Sickness All Around

 

A stomach virus, again?  Yes, a stomach virus has struck our family yet again.  This is the third time since the week heading into Christmas (3 times in a month and a half).  This time it has effected everyone of us.  Maybe this means we will be done with this one for good!

Early in the week, Rob was feeling bad.  His stomach kept bothering him but he never threw up.  He said that there were a lot of people who were sick at his office.  This virus seems to be everywhere.  Then, all day Wednesday my stomach bothered me until finally I started throwing up that evening.  I had stayed home with Emma, Sarah, and Asa from church due to feeling bad while the others went with Daddy.  It started right after they left.  It’s not fun being in that predicament while a two year old is rubbing your back saying, “Mommy, your throwing up.  This is bad!”

When they came home from church, I found out that Tate started throwing up while at church and continued once he got home.  This means it’s time to pull out sleeping bags because the kids are not allowed to sleep in their beds when they have this kind of sickness.  Instead, they are on the tile or wood floors (easier to clean), close to a bathroom, and a trash can by them.  Can we say it has been sleeping bag city this week at our house??!!!

Thursday, Tate seemed to be feeling fine but Mommy was very weak and tired.  The children really stepped up and took over to help Mommy out.  I didn’t get out of bed until close to 10 am.  Ian took care of feeding his brothers and sisters.  Cade and Ian  both helped clean the kitchen area after breakfast.  Plus, they helped all the little ones get their school work done along with theirs by the time I got up except for one child who will remain nameless who was taking his time about doing his work.  A complete day of school was accomplished.  I couldn’t believe it but was very thankful.

That same night for Ian’s birthday, we decided to watch Toy Story 3 as a family since Ian had received it in the mail as a gift.  Needless to say, Ian didn’t make it through the movie because it had struck him.  Later on that night, Tate, Cai, Abram, and Asa all started throwing up throughout the night and morning.  It just kept spreading. 

We took it easy Friday and just laid around and rested that day.  Saturday, everyone seemed to be feeling fine.  We enjoyed a pancake breakfast prepared by Daddy.  I went and picked up Wendy’s for lunch with some gift cards the kids had received at Christmas.  It was a beautiful, pleasant day so we sat outside and ate lunch then they played until naptime.  Rob came home that evening (He had been gone to an evangelism outreach that our church was doing that day at a local flea market.) and decided we would go out to eat to celebrate Ian’s birthday since everyone was feeling better and had done fine with the different food that day.  Ian wanted to go to a Chinese buffet so off we went.  Unfortunately, we had a relapse.  Tate threw up in the restroom at the restaurant and Abram was throwing up in the parking lot before we pulled out to head home.  We cleared out the living room again to make it a safe zone for sick people with sleeping bags.  Asa, Sarah, and Emma were in there room but the rest were camping out close to bathrooms.

Around 4 am, I heard what sounded like someone sick in the girls/Asa’s room.  I opened the door and Sarah said, “I threw up.”  Rob got up to help me with her.  She must have been the cutest sick kid ever.  She was just laying there smiling and pointing to show us where it was.  Then she said, “It yuck!”  She kept smiling as I gave her a bath to clean her up and was ready to play afterwards.  Instead, she ended up in a sleeping bag in the hallway right next to the bathroom.  She did repeat several times but made it to the toilet.  I was so thankful that she was able to make it without making a bigger mess. 

Sunday, all of us stayed home from church except Rob and Ian who were feeling fine.  Those who hadn’t thrown up started with diarrhea along with some who had already been sick.  It was a long day but everyone seems to be on the mend.  We will take it easy the next few days and hope that this is the end.  Please stomach bug, go away!!!