School Starting = Viruses Going Around

Now that school has started, there are several viruses going around. Conall woke up in the middle of the night with a fever. I gave him some Tylenol and it went down and hasn't been back up since. Several of his classmates have been out of school in the last week or so with one virus or another. I'm just praying we don't get the swine flu.
The challenge this morning has been keeping Conall still and quiet so that the fever doesn't go back up. The other big challenge has been keeping Caitlin from stirring him up. They each play quietly on their own, but when they get together they get pretty rambunctious. And, of course, Conall fits the typical male "grouchy, baby me constantly when I'm sick" personality. Fun!

First Day of Summer Vacation

Today was Conall's first day of summer vacation. I think he's had an idea in his head that summer vacation is going to be a huge party. I've tried to dissuade him from this for the last month or so, but regardless, he woke up today ready to go!

Unfortunately for Conall, mommy and daddy have caught a virus. We both went to the doctor today so we could get something for this horrible, nagging cough that has been keeping us awake at night. We think now that Conall probably had this to begin with and that it caused his ear infection. He still has a cough some at night. Needless to say, Conall's first day of summer vacation wasn't the party he thought it would be!

Puke, Mother's Day, More Puke

Caitlin woke me at 3 a.m. this morning puking. At first, I thought it was reflux, then the dry heaves started. About an hour later she puked again and had dry heaves again. By then, it was thundering every few minutes and there was no getting her back to bed.

When Conall woke up, Stu got up with the kids and let me go back to sleep. Caitlin managed to keep everything down all day and we gradually stepped her up to more normal foods and thoughts of a virus soon passed. She didn't have a fever or diarrhea, and as the day wore on she ate better and better. She napped and played normally and it was a really wonderful day.

Then, on the way to grandma's she puked a little in the car. We didn't think too much of it -- a child puking around here at least once a week seems to be the norm. She ate a big dinner, which concerned me, because reflux can make you feel hungry and make you eat too much to try to make the burn go away. At the same time, I hated to stop her since she hasn't eaten too well the last few days.

Caitlin went to bed really well, but then it hit! After being in bed about 15 minutes, she puked every last drop of her dinner. Now I'm wondering if she has a virus or if her reflux is suddenly out of control, you know, since Conall's is better.

Can't have both kids eating well and not puking at the same time, can we?

Long Naps Are Healing

Despite what Conall thinks, mom is right and naps are a good thing. He took a 3 hour nap yesterday afternoon and woke up feeling much better, and he seems to be much better this morning.

We aren't out of the woods yet -- at least, not until we're sure Caitlin isn't going to get it! And, of course, my car smells like puke. Conall managed to puke on the carpeting in the floorboard and on the one corner where the carpeting and leather meet. My spray cleaner and Febreeze haven't done the trick, so if anyone has a suggestion, I'd be happy to hear it.

If everyone stays well, the kids and I are off to Fort Smith later this week to spend a few days with my dad. Hopefully, that will keep Conall entertained for part of his Spring Break.

Today

Conall seems to be better today. No sign of fever and thus far no puking or diarrhea. He did go to bed early tonight and without a bath or stories, which is very unusual for him. I'm hoping he's just tired from being sick and sleeping to recuperate.

The rest of us seem to be ok -- I just hope it stays that way.

New Virus? Same Virus?

Conall is puking again tonight -- about 3 different times and once it was even in the car! Oh, joy -- to own things that won't reek of vomit for the rest of their life/usefulness period.

Conall also has diarrhea, which I don't think he's ever had, even as a baby. I'm wondering if this is the same thing he started with or if we caught something new while at the doctor's office yesterday (since we were there for so long).

On another note, earlier in the day, Conall seemed so much better, with no fever or puking for over 24 hrs., that I took the kids to the park this afternoon. They had a great time, so I guess at least there is that. The puking and diarrhea didn't start until we went to the grocery store this evening.

That's all that's new here. He'll miss his soccer game in the morning and we may have to cancel going to the Daffodil Festival on Wye Mountain this weekend. We'll have to see.

