It all started Wednesday evening, when our house became a "vomitorium". That's the term my friend uses for house full of vomiting people. Wednesday night while I was at a PTO board meeting, Mary threw up at 7:45pm. Ted cleaned her up and put her to bed, only to be up minutes later cleaning up more vomit, changing sheets, and relocating Abby to our bedroom who couldn't sleep. At 2:40am, we are awakened by that tell tale coughing sound. More vomit. I cleaned her up, changed the sheets and layed her back down. I had trouble going back to sleep, knowing the work ahead of me. Thursday wasn't bad. She held everything down all day, but she was very clinging. I just sat with her most of the day watching her shows. I called my sister, Becky to tell her I wouldn't be able to watch Leah on Friday. Ted didn't go to a subdivision meeting so he could relieve me. I was exhausted. I didn't get enough sleep the night before. I went to bed at 7pm.
On Friday, Mary was still clingy and crabby. I couldn't leave her side without her calling out for me. We watched more Dora. She didn't run a fever. She didn't sleep all day. In fact her naps during this time were a half hour to an hour. It was just exhausting to do nothing else but be with her. That evening, Ted took Sam to basketball practice and came back home. I went to a meeting that I found out when I got there, It was canceled. I was greeted by a crop group. I salivated. I was jealous and wished I could be cropping instead. But I reminded myself that I had an all day crop Sunday. I came back home and then left again to pick Sam up from practice at 9pm.
Ted and I stayed up late talking Friday night since we didn't have any time together all week. We should have known better, At 5am Saturday morning, Ben calls out that he has to go potty. This is the pain of having children on a different level. Ted runs upstairs and takes Ben to the bathroom. After urinating, he threw up. It was a plus that he got it in the toilet. Ted put him back in bed and told me what happened. I had a hard time going back to sleep. It's Ben's turn to go through the stomach flu. The next morning he woke us up bright and early, 6am. He begged for a drink. It worked with Mary, I thought I'd try with him. Nope. It all came back up on his shirt. More clothes changed and washing up to do. He was hungry at 9am. I took it as a sign that he could handle something. I gave him a poptart...all is well. It stays down. Ted took Sam to the Pinewood Derby while I stayed home with the kids that morning. Sam did well enough to not be embarassed (all I care about). The day went on with no more puking, but we knew it wasn't over. Mary's illness had changed to diarrhea and I kept myself busy changing her diapers. They had to be changed with a towel under her because they were so fluidy and messy. I was so tired Saturday, when Ted got home from the Pinewood Derby, I took a nap from 12:30pm until 3:30pm. We think that stress makes me tired. We knew we'd have to cancel our prized date night that we were so looking forward to. I went to the 5pm mass. Ben slept on the couch from dinner time on.
Saturday evening, we decided to have a game night with Sam and Abby who had not had much attention since all this started. We transferred Ben (who was still sleeping) to bed. Ted made a fire in the fireplace. It was really a relaxing evening. After Sam and Abby went to bed, we poured ourselves some wine and sat down to find a movie to order. We couldn't get Video On Demand to work, but that doesn't matter, because at 9:45pm, Ben puked all over himself in his bed. Ted and I worked together as a well oiled machine. We stripped the Bed and Ben. Washed him down with a soapy washcloth. Changed his covers, pillow and sheets. Thank God for waterproof mattress pads! After getting Ben back in Bed we sat down and looked at each other wearily. I thanked God for him. What would I do without him? How do single mothers do it?? Grateful for each other we were content to watch the news with no wine. Neither of us felt the desire to drink after the disgust of what we just cleaned up. We went to bed at a decent time since we were so tired and not knowing what tomorrow would bring. At 2:30am, Ben called out for a drink. I went up there and got his cup. He was wet from peeing in his pants. Forget it, I'm not changing sheets again! I'll do it tomorrow! I changed him into dry clothes, put a dry pad over his sheets, filled up his drink and put him back to bed. At least it wasn't puke.
Ben and Mary both woke up at 6am this morning. Ted let me sleep in until 7:30am when he needed to get ready for church. He told me that Mary threw up her milk this morning. What?? She's not done yet? It's day 5 for her. Neither she nor Ben had dinner last night. They go through waves of wanting to eat and keeping down and then we get a surprise in the early morning, or middle of the night. It's strange. They are both sleeping right now. Ben has gone 16 hours without throwing up and Mary has gone about 7 hours. I was supposed to crop day, but I canceled it. Sam has a basketball game at 5pm and it's just not worth it. I want to crop longer...I'll wait until I can...and enjoy it.
The pukey illnesses that come with raising kids are my least favorite part of being a mom. I don't like those kinds of surprises, worrying about where it's going to land, when will it happen and the lack of sleep. I love keeping my kids happy. When they are sick...they aren't happy. I prefer the fever illnesses where they lay on the couch all day and drift in and out of sleep. Those seem easier. I'm hoping we are at the tail end. I hope Sam and Abby don't get it. We keep sending them outside to play in the snow. Yes, we have snow again. They are having a blast. Good for them.
