Where I've Been: A dramatic timeline

I've been on a blogging hiatus mostly.  I mean, a few cute pics thrown in here and there, but this is what we've been facing:

January 15--Special K hasn't gained any weight & is SERIOUSLY underweight, as per his 4 month
                    check-up.  We add a new reflux med & extra coconut oil to his formula.
January 16--Brooklyn shuts her hand in mini sliding door.  ER visit.
January 19--Brooklyn & Ell diagnosed with flu.  I leave with Special K to try & avoid the germiness.
January 22--I feel crappy, but convinced it's just a cold.
January 23--I have the effing flu.
January 25--Special K is snotty & feels warm but actually has a low body temp.  This is its own
                     problem. 
                   Talk to the nurse line.  ER visit recommended.
                   Poppy comes over.  ER visting we go.  I still feel like crap. 

January 25/26--Stay up all night in ER even with flu recovery. 
                   Special K diagnosed with flu (duh) & IV placed for fluids.

January 26--Admitted to room.  Yeah, it was kind of permanent.  I have dirty hair, shelf bra & sticky
                    armpits.
                    Hospital staff heavy-handed with advice.  Skeptical of fast metabolism.  Like to throw
                    around Failure to Thrive (FTT) like it's an award, when in fact it sounds like an
                    indictment of my pediatrician & parenting.
                    Introduce Alimentum formula, which is hypo-allergenic.  In other words, milk proteins
                    pre-broken down.
                 
January 27--Ass-doctor visits.  Acts offended that I am concerned about getting home to my other
                    two small children.  Refuses to discharge us.

January 28--Finally home.

January 29--Realize I'm out of PTO, so paycheck will be 2 days short of pay. 
                    Realize one small can of Alimentum costs $28 and we have to eat beans and rice ONLY.
                    Forever.

February 1--Elliott running a fever at dinner.  Chris takes him to urgent care with diagnosis of a virus.

February 2--Brooklyn wakes up covered in poo--the runny kind.
                     Elliott's birthday.  He seems fine.  Party continues.
                    Elliott wakes in the night puking his brains out.

February 3--Sicky kids

February 5--I start pooing my brains out.  Sorry for that.

February 7--I'm better.

February 9--I'm worse.

February 11--Chris runs fever.  Starts pooing his brains out.

February 12--Realize we have spent $500 in copays since the beginning of the year.

February 14--Chris is finally better.

February 15--Special K is gaining.  All kids snotty.  Coughing.  Drippy noses. 

February 19--Elliott has double-ear infections, likely sinus infection.  Diagnosed after he wakes
                      SCREAMING at 3am.
                      Chris realizes he feels like poo & has terrible cough.

February 20--Oh Dear God, please make this sickiness stop.  I apologize for whatever wrongs I have
                      committed. 

It's not all bad.  We figured out Special K has a milk intolerance/allergy.  Check it:

That's Croupy! (And I'm Gross)

Colds and croup abound at our house, which means even less sleep than usual.  I gave Elliott a Tootsie Pop for a snack and slept--more than once--in the same spot where the tiniest of the tribe either puked or peed, or both.  Yep.  That stereotype of the mom who never changes her clothes, washes her hair or leaves the house and people (me included) wonder what she does all day?  That just happened here.

A retraction.

I was wrong in my diagnostics.  Brook-Brook does not have chicken pox.  Nope, this time she has Roseola, a normal childhood virus (also a variation of the herpes virus, which I'm starting to think is responsible for all evil in the world) that starts with a high fever and ends with a rash.  And boy, does she have a rash.  But no fever.  Small victories.  I say small because now Elliott has fever.  Roseola, Round Two:  Ding-Ding.

Candidate for MOY*--That's Me.

Remember how I said that Brook-Brook was on a sleeping strike?  Monday we had it confirmed that no, she's not just rebelling, she has strep throat and a double ear infection.  This is one of those moments that you realize that parenting is full of ups and downs, and just like when your child yells in a public bathroom, "You poopin', Mommy?" this is one of the 'downs.'

I am happy to report she's back to her happy, clapping, paci-sharing self today.  And went to sleep with no issue.  Antibiotics saved the day on this one.  

*MOY=Mom of the Year

It Takes a Village (Why Mommy Sickness is BAD)

This week I was Sick.  I used that capital for a reason.  I missed four days of work.  Four.  That has never happened for sickness before.  What I thought was a springtime cold/sinus infection combo turned out to be strep.  Strep throat without the sore throat.  I broke down and went to the doc-in-a-box after two days of feeling like general ass and resting and not getting any better at all.  When the peppy nurse asked if I wanted a strep test in conjunction with the flu swab, I shrugged--it really seemed unnecessary.  She also asked what my pain level was on that stupid scale.  I had no idea how to answer, even after looking at the smiley faces that then turn sad.  I felt like crap, but I didn't correlate that to being in pain.  Is that dumb?  And really, did my answer make a difference?  I wasn't having crippling stomach pain, suspected strain or broken bone or even a migraine.

Being sick as a mommy is no fun a'tall.  Not that being sick is fun in the best of circumstances, but still having to get up and get other people dressed, make bottles, feed small people and wipe hineys just seems cruel.  I know I'm whiny.  It's a good thing I have a husband who is a nurturer and a mom who generously agreed to help me on her Spring Break.  It takes a village, people.  Especially when a mommy is a whiny sick mess.