Sick of sick

We've been sick for nearly 2 weeks and I finally feel like I'm coming up for air.  Ugh! 

I HATE being sick.  As children the first sign of a sneeze or cough would send my mother into cleaning hysterics.  She'd Lysol (preferably Gold Can) the entire house.  There was no laying in bed all day recouping.  My mother was vigilant about cleanliness and was terrified of cross-contamination.  She'd boil water and pour it all over the sink and dishes, strip down every bed and wash every article the sick person dreamed of touching.  It was madness.  And of course, I had to inherit these same traits.

It started with Karissa coming home from school on March 16, with the chills.  As soon as we got home she went to bed and slept for 4 hours!  That evening she developed a fever that would last for 4 days.  She was congested and had a terrible cough that moved her to tears.  She missed 3 days of school.  There went her perfect attendance for the year!

As soon as Karissa was on the mend, I got it.  Yuck!  I still worked each day and then was lucky Matt came home so I could go to bed.  Two days later I felt a better and ended up washing 7 loads of laundry.  (Thanks Mom)  Every bed in the house was clean.  Every towel and article of clothing was washed and rewashed, or so it seemed.  I wiped down every bathroom and doorknob, bleached the kitchen.  I had high hopes no one else would get sick.

The next day Andrew fell victim to the nasty cold.  It started with a whimper and was followed by 4 days of 102 degree fever.  I immediately took him to the Dr.  The penny-pinchers at Kaiser must have felt sorry for me because they prescribed him antibiotics and albuterol.  (By the way albuterol hypes kids up.  At least they warned me.)  I'm pretty sure Andrew had it the worst.  For 5 days and nights he didn't sleep.  He'd whine, moan and cry in a fight for an ounce of sleep.  It was heart wrenching to watch.  He fought Matt and I on every drop of medication.  We had to force it down him.  This only resulted in a hoarse newborn-like cry which made Matt and I feel worse.  In those days I think Andrew took at least 5 baths a day.   It was the only thing that would soothe and cool his achy body and possibly even coax a smile.

I'm happy to report he is finally on the mend.  We even went to the park today.

Well, we aren't out of the woods.  Matt is now battling the cold.  He is just congested which is causing major headaches.  But so far no chills or fever.  Whew!

Oh and Addison, the only child who got the flu shot, has been totally fine.  Go figure.  I guess I'll have to rethink my feelings of abstinence towards the flu shot.