Holiday sickness is inevitable

We got through Thanksgiving scott free... but Christmas caught us.
Family, friends, holidays= GERMS!

We are SICK!

Wednesday at noon, after having Christmas at home, Livi asked to go take a nap.  Weird.  She kinda-maybe had a low grade fever, so we gave her Motrin & sent her to bed.  She woke up a solid 102.... walked out in the hallway...and puked. 

We have spent the days since giving motrin & tylenol on a rotating basis every 3 hours.  Like setting alarm clocks to not miss a dose to keep that fever under 102.  Like an all out cold wash clothes on her head & neck, radiating heat, roasting, would probably be 105 if left untreated, fever.  Like forcing fluids & keeping a "charting" sheet of her meds & voids (thank goodness she is still peeing!) fever.  She has puked a few times, mostly just from coughing or taking tylenol on an empty stomach.  She coughs... and coughs... and coughs.  And looks pale, awful, exhausted!  Poor baby.  She has her up moments yesterday & today, they are short bursts & she naps quite a bit.   Her fever came & went  a little today, but it still hangs out up there a lot.  She ate a little.  She looks like she got hit by a truck.  We have given her albuterol a few times, mostly just as a precaution, but so far it appears she is handling this sickness ok from a respiratory standpoint! 

Hayden, Thursday, puked once.  Has a horrible cough.  Is currently "sleeping" with us in bed so he can sleep sitting up to drain his sinuses.  Has a fever of 99.5 (which for him is a high fever).  But has managed to keep eating somewhat.  So far he's not taking it nearly as hard as Liv, but his fever shouldn't wipe him out like hers I'm sure does.

Logan's cough just started today.  His temp is maybe 99.  But its him I'm worried about.  Not now, but he is my fever kid & if Livi's fever is so high, he will be 107 if he gets this to the extent she has it.  I'm certain of it.  So we're keeping a close eye on his fluids & temp, but so far so good.

And I feel awful today.  Partially lack of sleep.  But my head & neck hurt so bad today at work that I thought my head would surely explode.  I was in cold sweats on & off.  Sweaty hands.  I was freezing & discovered when I got home from work around 12:30, that I had a temp of 99.2 (which for me is very high) & now its 99.7.  My stomach is iffy, I have eaten a little bit, but not taken any motrin or tylenol because I feel like its going to upset my stomach & I'll feel even worse.  I got in a good nap & that helped quite a bit.  But I just feel on the crummy side.

Analeigh tested positive for influenza A a week or 10 days ago, despite getting the flu shot.  And I have heard several pediatricians at work say they have seen quite a bit of it in patients who got vaccinated, so its not covering well this year.  So I'm fairly certain thats what we've got.  Our symptoms match hers exactly.  Her fever lasted 7-8 days, so I think we are in this one for the long haul.  They complain of no ear aches.  Everyone is peeing.  No one is in respiratory distress.  Everyone I know who has this sickness is going to the Dr & being told its viral, so we're just laying low & waiting for it to work its way out.  Hurry please!  Actully one of my co-workers daughter has this crud too.  She is 8 & feels so awful her pediatrician gave her some Tylenol with Codeine for her aches.  Makes me wonder how awful my babies feel from all that coughing & coughing :(

Good thing Santa got us lots of new DVDs in our stockings to make the lazy days on the pull out couch just a little brighter.  And good thing so far daddy is still standing!  He has done such an amazing job with the kids while I worked & napped!

Livi has been carrying around a bowl, because she is worried she is going to puke again.  So the boys think they need bowls too.  They even cried getting tucked into bed because "I need my cough bowl in bed."  They hold them up over their faces when they cough.  That technique would do absolutely nothing to catch any puke if it happened, but I guess it covers their cough?  (and makes me giggle a little bit)

Hope everyone else is staying healthy!!