Illness Update

After sitting in the doctor's office for 2 1/2 hours, I now know that Conall does not have strep throat. However, he does probably have a 24 hour-or-so virus. By the time we got to our appointment, he had no fever. Go figure!

Too Good

It was just too good to be true ... Conall is puking again tonight.

My Sweet Boy

Conall is such a sweet, sensitive little boy. After he woke up puking, I cleaned him and his bed up. He kept crying and screaming every time I touched him while I was helping him change his clothes. At first I thought he was upset at puking or that my hands were too cold (he also has a fever). He was crying and told me "don't touch me!" and kept moving away from me.

I made him tell me why he didn't want me to touch him, in case something else was wrong. He burst into tears and said "I don't want you to get my virus -- you'll get it if you touch me!" I gave him a huge hug and explained as best I could that touching him wouldn't make me get sick.

How sweet that, as sick as he is, he was worried about his mommy getting sick! My eyes tear up just thinking about it. He is such a sweet, kind-hearted little boy.

I hate that my babies have been/are this sick!

Round 2

Well, I guess it was inevitable. Conall now has this horrible virus. I wonder who is next?

Here We Go Again

Here we go again -- we're on to the next virus. Caitlin started puking last night around 8 and hasn't stopped since -- dry heaves and everything. She was up most of the night with it.

We took her to the doctor this morning, but unfortunately, unless she gets much worse, there isn't anything they can give her to stop it because of her age. The doctor warned me that the diarrhea is next.

The good news is that she is still hydrated and doesn't have a fever. I just hope and pray that no one else in our family gets this. It has been horrible thus far! Poor little bug.

Just In Time For Christmas ...

We're sick. Fun!
I just got over a stomach virus that had me down all day/night Saturday. Now, Caitlin has a fever. I wonder who is next and what it will be! I'm feeling very Scrooge-like -- I'm ready for Christmas to get here and be over.

Relapse

Conall appears to have had a relapse today. He puked and had a fever of 100 or so. He fell asleep sitting on the couch with his daddy this evening, yet another sign he wasn't feeling well. And all day long Stu and I kept asking each other "what is wrong with him?" because his behavior was so BAD. So, based on the fever and puking, we're pretty sure it is a relapse. I hope it goes away soon and he starts feeling and staying better.

Quick Update

I have a bunch of photos from the last week or two, including the kids decorating the Christmas tree, that I haven't posted yet. Caitlin started getting sick Friday night with puking and a high fever. We got her in to the after hours clinic and tested for strep. Luckily, the strep test was negative, but she still had a rough night Friday night and again Saturday night.

The good news is that her fever has broken and seems to be gone. The other good news is that she weighed 23lbs (and some ounces) which is a gain of about 3lbs. from her last check-up. It doesn't sound like a lot -- but for her it is!

We rented movies for Caitlin to watch Saturday to help keep her calm and try to keep her fever down. She has discovered a new Disney character that she loves -- Tinkerbell! She loves the Tinkerbell movie. I think we've watched it probably 10 times each day since we've had it. She is so cute saying "Tinkerbell, Tinkerbell" and she even kinda looks like Tinkerbell when her hair is pulled up into a ponytail.

We took the kids this evening to get their ornaments for this year (we let them each pick out one new ornament each year as a family tradition) and Caitlin picked out the Tinkerbell ornament. Caitlin started crying when the sales lady put it in the box because Caitlin wanted it and thought the lady was taking it away! Conall had wanted the Wall-E ornament, but they were out, so he picked out a Lionel train engine instead.

So far, Conall has only had a low grade fever, if that. We are REALLY hoping he doesn't get this virus. The doctor called it a "flu-like virus." I've had a low grade fever myself, but I'm hoping that is just from running on little sleep.

Update on Conall

We didn't get a call about strep today, so I guess the test was negative, unless of course they call tomorrow. Caitlin shows no signs of this virus/strep yet, but she is still really fussy from her cold and from jealousy over Conall getting a lot of the attention. Short story is that his fever did go down some today, but only to go right back up later. Not much else has improved.

