And it just kept getting worse

The next day after WC's doctor visit, he stayed home with Cat and received his nebulizer treatment every four hours and to rest. This approach usually keeps his bronchial tubes open enough not to cause any additional health issues- infection or pneumonia. And Wednesday was to be business as usual. Then I awoke that morning unable to speak, my voice simply would not come out. And I really didn't think that I would be able to get out of bed. When did a mac truck drive through my house and run over me? My throat had been a little irritated and tender on Tuesday but it hadn't concerned me. Jay had a voice but didn't feel any better than I. Then Cat reported that she felt about like Jay did. But WC & CJ both seemed fine. Someone took WC to school- I honestly can't remember who. And no one felt well enough to take CJ to daycare. The rest of us stayed home. If I moved that day it was for CJ's basic care- food & diapers. We decided that the three of us probably had the same thing so we sent Jay to the clinic & if he had something that could be treated with meds then Cat & I would go too. He came back reporting a respiratory virus- sorry no drugs. His flue test was negative. About five minutes before two the school nurse called and said WC had a one hundred fever and we had to come get him. Now school is out at two. Jay went to pick him up. At home, he did not have a fever and acted completely fine. However, because the school nurse said he had a hundred he was not allowed to return to school the next day. The sun rose on Thursday with me still unable to communicate verbally, coughing my head off and CJ running a 101. He and I sat on the couch together and if he was awake he was crying. We slept on and off and I made an effort to force him to drink. The end of the day saw CJ's temp hit 103. I put him screaming into a cool bath. Friday saw everyone but CJ & myself return to normal activity. Again we spent the day on the couch together- everything I needed within arms reach- remotes, tissues, thermometer, ibuprofen and drinks. By that evening I swore the couch was grafting itself to my ass. If he was awake, he was crying chanting 'mommy' and/or 'blanket' which he had both and there was nothing I could do. I still couldn't speak and wanted to cry. I knew that we needed to go to the doctor but I honestly couldn't get off the couch and make that drive. Friday evening I was able to squeak out some semblance of a voice but only in short succinct spurts. It's really easy for them to ignore you if they can't hear you. Throwing things is a great way to get attention. My frustration level by the time I put CJ to bed Friday night was an all time high. Not that it was either of our faults. It was what it was. Saturday morning came and CJ still had a 101 and I did too. So it's off the doctor. My plan was to take him to the pediatrician then take him home and myself down to the clinic. We get there and I explain the best I could to the nurse but between the voice giving out and the fact it took all the energy in me to get there and sit upright I wasn't the best communicator. The doctor came in and we spoke briefly then she looked him over to make sure he was free of ear infection and his lungs were clear and announced she wanted to run a flu test on him. I didn't realize that the test was a long q-tip square up the nose. CJ didn't too kindly to this woman cramming this thing in his nose. He screams like someone has crushed his testicles and begins to throw himself around. The swab caused his nose to bleed and I am unsuccessfully at restraining him to pinch off the nose and stop the flow. He's screaming, throws himself back hits his head on the wall, twists himself and falls to floor blood from his nose is going everywhere. The only thing I can do is burst into tears. I am burning hot, sweating through my clothes already and now I'm sobbing my eyes out in front of this stranger. I'm mortified on the inside but I couldn't control it. The nurse lifts CJ off the floor and places him hissy fit an all on the exam table- restrains him and gets his nosebleed under control before returning him to my lap and leaving with the swab. I had about twenty minutes to compose myself before the doc returned. The flu test was positive. She also brought more great news being that it was only the first of September she felt this was the H1N1. OMG- Swine Flu? Seriously? Swine flu was just something I've seen on news like every other illness that gets highly publicized it happens to other people- not us. Then, as if she knew the next thought that popped into my head she asked about WC. He was fine only the asthma issue of a few days ago but no high fever like CJ & I. She pulled WC's chart and prescribed him the antiviral medication as a preventative. It was too late for medication for CJ or myself. She also recommended that CJ & I stay away from WC. I was not to tend to him. And Jay not to tend to CJ- not as if CJ allowed that anyway. I asked if she thought if I should go to the clinic and get tested too. The doc said from the way I looked (gee thanks) that she felt certain I had it too and I should just go home and stay there. I expressed that I needed to get back to work on Tues (Monday was Labor Day). She didn't feel that would happen. It didn't. I ended up having to go to the clinic anyway to get a note stating that I wasn't contagious before my work would allow me to come back on Thursday. The NP noted that I my blood pressure was high and asked if that was normal. No- I have never had high blood pressure except the day the CJ had to be delivered. But I wasn't surprised; I was already convinced I was having a nervous breakdown. I'd been sick at home cooped up with a sick crabby child for five days. I had been fever free for a couple of days but still wasn't back to normal. Even today my voice still sounds strained but the coughing has finally calmed down to a minimum. By Thursday CJ's fever was finally gone but he still slept a lot during the day so he went to my mom's on Friday. He returned Monday to daycare- which was much needed. The illness had upped his spoiled factor immensely. He began this thing where he would lay on the couch & wanted to be covered by his security blanket then he would sit up and immediately begin to cry "want blanket on." Wanting me to cover him up with his blanket. And I had to carry him all over the house- where ever I went- if he didn't have me and the blanket at all times he would scream. Then he threw up on blanket and I had to put it in the wash- he cried with out stopping the entire time that blanket was in the washer and dryer. During this time Rhi also began urinating behind the recliner in the living room. I cleaned what I could then piled a bunch of toys and a diaper box back there to keep her from accessing the area until I was better.

Things are slowly but surely returning to a "normal" healthy state. I've never been that sick before and don't ever want to be that sick again. And don't want either of the boys sick either. Now I'm a hand sanitizing, Lysol spraying fiend.