Stay In, Stay Well

I am now advising you all to STAY HOME! Choose home... not because of the usual reasons that I would normally say this, but because this flu virus we have is horrid. And really we are doing fine, but come one.... Five out six is just c~r~a~z~y!! My husband is the only one that is well. And I might add that there is a reason why women are made to nurture.... Uh, guys are just not all that joyful about it... Anyway, it all started with Caden's sudden temp on Wednesday that hit 103.5 in the night. By the next day I really wasn't too worried, but took him in to get checked, just in case. He tested positive for the flu... and I have to tell you that the doctors offices are desperately packed out. We went home and much to my surprise Caden's temp suddenly jumped to 104.1! You also have to know that high fevers are common at our house, but when it gets this high we get a bit nervous. So, I got it down and shortly after that we his prescription for Tamiflu started in hopes that it will lessen the symptons. As a precaution all in home siblings four and under are also being started on Tamiflu, so Sahara got a prescription for it, as well. We had all been eagerly awaiting our Co-op meeting on Friday, but the flu would change that for us. The girls awaken to find out we could not go to Co-op, but were unusually not to concerned about missing... all I go was a simply version of their whining. Not normal.... soon it was obvious that they did not have it in them to whine... and thank God because I was not feeling to swift myself, which I thought was just a bit of exhaustion at first. Okay, you know where this is going, right?... by 9:am I realized Savannah and Sierra had fever.... by 11:am I realized I had fever and it was starting to hit me hard... I called text my husband while making calls... Our pediatrician could not see us at all because they were so overbooked. The local pediatrician in our town could not see us because of insurance issues and such which left us with the option to go to Minor Care. Oh my gosh!! It was crazy... not too many people at first, but after we got there it started to get busy.... during our four hour tour!! Eeeekk!!! They were handing out masks to the patients with flu-like symptoms and they had two emergencies happen while we were there. My husband said that one frantic mother brought her four year old daughter in that was lethargic and passing out and they loaded her up on a stretcher and rushed her to the hospital. I don't know what the other emergency was, but I am betting it was flu. Can I say this?... not to alarm anyone, but it is only September!!!! And whatever strand of flu this is ... well, who knows if it is the Swine flu or some other one, but it is bad. At the Minor Care visit the doc checked us all out and I looked at her and asked if she was going to check Savannah... She looked at me in a puzzled manner along with Savannah and they both assured me that she had checked Savannah out... I was too delirious! 8( For whatever reason it seems that I am getting delirious when I am running a temp... very odd. So, we all are on Tamiflu, etc. and taking lots of Motrin and Tylenol for fever and body aches. Today, Sahara started running a temp, but it seems to be milder for her so far. Tamiflu is supposed the lessen or prevent symptoms and I must say that I do believe it is. And you might wonder just why I am typing this post at 2:am. Well, that would be because I am listening to my baby scream from a nearby room because I can't nurse her!!! if you take the Tamiflu you have to stop breastfeeding! Add that to the craziness here!! Okay, so I am not planning to "stop" nursing her at this point. We are just taking a "pause".... I am pumping and discarding it for the next few days. Yes, I said discarding it... liquid gold in my eyes!!!... going down the drain!!! I have had to pour out 30 ounces so far!!! ARGGHHHHH!!! Hey, but on the upside I am keeping my mild supply going and we will be able to resume breastfeeding by Thursday morning.... or maybe Wednesday night... so, we will see what happens.... She may completely wean by then and may not want to, but I must say that my others have not screamed about it all when it has been time to wean. They have all fussed a bit, but we have when they seem to be ready to some degree. She is making it quite clear that she is not ready! And I knew that about her already! I have nursed my others for 13 months, 12 months, and 12 months, but with Sahara she is just so babyish and clingy and eager to be the baby that we had decided to just nurse her until she seemed to be giving it up on her own. This throws a major glitch in that plan, but ultimately I had to decide that I need to be as healthy as possible so that I can take care of them and so I do not get my kids sicker by keeping the flu bug alive in our home longer. Anyway, I am going to sleep now...the screaming is over for the time being, but I have this to say.... I did not realize how bad this flu issue is until now and having seen the problems it is causing in the doctor's offices. Do yourself a favor and be a house hermit. Stay home and stay well. I am not the type to advise that, but it really is necessary right now. Choose home!!! Stay away from everyone for a while... sounds weird, but trust me it is better than the flu! ;)