Side Effects on Mom

My daughter has just gone home after spending a couple of nights with us.  She's unsteady on her feet and feels lousy.  Today we increased the 7am dose by a small amount, of one of her seizure drugs.  Two hours later she complained of dizziness and after eating breakfast, threw it all up.

The dilemma has repeated itself over the years of whether to report it now to the doctor, only to be told to keep at it until her body adjusts or to just watch and wait.  I'm tempted often to call the doctor and tell him to come over and let him watch and wait with her, holding back her hair as she vomits, passing the kleenex, helping her rinse out her mouth - not really major nursing but distressing enough, especially if it's happening to your baby regardless of age.  It also takes time, it takes love, it takes faith and I feel stretched in all three.

  I hate the side effects as much as she does, knowing that her body is trying to throw off something it thinks is toxic, and no doubt it is.   Feeling helpless and hopeless doesn't improve the quality of life and I don't want to indulge in a bowl of pity.  She's the one with the condition, not I.  She's the one I love and want to see well and happy and all I can do is clip back her hair, rub her back as she's heaving over the porcelain throne, tell her she'll feel better soon, then try my best to believe it.