flu, few!

OH MY GOODNESS~ this flu bug was the most terrible thing I have ever endured (I would put kidney stones and labor into the mix). Below is a paragraph of what we went through, you don't have to read it, I won't be offended!

It started with Ethan moping around and begging for me to hold him, which I thought he was just homesick from his cousins. I spent the day holding him and catering to him, and then Gavin started whining to be held as well. Both felt feverish and slept a lot. The next day Ethan woke up saying his tummy hurt and he needs medicine, he usually has to pooh if he says his tummy hurts. I encouraged him to go potty but did give him some meds for his fever. After eating cereal he threw up everywhere! Why is throw up so interesting to a 1 yr old? I had to lock Gavin in his room while I cleaned up Ethan's mess, he continued to throw up during the day. Luckily he is old enough to throw up in a bucket (that saved me a lot of grief). He whined and rested on the couch refusing to move all day. He even fell asleep a couple of times. He must have thrown up during the night as well, because his sheets were a mess! The next day he seemed okay, and then it was Gavin's turn. Gavin, poor kid, lets the world know how he is feeling. He screamed until he couldn't scream anymore and then would into lethargic episodes laying on your shoulder whining and moaning, eventually throwing up continuously until I don't think he had anything left. The next day I spent cleaning and disinfecting the house and that night Brad came home from work saying he didn't feel "right". I didn't either but what could I do, I had a house full of sickos! Well, eventually that night I went into what I call "death mode", my body felt like it was trying to kill me slowly and painfully. I really wanted to just pass out from a morphine drip, at one point where I was throwing up uncontrollably I had to put my kids in the bathtub to play while I hugged the porcelain king and violently cleared my stomach. This was all a haze, something that the maternal instinct kicks in when you cannot focus. I managed to get my kids out, cleaned, dressed and put to bed and went to check on my husband. Brad was curled up in a fetal ball in bed moaning something about feeling like he is being tortured and how he wants to live through this. I lost it there. I said a lot of prayers, between throwing up and my body hurting so bad sitting was painful. I couldn't keep anything down, of course I became parched....so thirsty. I felt like I was in a dessert just dreaming, and craving water. If I took a sip it sent me into nausea and dry heaves (shudder), might I say I hate throwing up. I had to force myself NOT to drink in order to stop throwing up. Well, Brad and I made it through the night, I slept for maybe 3 hrs. Finally in the morning I down a liter of fluid, and went about my day nauseated and dry heaving. Brad was still off and on fevering and nauseated and pretty much useless on the couch. We took turns taking care of the kids, who were sick as well, so we couldn't call someone to come and get them. Although, on friend (fay) did offer to glove, gown and mask and come over to help out. Bless her heart but Brad said "if she wants to feel like she is dying, she can come". I refused to let her come because I wouldn't wish this even on Obama! We are doing much better now, still teetering on the edge of it though. I went to church yesterday, and that pretty much spent my energy. Brad and I both agree, this virus was NASTY and horrible and torturous, all from a bug that we cannot even SEE!

I do have to say, this reminded me of the first few months of pregnancy... sure makes me think about wanting to go through that again! I am sure I will forget about this when we plan on having more kids. I do have to admit, I am a bit disappointed to have to go through it and not to get a kid out of it in the end, all that for nothing...rip off.