Influenza

Influenza and Gastroenteritis is really making its way around this year. There is always something going around but this years is something fierce! Big Daddy came down with influenza and within 12 hours it swept through our house like a raging wild-fire leaving no survivors. Last time my family has been this sick was back when me and the girls got H1N1. Big Daddy got lucky and missed out on that ordeal. He has always been better at germ spreading and not germ catching.

I am sick and miserable but I have many things to be thankful for. I admit I am a huge baby when I am sick (as is everyone in my family) but regardless of how miserable I feel I am actually feeling thankful for these sick days. I hate seeing my children so miserable but I am thankful for the moments during these exhausting times. Even while we are miserable, we are still blessed.

We get to eat lots of yummy soup, when the sore throats allow it. I made a large batch before my fever set in which we ate that evening. I have resorted to processed in the can crap. Not the most healthy but it is calories and aside from flipping a coin on who is going to heat it up I don’t have a bunch of energy. Someone needs to start a business making and delivering hot soup with bread on demand to those who are sick for a small fee. Like pizza. Genius right?

Our days are spent in our pajamas and typically piled into bed watching documentaries, reading or playing card games. The big girls have worked on school assignments as they feel up to it. I’m slightly surprised they have been able to keep from getting “behind”. We have been forced to have a vacation except with no fun and no beach. Stay-cation? Sick-cation?

Beaner is getting older and much more independent. When she is sick and running a fever it’s nice to know she still wants mommy. She still needs me to care for her and at the risk of sounding selfish being needed makes my heart happy. I love seeing her become an independent young lady, but the reminder that my first-born will always need her mommy makes my heart smile. She is getting rather big for cuddling and is beginning to find it embarrassing so I try to allow her to take the lead on the amount of affection she wants. Our interactions are ever-changing. It’s like this new dance has been invented and I trying to learn the steps (as is she) and we unintentionally step on each others toes. I have faith that one day we will both be great dancers. Until that day I will cherish the moments when she still enjoys curling up with me when she is sick. I am thankful it isn’t often but really cherish these times. Rather than climbing up on my lap and wanting me to rock her she grabs her pillow and blankets and piles next to me in a lump and whines to watch a movie with her “mommy”. I won’t complain. I hope she will always call for her mommy when she is sick.

When an entire family is sick you have to rely on team work. The one with the most energy gets to flip the channel, grab another blanket or pillow. When all else fails flip a coin. We are a team and we work together to show each-other we love each-other and we equally take care of each other.

Our bout with influenza has taught us a few things.

- buy more hand sanitizer and use it constantly.

- put latex gloves on when you go out in public, when dealing with money or when you need to shop. They make them in skin colors so you can avoid the risk of looking like a freak.

- keep a travel Lysol in my purse. Spray into the air before stepping into the car or entering home and walk into it.

- drink lots of elderberry juices.

- keep a sliced onion in each room before sickness starts.

- invest in Vicks. (put it on the bottom of your feet with a pair of socks and it helps with a cough).

- Wool socks are better than cotton when you have the chills. (A hat helps too)

- Boil vinegar and spread the vapors throughout the house to kill the germs. A natural “bug bomb” for germs.

We have contributed to boosting the economy by purchasing enough Vicks, Tylenol (adult and children), NyQuil, DayQuil and Motrin to pull our country out of debt. You can thank us later. (I have bad jokes in general. Worse when I am sick)

You really don’t want what we have. Stay home, wash your hands constantly, take your vitamins and limit contact with other people. If you catch it wait 24 hours after the fever to go out, snuggle your babies and see the silver lining that perhaps we are given these moments as memories.Good or bad, they are still memories. You can be miserable and still make good memories.  Beaner and I have had some good conversations over the last day or two. Granted they have taken place between coughing fits and naps. Were getting good at picking up where we left off even if it was two hours earlier. Life is good. If you can’t find your blessings in the worst of times what is the point of having them in the best of times. Those are easy time to realize your blessed. Well wishes to everyone out there in cyber-land.