(The view from my couch which I seem to be sitting a lot on these days...)
On Friday, Mary was still clingy and crabby. I couldn't leave her side without her calling out for me. We watched more Dora. She didn't run a fever. She didn't sleep all day. In fact her naps during this time were a half hour to an hour. It was just exhausting to do nothing else but be with her. That evening, Ted took Sam to basketball practice and came back home. I went to a meeting that I found out when I got there, It was canceled. I was greeted by a crop group. I salivated. I was jealous and wished I could be cropping instead. But I reminded myself that I had an all day crop Sunday. I came back home and then left again to pick Sam up from practice at 9pm.
Ted and I stayed up late talking Friday night since we didn't have any time together all week. We should have known better, At 5am Saturday morning, Ben calls out that he has to go potty. This is the pain of having children on a different level. Ted runs upstairs and takes Ben to the bathroom. After urinating, he threw up. It was a plus that he got it in the toilet. Ted put him back in bed and told me what happened. I had a hard time going back to sleep. It's Ben's turn to go through the stomach flu. The next morning he woke us up bright and early, 6am. He begged for a drink. It worked with Mary, I thought I'd try with him. Nope. It all came back up on his shirt. More clothes changed and washing up to do. He was hungry at 9am. I took it as a sign that he could handle something. I gave him a poptart...all is well. It stays down. Ted took Sam to the Pinewood Derby while I stayed home with the kids that morning. Sam did well enough to not be embarassed (all I care about). The day went on with no more puking, but we knew it wasn't over. Mary's illness had changed to diarrhea and I kept myself busy changing her diapers. They had to be changed with a towel under her because they were so fluidy and messy. I was so tired Saturday, when Ted got home from the Pinewood Derby, I took a nap from 12:30pm until 3:30pm. We think that stress makes me tired. We knew we'd have to cancel our prized date night that we were so looking forward to. I went to the 5pm mass. Ben slept on the couch from dinner time on.
Saturday evening, we decided to have a game night with Sam and Abby who had not had much attention since all this started. We transferred Ben (who was still sleeping) to bed. Ted made a fire in the fireplace. It was really a relaxing evening. After Sam and Abby went to bed, we poured ourselves some wine and sat down to find a movie to order. We couldn't get Video On Demand to work, but that doesn't matter, because at 9:45pm, Ben puked all over himself in his bed. Ted and I worked together as a well oiled machine. We stripped the Bed and Ben. Washed him down with a soapy washcloth. Changed his covers, pillow and sheets. Thank God for waterproof mattress pads! After getting Ben back in Bed we sat down and looked at each other wearily. I thanked God for him. What would I do without him? How do single mothers do it?? Grateful for each other we were content to watch the news with no wine. Neither of us felt the desire to drink after the disgust of what we just cleaned up. We went to bed at a decent time since we were so tired and not knowing what tomorrow would bring. At 2:30am, Ben called out for a drink. I went up there and got his cup. He was wet from peeing in his pants. Forget it, I'm not changing sheets again! I'll do it tomorrow! I changed him into dry clothes, put a dry pad over his sheets, filled up his drink and put him back to bed. At least it wasn't puke.
Ben and Mary both woke up at 6am this morning. Ted let me sleep in until 7:30am when he needed to get ready for church. He told me that Mary threw up her milk this morning. What?? She's not done yet? It's day 5 for her. Neither she nor Ben had dinner last night. They go through waves of wanting to eat and keeping down and then we get a surprise in the early morning, or middle of the night. It's strange. They are both sleeping right now. Ben has gone 16 hours without throwing up and Mary has gone about 7 hours. I was supposed to crop day, but I canceled it. Sam has a basketball game at 5pm and it's just not worth it. I want to crop longer...I'll wait until I can...and enjoy it.
The pukey illnesses that come with raising kids are my least favorite part of being a mom. I don't like those kinds of surprises, worrying about where it's going to land, when will it happen and the lack of sleep. I love keeping my kids happy. When they are sick...they aren't happy. I prefer the fever illnesses where they lay on the couch all day and drift in and out of sleep. Those seem easier. I'm hoping we are at the tail end. I hope Sam and Abby don't get it. We keep sending them outside to play in the snow. Yes, we have snow again. They are having a blast. Good for them.
(The view from my couch which I seem to be sitting a lot on these days...)
2 comments:
Ooooh, I am so sorry that y'all have had such sick kiddos!! What a marathon it is, huh?
I laughed when you said you both watched the news with no wine - just a touch of defeat in your tone - we were there last night (but because of crazy behavior, not puke). This parenting two little ones close in age sure can be EXHAUSTING!!
Yes. Exhausting. We're going to celebrate when we're out of this one!!
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