I Spoke Too Soon....

Two weeks ago while talking to a friend about all the illness that seems to be going around, I mentioned that my little family has managed to make it through this winter pretty much unscathed. Did that statement ever come back to bite me! Within a few days Sam developed what I refer to as chronic crankiness with a little runny nose and cough. He wasn't sleeping well but I attributed it to the fact that he's teething and Brad happened to be out of town which usually throws the kids off a little. Then last Monday morning, we woke to the sound of Owen barking like a seal. Yeah for croup! (Insert sarcasm here.) By mid-morning Monday, Sam started running a fever that continued through Tuesday as well. Since both kids were under the weather, I asked my mom to ride with me to pick up the dog who was at the groomer's so I wouldn't have to take them inside with me. When she heard Sam's now not so little cough, I heard the not-interfering-but-if-I-were-you words from my mom; "That doesn't sound good. Why don't we run to the KidsCare and I'll stay in the car with Owen and the dog." Brad had to work late so off we went. After an hour wait in the lobby, I had the pleasure of holding my two year old with a 101.5 fever while he's in backboard sort of contraption for chest x-rays. Miserable. I hate that look in their eyes when they have to be put through thing like that. The "I know you can do something about this but you're just standing there telling me I'm okay" look. The doctor came back with lovely news. My little Sammy has pneumonia. All the while my poor mom is waiting in the car with croupy Owen and a dog who as been pent up in a kennel at the groomers' all day. I think good ol' mom deserves a metal for that one.

By Tuesday morning, Owen's croupy cough had gone to his chest and it was back to the pediatrician's office for us. Owen now has bronchitis and border-line pneumonia as well. We're officially sequestered from the outside world which doesn't seem so bad considering my next door neighbor has RSV and a few other kids in the neighborhood have the stomach flu. I'll gladly stay home and let my little guys recuperate!

I have made a few discoveries this week on a more positive note. My favorite of which is the Vick's Vaporub on the feet trick to help stop a bad cough at night. One of the nights last week, Owen was coughing so hard he was waking up screaming and altogether too near the puking point. We were doing everything we knew to do. Humidifier. Elevated bed. Vick's on his chest. Lemon-honey drink. Nothing worked. We started looking online and saw hundreds of posts saying to put Vick's on their feet, then socks and they'll settle down to a coughless sleep in just minutes. The first night, this wasn't the case. Owen was MAD about how hot his feet felt and proceeded to vocalize feelings all night long. The next night, we had nothing to lose (but more sleep) so we tried again. WORKED LIKE A CHARM! Owen fell asleep within ten minutes or so and slept through the entire night. Hallelujah!

Another little discovery. When Sam doesn't feel well, he doesn't take the time to tell me what is wrong. He walks around the house and hits things instead. The cabinets, the walls, the dog, me. It's then my duty to figure out what the *@#& is wrong and make it right. Quickly. Good for me to keep in mind for next time he's really sick. (Please don't let there be a next time...At least not for a long while.)

Next little discovery. When you have seen Space Buddies at least three times in one day it becomes completely mind numbing. I knew I was in trouble when I started wondering how Charlie would do in space....



Our assummed position for the past week and next few days. I'm not even going to think that this will be to last of it for the year or that they're on the mend. I'm feeling a little suppersistious these days and am not about to jinx it again.