I Spoke Too Soon

A mere few hours after writing that last post I was down and out with this most horrible stomach flu. I have never in my life felt so bad and threw up so much. Pretty picture...I know:) I locked myself in my room which has a half bath. After about 2 hours I was writhing on my bed after going back and forth to the...well you know...when I heard Cam in the kitchen. Yes, it had begun for him too. Great! Two parents both sick at the same time. My poor hubby was getting sick in the kitchen while trying to feed our tribe dinner. I was too sick to even get up and help him. We had the same idea...just get these babies in bed! He got pj's on the babies while dodging the restroom...or bucket in hand and put them to bed. It was at least an hour before their already early bedtime of 7:00. Oh well, what else could we do? I passed into sleep and woke at 8:00. I found Cam lying in the hallway outside the bathroom. The boys had put a blanket on him and brought him a pillow. The boys were watching a movie. I called for them to come to bed, stood in their room while they got in bed and then stumbled back to my room.

It was a horrible night's sleep but at least the vomiting had stopped. We awoke to a house of hungry kids. I thought I was feeling better until I stood up....whoosh...dizzy with a bad headache!!! I started toaster waffles for the kids and quickly had to pull out a chair to sit on. With my head laid on the counter I buttered waffles and threw them out like Frisbees. The kids started to complain about them not being cut up...I gave them a death glare and that was the end of it.

Basically we spent the day taking turns attending to the kids. There was no school due to Veteran's Day so we had a houseful. Cam put in a call to his mom early in the day. She made a drive-by and drop (aka...run for your health) of pizza, Gatorade, and Popsicles. At least the kids wouldn't starve. They enjoyed pizza for lunch AND dinner. During nap time Cam and I crawled under the covers and slept. I think it was the longest day of my life...surely one of the longest and sickest....blech! We made it until 6:30 and when we couldn't take any more we put the kids to bed. We laid on our bed together and ate Popsicles. After sleeping all night we are better today. Able to care for our brood. Still dizzy and shaky but moving, dressed, and showered:)

The most amazing thing...dare I type this...is that the only one (in case you weren't counting) that hasn't fallen ill...is our pint sized dynamite....Sis! I'd like to know her secret???

A few things I'm thankful for today: (I almost forgot to do this...I wonder why?)

Getting better

Not having chronic illness

Freezer waffles

Pepto-bismal

Cam

The Sick House

Thinking...this family could use a trip to the beach:)

I've been absent from my blog...I have a house of sick kids. When we first became a family of 7 I remember Cam and I talking about how busy things were going to be. We specifically talked about what would happen...if God forbid...all 5 kids got the stomach flu!!! Well, it's taken 16 months but it has happened. UGH! Tuba started in on Sat. night at bedtime. He was in the bathroom every 15 minutes all night long....which was so awful. He could barely move the next day. Mr. P started yesterday morning followed by Baby George at nap time. Same thing for those boys...every 15-20 minutes of wretching dry heaves...poor babies. Lethargic little ones all around. One hour after bedtime last night Busy Guy was hit with it full force. Poor guy. Had to change his sheets 4 times last night. Today everyone is laying low. Watching more movies and resting and trying to re-hydrate.


Sis on the other hand is her usual spirited self. She is running circles around us all. I've said a millions times, "get away from your brother's barf bowl". Now, that's not a sentence I envisioned myself saying in this lifetime:) She was up this morning carting two coats around wearing her shoes a diaper and pj top. He was carrying around a purse stuffed with junk and wanted to go "bye-bye". Cam just took her to run an errand and have a special treat. They can get some fresh air and enjoy getting out of the sick house. In all of this I'm so thankful for many things:





I haven't been hit....yet?


Cam was home yesterday to help me as we held limp sick wee ones.


Cam stayed home today to help me....God bless this man.


The vomiting didn't last more than 12 hours.


Our huge library of kid movies.


Snuggle time.

The Return

I'm back...I've returned...I've been gone 3 days. I've been sick...so sick...and in bed for 3 days. Tuba and I both have strep throat...a nasty...terrible, horrible painful as all get out version of strep. I spent the last 3 days alternating shivering cold or sweating hot from fevers. My throat felt like I swallowed shards of glass...and then drank lemon juice, I had body aches and swollen lymph nodes in my belly that made me wince, oh, and the lymph nodes in my neck were huge and so tender. Any noise sent my ears ringing and my head clanging. I've been on Zithromax since Tues. and just today could emerge from my deep dark cave of my bedroom. I've done nothing but lay in bed...and of course nurse Baby George when he was hungry...which I think was every half an hour. Plus, Tuba felt the same as I did...horrible. He also has spent the time laying down...much of it in bed with me.

Now, for the blessings. God has blessed me immensely. As I lay in my bed feeling so horrid I thought about the people around the world that do not have access to antibiotics or pain medication...or even a Doctor. I laid in a plush bed in a warm dry home. I had tea, and soup, and popsicles or anything else I wanted to eat. I had clean water to sip and warm water to bathe in. Also, only one of the 4 kids was sick...I kept praying that nobody else would get strep...my prayer continues.

The greatest blessing was that I had Cam. He was home...already scheduled to be off work and not have class again until Fri. (today). He took over...everything except feeding the baby. I was able to retreat and rest...when I'm sick I usually cannot do that. I really appreciate his hard work while I was out of it. The icing on the cake (not sure if having strep could be compared to a cake...but oh, well) was what Cam said to me....it's the nicest thing he's ever said to me...ever. He told me that he really appreciates what I do and how hard it is!!! Now, he always says he appreciates me but it's that acknowledgement that it is hard work that was so great.


Laying in bed I really missed my job. I missed my sweet babies...except Baby George who got to spend oodles of time laying with me in bed. The nicest thing was on Wed. when Tuba, Baby George, the cat Shiloh and I took a big long nap together. It was so warm and cozy and special. So, although I DO NOT want to be sick like that again...ever...there were some nice things about it too.


Tuba and I are out of bed today...still in our pj's and slippers...but feeling better. Thank God for our many blessings and for our health.