Today was an overcast morning here in North Texas. We meaning Kendall my daughter and I woke a little late after our big weekend and were very excited because today was the 1st day we were going to see my Mom all year!!
Seriously, Christmas Eve we spent with my Mom, we talked and interacted together it was a good day. We planned on going back that next Friday, the 28th... but fate had another plan. My husband calls me from the office saying " I have chills and don't feel well" and I tell him to come on home.
The flu is in Texas and really spreading and I prayed that wasn't it. I made the choice to not see Mom today so that to prepare for him, just in case I got the linens changed, kleenex out, Emergen-C out and prepared supper to help him when he got home.
My sweet husband came home, felt so bad, took his temperature 102 and sent him to bed. He told me he felt "drunk" and well his cough that started that morning was by the evening was nothing to take lightly. He went to bed and was there, basically, 3 days! I put on a mask, packed an overnight bag and camped out in the den/family room and used the hall bathroom. He was home but Kendall and I were alone, Friday, Saturday (with the exception of my 2 aunts and cousin for a couple of hours) and Sunday.
Sunday, the 30th, David felt good enough to sit in the recliner for a couple hours then back to bed, yet away from us, he had the flu. However, sleeping on the couch around 2:30 a.m. New Years Eve morning Kendall wakes me to say she's not feeling well. :( I jumped liked the scene from Home Alone when the parents realize they've over slept! She startled me and I jumped. She laughed despite feeling crappy with fever around 100. Gave her some Advil and off to bed. I prayed, went back to sleep the best I could because all I could do was think about my 11 year old precious daughter and loving husband whom I'd not slept with since the Friday night he coughed in my hair all night!
So we woke the next day,New Years Eve and Kendall had developed the deep, loud, congested, scary cough that had been with David the past 3 days. He was now over his fever and hers was escalating to the point she was complaining about a headache and restless. 102.7 and Ibuprophen and Tylenol every 4 hours. She, unlike her father wanted to be in the den recliner with me around. When I put her to bed set my alarm for every 4 hours to alternate meds and keep her fever down because this is how I was raised. My Papaw was an MD and my Grandmother a RN....not to mention I was on the Deans Academic List in Nursing School!
Thank the good Lord I have always prepared Kendall to wake when I came to her room with meds to take but did my best to make it special as this was New Years Eve.
12 am temperature check, medicine and 2 vanilla wafers plus a bottled water. You can't take meds on an empty tummy and she sat up took her meds with a smile and went back to sleep as I told her to be ready to wake again for another dose. God has blessed me with the ability to explain to her all her life what is going on so it doesn't come as a surprise and she responds with His grace.
I, alone, celebrated New Year's Eve with my Wine Toast in my special Tis the Season Fa La La La La glass, by the glow of our Christmas Tree which was so beautiful. I was glad to be able to take care of them but sad as I didn't get to see my Mom Friday and now here I was taking care of my husband and daughter that had the flu so I couldn't think of taking that around her and the 1st New Years in 16 years David and I didn't share a kiss at midnight.
Thank God it was a quiet night because I'm by now, exhausted! I mean, really!! Back on the couch for my next nap.
The next morning, January 1, 2013
David feeling human again and out of our bedroom; Kendall clingy still alternating meds but letting more time go in between doses to see where the fever is at. The next thing I know it's time for bed, Kendall wants me to stay with her; she coughs all over me and I pray, silently, Lord help me not to get this and to get through this....
Well we manage to get through with David having fever 3 days, Kendall for 2 and I was super thankful that I had managed to miss the flu as I nursed my family back to health and that I stayed well. We were together on January 2nd Kendall's fever going down and feeling better. , was a quiet day we sat as a family watching movies all day doing nothing but together; finally. I was super tired this day and by that evening, yep, started feeling like I was getting a cold.
January 3, woke up freezing even though I was under 4 blankets and feeling like my skin was crawling. When I went to the bathroom and pulled my pants down it hurt my skin. I had 101.5 dad gum it; i hadn't missed it. I felt awful. Mine, however, was in my head, fever for me just 24 hours. Thank the good Lord!
According to the CDC and all the news casts show all about the flu spreading and how you are contagious 7 days after fever is gone and that coughs can last for up to 18 days, and the fatigue or tiredness lingers for at least 7-10 days for each of us. I am, have always been a little bit of a germ freak. I wipe the handles of carts and have for years with antibacterial wipes.
So we stay in, not going anywhere until January 16th with only David going to work and the store if we need something. We got ready to go see mom on the 10th only to find out she had the stomach virus and it was spreading all through the nursing home!
2 weeks and the nursing home is all clear, January 29th we went to see her and boom.... next blog.... God help me 2
No comments:
Post a Comment