flu

So we, along with millions of other Americans, finally got it. “It” creates a lot of quality mom and child time- although that time has to often be shared because there is an abundance of “it” in our home. It has given us days free from any other plans where we can just relax at home. We have even had 7 nights of campouts! Soooo fun!!!

What is “it,” you ask? Well, that would be the flu. At first I thought it was a bad cold, but with the fevers and some kids puking… definitely the flu.

This started around January 25th when little Benjamin became sick with a “cold.” That grew progressively worse. Then, at 2 am on January 31st, 8 hours before we had to leave to watch my husband’s swearing in as a Spokane Police Officer, he was so sick that I was trying to decide if I could get to the ER to have him 1) treated and sent home in time to go to Adrian’s event, or 2) get him admitted and call a friend to sit with him while I went to Adrian’s event. Because he fell back asleep, I ironed everyone’s clothes and got ready for the day. By 3 am I had everything packed up. I went to the pantry to get a granola bar and could hear Israel SCREAMING for me from downstairs. I quietly waited to see if his sister would be able to calm him down. I breathed a sigh of relief as he quieted, only to groan- he quieted down because Presley was bringing him to see Mommy. I got him set up on the sofa with Clara and loaded up the car. When I came back, he was screaming again. I had to quiet him down quickly as Adrian’s first day of work started in a few hours and I didn’t want to wake him. So I decided to wait it out, knowing that I couldn’t get to the Doctor for 10 hours once making that decision.

(That was night 1 on the sofa. Last night was night 7 with no end in sight. *SIGH*)

After the swearing in (which was great- SO proud of Adrian, and so thankful the Lord moved mountains to bring us here), I took Benjamin to the doctor who diagnosed him with RSV. Because he was dehydrated and puking tons every time I tried to give him medicine for his fever and ear infections, we decided on 2 antibiotic shots that day and acetaminophen suppositories. (Which, by the way, sound great because they can’t puke it up… but it doesn’t mean they can’t shoot it out at you- with diarrhea- with amazing force!) She wanted to see him the following morning- and if he was any worse she may admit him.

Well, he wasn’t better, but he wasn’t worse. Thankfully, she gave him another 2 antibiotic shots and we went home. By the time we got there, other kids were getting sick. And it has basically been spiraling downward- no- swirling around the bowl- since then. Oh yes- quality mom and child time. Cancelling of all plans. Campouts on the sofa (with up to 5 kids) so dad can sleep and be able to go to work, and mom can give meds, monitor fevers, give nebulizer treatments, change diarrhea diapers, give fluids, and sleep. Oh no, wait, not that last one. What was I thinking, I must be tired.

My kitchen table looks like a pharmacy- loaded with OTC and prescription drugs and vitamins. Last night I had to go to Walmart at 3 am for more medicine and popsicles. Eva and Israel were getting no other fluids but popsicles. Israel is now on antibiotics for an ear infection, and so the Table Pharmacy keeps growing. I even had a friend bring me some more Albuterol for our nebulizer- I wasn’t expecting Cory and Eva to need it- and I was down to rationing it out!

So that is the background for the conversation Becca heard today.

Presley and J’onn were sitting at the table, and J’onn was about to take some medicine and vitamins. She told him to “take the orange pill, I love it, it’s yummy!” (A Vitamin C chewable.) Eva, barely coherent on the sofa, chimed in with a completely monotone voice, “No it isn’t – it’s disgusting.” Presley again, “It’s good, it tastes like fruit!” Monotone Eva, “No it doesn’t, it tastes like fruit socks.”

So chew up those fruit socks, J’onny. Stop puking when I give you Elderberry juice, Cory. Stop fighting me on EVERY SINGLE PILL OR LIQUID I come at you with, Eva. Stop pushing those suppositories out like a bullet, Benjamin.

I know the Lord will see us through this. And I need to feign competence here, as I don’t want my husband to think his wife can’t handle this now that he has a job he has to be there for at scheduled times! (It’s been years!) I’m just thankful my flu has been minimal, so I have just enough energy left to clean the kitchen chairs Cory just puked all over. Every single leg, really?

On a more positive note, Benjamin took his first crawls yesterday, and today has been crawling all over. Just one more thing to keep an eye on….

Since November, we have had about 2 (non-consecutive) weeks when there was not some cold, flu or other virus ravaging our house. Just as I was hoping Clara’s “smoker’s hack” was going to be the last of the sickness around here due to an early rise in temperatures outside, Eva got sick. She woke up with a fever yesterday, and had it all day long. At bedtime, she was sitting on our bed with her Daddy and started coughing. That coughing led to puking.

Now this is where my laundry comes in. We have sooo much laundry in this household! I have a sign in the laundry room that I often read and just sigh. It says: This Home is Full of Endless Love & Laundry. I have to make a planned effort to get extra loads done. Like my bedding for example. Just this Thursday, I was able to get my comforter washed. And yesterday, I got my sheets and all the rest of the laundry done, too. Although, “all the rest” lasted about 15 minutes, because four kids went in the hot tub and threw their wet towels on their clothes that had only been worn for 3 hours. Yes, those are the same clothes they should have put back on instead of getting new outfits out. Then they played with sidewalk chalk, and J’onn had to change again since it looked like he rolled around in it. So between 12 and 3, a whole load of dirty laundry was made by 4 kids. That is why when Eva started puking on my bed last night, I was panicking inside.

I suppose a truly selfless, loving mother would instantly think “Oh baby, I’m so sorry you are sick! Here, let me catch it in my hands.” But that was definitely not my reaction. I grabbed a baby blanket and threw it at Adrian (obviously to protect my fresh, clean linens), and ran for a wet towel. The thoughts tumbling in my mind mainly had to do with laundry- sheets, blankets, comforters, towels, and pukey pajamas. It is true, other thoughts popped in, like, “Oh, this might be a long night” (it was), and please don’t let anyone else catch this. And there was a “poor baby” thought or two that tumbled around as well, but in all honesty, my bedding worries were louder than the rest.

As I ran back into my bedroom, I saw Adrian with puke all over him. It was spewed across his shirt and dripping down his arm, but thankfully he was protecting my bed with the baby blanket. I expected a reaction of exasperation from him, but what I heard was, “Baby, you’ve got to start chewing your food. These noodles are too long!”

Eva finished getting rid of her spaghetti dinner, and I took the blanket from Adrian’s hand. When I did, my eyes took in the true horror of the situation: there was puke everywhere. It was on the sheets, on the down comforter’s duvet, on the top comforter- it was on every layer of bedding. In fact, about 90% of the puke was on my bedding! I don’t even know how that happened! When I threw the baby blanket to Adrian, it was like making a three-pointer! Right on target!

I just don’t get how this happened. My only guess is that because his thoughts were “selfless,” and his focus on Eva alone, he let the bedding slide. This was even more surprising to me because it was his side of the bed that got hit! On top of that, he probably has no idea about the laundry or bedding situation in our home. What a good daddy. (Notice I didn’t say husband- a good husband would’ve been concerned with his wife’s laundry!) Priorities, I guess. In the end, he had them in order.

I could write for a while about laundry, pukey kids and being up all night, but unfortunately, I have a lot of dirty laundry to wash today so I need to get started.

P.S. Eva is doing much better this morning, but I need a nap.

9littlearrows

Adventures of a Mom of 11

Fruit Socks

Airing Dirty Laundry