It's like a plague that won't go away!

I actually thought we would escape this cold/flu virus going around this year.
My kids all have pretty strong immune systems, but they all had the nasal flu spray back in October...I was on top of it. I didn't believe we'd escape completely...but I just hoped we could avoid the vomiting part.

I was wrong. 

[If you don't want to read about yucky colds and flu and all that gross stuff...feel free to skip this post]

The way our house works with a cold or flu bug: Once one person has it, no one will escape un-infected.

R had a cold for a few days, of which he powered through and sucked it up at school. He didn't really have a choice to miss school since he was coming off of a suspension for bringing a lighter to school. yeah. He didn't have any fever with his cold, and it was gone in 3 or 4 days. He doesn't like being attended to when he is sick.

Miss Moe had a really gross sounding head cold. She's very girly about it, but maintains hygiene really well when sick. But no fever. Just your typical sore throat, cough, congestion, sneezing, loss of voice, etc. This girl should have stayed home, but she LOVES school so much she refused to stay home. [This is the daughter who can't wait for summer to be over so she can go back to school]!

I tried to bribe her to stay home - she wasn't having it. She said the only way she'd stay home is if puke was coming out of her mouth AND she had a fever. I stopped fighting her on that one because I knew I wouldn't win. [and it was during benchmarks]. I know her cold lasted so long because of her stubborn headedness to keep truckin' herself to school everyday.

[spare me the comments about sending my kids to school when they're sick because it spreads the virus blah. blah. They have straight A's and love school, getting them to stay home is like a punishment].

Then I got the head cold...and still have it. I'm not at the point where I'm not miserable anymore...it's just lingering in my system and probably won't go away until late Spring - my body doesn't like cold weather!

Joe has been fighting the cold/flu [whatever] for months weeks. I keep loading him up on vitamins and H2O [he says it's because of the flu vaccine - I don't get the vaccine because I had a bad experience and I'm personally not a believer that it's good for you unless you're over the age of 60 - then it's probably a good idea]. I know he hasn't gotten it yet because of all the vitamins and supplements I've been sticking in his morning pill box. HA. {he has no idea what he takes everyday}.

Then there is my Ty. Oh goodness gracious! Homeboy is a hot mess! Nothing like the other 2 who are fairly self sufficient in blowing their nose, getting to the toilet on time, etc. Not Ty.

This is nothing new...he's been like that since he was 2 - the horror flu plague of 2008 & 2010 - I cringe just thinking about it! I have no problem asking pleading for help when I need it, calling Joe's Mom at midnight in straight panic, crying "Vomit, so much vomit...we need help!" Thank goodness for wonderful in-laws!

Anyways, he's on his 3rd day home...and I had to call for reinforcements yesterday. I'm weak. I cannot do bodily fluids. Vomit. Diarrhea. Cleaning them up off your floors. No. No. Joe needed to come home asap.

As I was taking Ty's temperature, I see the number fly right past 100, 101, 102, 103....I start freaking out on the inside! It stopped at 103.8. As I stood there frozen for a moment - I watch Ty start dry heaving and running to his bathroom. I just closed my eyes and thought, "Oh Lord help me, give me strength, poor kid can't be alone in this right now and I just have to deal with whatever is around that corner and all the way down my hallway."

I was imagining the worst. Which in Ty's history of the vomits is really bad - as in, all over the walls, my mattress, my carpets, down the hallway, all over him, projectile vomiting like in Pitch Perfect BAD. 

Someone must've been listening because he made it to the toilet for the FIRST TIME in his 10 years of life! Thank you God! I haven't really ever been the parent to do the comforting in these sick times - that's usually all Joe. But I had to this time. I was the only one home. And I did it! We both survived, and I didn't get sick. I did still call Joe home from work to be home the rest of the day...I didn't want to push my luck too far! ;)

Since Ty takes medication for his ADHD and it affects his blood pressure, we took him to the Doctor to have him checked to make sure it was just a cold/flu bug and not related to the medication or any side effects he may have been having. The Doctor said it's most likely just a cold/sinus virus, and the vomiting could have been from the high fever. Not sure why it's more severe than what the other two and I had - but everyone gets sick differently.

He's feeling better today, and has his appetite back. We didn't take any antibiotics home or any medicine for that matter - just going to let it run its course and keep a watch on him. He's been drinking lemon tea with honey, lots of H2O and some low cal Gaterade, and Zarbee's Cough Syrup. Which is awesome stuff because it's drug free! And it works!!  I've been giving him half the dose of Motrin to help keep his fever at bay, and Mucinex to help push out the junk in his chest. He gags on the Mucinex though, so it's not easy giving him that one.

Hopefully he can return to school tomorrow...I'm optimistic! I'm forcing naps today and mandatory hydrating times. We all need to get back on schedule!!

Hope everyone else's week is going better than ours here...and if the kiddo is in school tomorrow that means I can get outside, run, and come back with some photos for you all to see how beautiful it is here this time of year!

[Sorry for the no photo post and talk of gross sickness]

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The winner will receive a Nerdy Pumpkin cosmetic bag of their choice, from my Etsy shop, and a Gift Card! Good Luck!!