The Sickness That Keeps Going and Going....

The last ten days have marked as some of the hardest I've endured as a mother in a very long time. (knock on wood!)

So yes, the swine flu. Has anyone else had it? Kidding. It's everywhere. Chances are if you run into someone at the grocery store who is coughing their lungs out, they have it. Send your kid to school and the kid next to them comes down with a fever---yep they're probably contagious with it. I honestly didn't think it would be that bad. I thought that a fever, a cough, some body aches and BOOM! your done! Oh boy was I wrong. Those symptoms in themselves I can handle. It's those symptoms that knock out FOUR of your CHILDREN within THREE days that really sucks. But not only that, it's not just a simple cough, oh no, it's a cough until you puke, or cough until your chest hurts.... or just cough cough cough. All night long. All four kids.

And the fevers?! Those are tricky little suckers. You think one kid had it for a day or two and they are done with it, right? Nope. The fevers came back accompanied with night sweats and chills.

And just when you think that you are out of the woods, you get slammed with secondary infections as a result from the dang first sickness! Ear infections and sinus infections, sore throats. Trips to the doctor and antibiotics. Think all is well now? NOPE, it's not! Your nine year old son will suddenly develop an allergic reaction to a common antibiotic he has taken for years. Hives!! No more amoxicillin or penicillin for that kid apparently.

So here we are on day ten. I have three kids back at school as of tomorrow. Brayden has missed 7 days of actual school. I really think he's going to have a hard time going back---he's loved his time on the couch resting. Who can blame him?

As for Owen? Well, the poor baby is still dealing with drainage (gross I know) and a nasty cough.
He took a four hour nap today, his little body is trying hard to recover.

On a more positive note, we have been so lucky to have wonderful friends who have brought us meals and even more phone calls and messages of encouragement from friends and family. I really was at a breaking point when Don informed me on Saturday that he didn't feel well, and I didn't think I could do another sick person routine. Luckily he did not get anything bad and was up and at it in no time. Last night, I got to sleep for almost the whole night too.

I'm not trying to complain here, really we feel blessed that we did not get it worse. Mostly, I am just journaling our experience with this much hyped illness. I hope all of you out there in internet world who might be reading this blog are and stay healthy this winter!