mopping and disinfecting the laundry every night after work. As the mountain of unwashed clothes pile up, so is my sense of dread and frustration.

Day 5  Wednesday.  Tonton is trying to be cheerful.  He bought a high pressure water jet hose used by plumbers, and after dinner, we wander into the dark sewer pipes outside like thieves in the night, and made a first attempt to unblock the drainage. "No, I can't see anything.  The pump is too noisy, do you think it'll wake the neighbours?  Let's do this again tomorrow morning!"  Tonton's hands are disgustingly black.  Catch-22: how do you wash yourself if you do not have a working shower? And if you need to mop up after a shower, how to you get yourself clean again?

Day 6  Thursday.  "It should be fine now, give it a try. Do a load of laundry, will ya?"  He gave me the ok after he has made another attempt at 6am in the morning before work.  By midday, after one load of laundry, I can see lint and unspeakable things floating on the laundry floor.  "I don't care, I am calling the plumber right now!!"