Conall was an absolute MONSTER most of the day. He's mad that he's sick, he's mad that I'm making him rest, he wants to go to school, he was mad at the cold bath I gave him when the fever went back up to 103.5. He hasn't slept all day and was up last night from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. He's grouchy, frustrated, bored, feverish, achy, somewhat dehydrated, and doesn't feel well. And, he obviously thinks I'm an idiot since he won't listen to anything I tell him about drinking fluids, resting, etc., but will do some of it for daddy without a fight. Daddy must be much smarter than mommy. I'm tired, tired, tired, frustrated and grouchy.

I think that pretty much sums up the day. Just praying none of the rest of us get it. Conall's school is out Friday and Monday for teacher records and parent/teacher conferences. I haven't dared to inform him of this.

The only humor I've found is that when he gets really feverish and talks nonsense, he becomes concerned about missing his school field trip to the pumpkin patch (not until the 28th) and about whether or not a weed he put in a glass of water and is calling his apple tree, will grow and produce apples.

This reminds me of Pop Pop when he got high fevers and going on and on about his green truck and if it was safe and being cared for. It used to make my mom really mad that the only thing he seemed concerned about when he was feverish was that "d*** truck" and not her.

Another One Sick

Conall now has our virus. At least, I hope it is the same one and not a different one for us all to cycle through.
Conall woke us up around 1 am with a fever and coughing. Of course, we all know how any illness hits Conall the worst. You guessed it, puking. Nothing big, just the drainage coming back up. But, it was bad enough again this morning that he had to take some anti-nausea prescription medicine. He is home from school and every 30 minutes or so he tells me "I'm feeling better now." He's stopped adding the "I can go to school" part since he figured out that mommy isn't buying it.

Virus Bugs

Conall threw up last night and it wasn't just a little bit -- it was a lot. You could tell he really didn't feel well. He asked me why he threw up. Since Caitlin had puked a lot the night before, I told him I thought maybe it was a virus.
Then, Conall told me he wanted me to share his virus. I told him that although we might share virus germs, that they aren't something most people want to share. He thought for a minute and said "I have an idea. We can load all of the virus bugs into an ambulance going 'wooooooooooooooo, woooooooooooooo (ambulance siren sound)' and send them away."

Prince Puke Goes to the Doctor

Conall, aka Prince Puke, couldn't keep anything down this afternoon, so daddy took him to the after hours clinic. He has a virus and they gave him some medicine at the clinic and then he gets more later tonight (thank God). We also have a prescription for more for later if needed.

Luckily, most of the kids who've caught this are better the next morning. Hopefully, that means he won't have to miss school tomorrow, but we'll see how the night goes. And, hopefully, that means Caitlin had it last night and that's why she had her puking episode. Lots of hope there, huh? Oh well, maybe I'll learn to be an optimist yet. Maybe not. I guess it all depends on how sick everyone gets and if Stu and I get it.

Prince Puke

Conall was grabbing his shirt around the area of his stomach all the way home from school today. He wouldn't tell me anything except that "I can't make it" (we walked) or "I've lost my energy". I asked him if his stomach hurt and he'd tell me no, but he did tell me he needed some "special milk" which is what he calls Maalox. I gave him some and about 3o minutes later he headed to the bathroom.

As he was flushing, he made a sound like he was going to vomit. Sure enough, a few minutes later, he did. And did, and did (thank goodness he's old enough to try to make it to the toilet -- and did this time). I'm starting to think maybe the kids have caught a stomach virus and that's what was wrong with Caitlin last night (on top of the reflux). Ugh, I hope it passes quickly. I hate for Conall to miss school his first week.

Puking -- Again

Poor Caitlin. Tonight is the second night she's woken up puking. Last night it was just a little bit, so we didn't think much of it. Tonight it was bad -- it was Conall worthy. And, you all know how bad that is. I'm still trying to get the smell out of my skin and out of the house.
The weird thing is, if this is a stomach bug, it makes no sense. It doesn't follow normal virus patterns. We'll see.