The Resilience of Little Ones

Our unexpected hospital journey with Chiara 

There are weeks where work slows down, plans pause, and life quietly reminds you what matters most.

Last week was one of those weeks for our family.

Our little Chiara — one of the little inspirations behind TravelTod — was hospitalized unexpectedly for five nights following an emergency appendix surgery at just two years old.

It all started very subtly on Tuesday morning. She woke up uncomfortable, holding her belly, wanting to stay lying down most of the day. No crying. No dramatic signs. Just soft whining, unusual tiredness, and a quiet discomfort only a parent somehow senses is not quite right.

Some medicine helped temporarily. She showered, ate a little, even played slightly during the day. But that night everything shifted. She woke up repeatedly, uncomfortable and unsettled. By the third wake-up, I carried her straight to emergency. Her little belly looked bloated and she softly asked to “go to the doctor.”

At the hospital, an X-ray showed nothing obvious. Blood tests revealed infection levels were high. I insisted on an ultrasound — one of the clearest ways to properly detect appendicitis in little ones.

That ultrasound changed everything.

Her appendix measured 9mm, significantly enlarged, with risk of perforation. She was immediately admitted, connected to antibiotics through a drip, and we waited to hear when surgery could happen.

Hours passed with uncertainty. Maybe in four hours. Maybe late evening. Maybe overnight. The waiting felt endless.

Thankfully, after calling our pediatrician, she connected us with a specialized children’s surgeon and quickly secured an operating theatre at Mount Elizabeth Orchard Hospital. Within a short time, we were transferred by ambulance and Chiara underwent nearly two hours of surgery.

The surgery went well. Her appendix was removed successfully.

But recovery became its own journey.

One of the bacteria detected required intravenous antibiotics only, meaning our energetic little girl had to remain in hospital for five nights connected to drips, blood tests, medication, cables, machines, and endless monitoring.

And yet… somehow, she smiled.

That is what I will remember most.

Not the fear.
Not the exhaustion.
Not the sleepless nights.

But her resilience.

Watching a toddler slowly regain strength day after day was one of the most emotional lessons motherhood has ever given me. What felt traumatic to us as parents somehow became a reminder of how incredibly strong children truly are.

We found joy in puzzles.
In colouring books.
In storytelling.
In “hospital school with mom.”
In tiny walks through hospital corridors pushing her unicorn balloon companion beside her.

Little by little, she regained confidence:
“I can sit by myself.”
“I can walk.”
“I can play again.”

The nurses adored her gentle spirit. Every night before sleeping, through the cables and drips, she would smile, hold my arm and say:
“Okay mom, now let’s sleep.”

And so we did.

This journey also reminded us how beautiful family teamwork truly is.

While Chiara and I stayed through the hospital days and nights, dad became the calm strength holding everything else together. From the very beginning, he was the one who looked at her symptoms at home and quietly said, “I think this might be her appendix.”

And while the girls were at the hospital, the boys created their own special rhythm together.

There was school drop-offs, boys bonding time, food deliveries, little surprises, funny brother-sister video calls, and endless efforts to keep joy alive between hospital visits. Ian adapted so beautifully beside his dad through it all, understanding far more than we imagined for a four-year-old.

Motherhood may tell one side of the story — but moments like these remind me parenthood is truly a team journey. The strength, calm and love of a father quietly carry a family in ways words often don’t fully capture.

This journey also reminded us how beautiful sibling love can be.

Her brother Ian, only four years old, became one of the strongest parts of her recovery. The same day we were meant to leave for a family holiday — luggage packed and excitement everywhere — we instead found ourselves entering emergency.

And somehow, he understood.

He adapted quickly, stayed positive, entertained his sister every single day, brought toys, applied bandaids, made her laugh, and reminded all of us that love inside a family can carry enormous strength.

When Chiara was finally discharged from Mount Elizabeth Orchard, she surprised him by picking him up from school. The smile they shared seeing each other again after those long hospital days is a moment I will never forget.

This motherhood journey reminded me of something powerful:

Family first. Always.

There are moments in life when everything else can wait. Emails can wait. Meetings can wait. Social media can wait.

But our little ones cannot.

We chose motherhood.
We chose parenthood.
And somehow, through every difficult moment, our children choose us back too.

As founders, parents, dreamers, and caregivers, we often try to balance everything perfectly. But this past week reminded me that sometimes the bravest thing we can do is simply pause — fully, unapologetically — and be present.

Chiara is now home recovering beautifully, bringing laughter back into our home, back into her brother’s days, and slowly back into her normal little world.

And for that, we are endlessly grateful.

Love, 

Giselle