Enough Already!

Since my last post where I took the girls to the clinic we have all seen our family doctor twice, had chest x-ray's for Livi and Evelyn, and taken Livi to the ER twice. The second ER visit was not out of necessity. We only have one clinic in our area that is open minimal hours. It was just as easy to go to the ER a second time as it was to wait in a clinic.

Livi and Evie got diagnosed with bronchitis and Sofie with laryngitis at our first GP appointment. Sofie started improving right away. Livi and Evie didn't. I had requisitions for chest x-rays to look for pneumonia. Getting an x-ray of a baby is barbaric! It was so hard for me to watch Evie in their contraption to keep her still. I took them back to the GP on Thursday for the results. He said they probably had allergies and the chest x-ray confirmed asthma. This diagnosis didn't sit well with me...

Why would Evie and Livi still be throwing such high fevers a few times a day if it where just allergies?
Allergies and asthma didn't explain their lethargy unless there was an oxygen saturation issue.

Friday Evie was a mess. Her eyes were red and swallowed in drippy tears. And the snot... oh the snot. So gross. In the afternoon, she had a short nap then woke up for 15 minutes and fell asleep in my arms again... That NEVER happens.  I was officially concerned but still trying to tell myself it was allergies, even though it was raining and should have improved that day.

Saturday, Livi woke up at 8:30am and was asleep on the couch just after 9. We moved her to our bed where she slept until after 12. She woke up and then fell asleep on the couch again right away. I was freaking out by now. We were coming on week 3 of these unpredictable days. Was it going to be a good day or a bad day? Thoughts of rare diseases and cancers came pouring in to my head. I took her to the ER again.

They did tests. Urine, blood and a swab. The diagnosis? A particularly bad strain of the flu, probably H1N1. It all made sense. Even though it means we can't do anything to help them because it's viral, it is an answer that makes sense. I had H1N1 a few years ago which is probably why I'm not sick now. Sofie has a crazy good immune system from her time in the orphanage and may have even had this strain of flu before too. Jon had the vaccine and Evie had half the vaccine a few months ago but I never took her for the second booster, which may be why she is sick but not as bad as Livi. Livi and Sofie and I did not get the vaccine this year. We will be rethinking that for next year though. Livi has asthma which is known to complicate the flu and especially H1N1.

Evie and Livi are on the mend. Evie is doing much better than Livi still. She still has a runny nose and is sleeping a lot more, two 2.5hr naps yesterday and 12-13 hours at night! But otherwise she is acting much more like herself. Livi is still having bouts of fever, weakness and crying. Her nose is still running and she has a nasty cough, but it is less than a week ago. She woke up yesterday screaming in pain because of an ear ache, which led to another trip to the ER since it was 5 am. They sent me home with a prescription for her but advised to hold off as long as possible since it is probably still just viral. Instead I am pumping her full of Tylenol and Advil.

I don't think they are contagious anymore but I do still fell like my house needs a deep clean. We will get there. It may be slow. This is not how I hoped we would be spending their spring break but thankfully they don't know much different. I bought them Frozen today and they are busy enjoying that with popcorn right now. Hopefully I can take them on a playdate and maybe bowling later this week. We are on the mend!

My Week. Sick Kids.

My kids are sick. They are needy sick. They are gross and snotty and crying sick. They are lay on the couch crying, not eating and not be happy with anything sick. ALL THREE OF THEM. Except that Evelyn won't lay on the couch. She demands to be in my arms... but isn't really happy there. It's been 2 weeks like this!!! I'm going insane! My heart is breaking for them. Actually it seems like it's been three months. The winter from hell with numerous stomach flus, puke, snot and illnesses started in December!

The first week really wasn't bad. Just some runny noses. Nothing to really complain about. Wednesday, I picked Livi up from school with a cough. She and Evie had been coughing previously, but just at night. I decided to drive by the clinic, just to check on the line. Surprisingly, it just opened 15 minutes later. We were third in line. The doctor checked them all out. Sofie had a stuffy nose by this point and the other two had a cough as well. They did surprisingly well in the doctors office. Going anywhere with three is always scary, but a public clinic, with sick people, germs, small spaces and things to get in too is terrifying...

The Doc said they were all still viral, but that Livi had probably picked up a second virus on top of the first. Then the weekend came.

Livi got worse. Sofie got worse. Evie scared us with her wheeze. They are so miserable and it is ripping my heart apart! We thankfully got in to see our family doctor on Monday morning. I love our GP. He is so thorough, covers all the bases and listens too us. He even caringly answered Livi question about why he wears a turban.

Bronchitis and laryngitis for the lot of them. At least they have meds and that hopefully means they will get better... one day. It's been two days of meds now and they are still miserable. Praying they wake up much better tomorrow. Livi wants to go back to school so badly. I want her to get back before spring break too! They have been off for a week already. Then they are off all next week for Spring break! We are all going to be so sick of each other.

They need to get healthy. I need to stay healthy and sane. (My sanity is on the brink.) My house needs to be disinfected, but I can't do it with sick kids around!!!