We had just done the mall and bought me a dress and Lillie a mattress. We were exhausted and counting down to a good night of needed rest.
I tend to pass out the minute my head hits the pillow. It drives my husband nuts cause sometimes he struggles to go to sleep. I think I run so much all day that I run myself ragged so sleep doesn’t tend to be an issue for me!
I am asleep quickly and am awoken by Seth yelling “Ella!” Did I hear that correctly? I am so out of it because I was fast asleep. I hear Seth downstairs and I wonder if he has Ella downstairs. I wander to her room and find her laying in throw up. I am trying to figure out why Seth is downstairs but he comes in her room with paper towels and soapy water. We get her up and cleaned up. We strip the bed and put new blankets on. I put her in bed and she is fast asleep. I get to my bed and hear her throwing up so I go running. At least it is in the pot this time. I clean her all up and she falls back to sleep. I get in my bed and start to think. First, where did she get it? Second, how many more times is she going to throw up? I start mentally preparing myself for a rough night. So much for sleep! I am actually wondering if it is even worth it to lay down at this point? I also have heard since this night that kids were throwing up left and right at school and the nurse’s office was full! So, there is no secret now where Ella got this!
Ella continues to cry the rest of the night. I climb in bed with her and rub her the rest of the night trying to calm her down. She is taking down water, she isn’t throwing up, but she won’t stop crying! Give me strength! I am in and out of consciousness I am so tired. I see flickers of glowing light over Ella. I say thank you to whoever is working on Ella! Yes, I believe in angels and yes, I think an angel was working on my Ella. Whatever psychic ability I inherited from my mom’s side comes out in my sleep. I must have slept a tiny bit because I had dreams of Lillie throwing up. I said a prayer for the rest of us to stay healthy!
I climb out of Ella’s bed in the morning and bump into Max. He is holding his head and asking me why the cats were crying all night? “Mom I couldn’t sleep! I kept hearing crying!” I explain that was Ella and Max collapses on the couch. I call school to let them know the kids won’t be there and start thinking about my day. Taking a sick day is a lot of work! I am supposed to bring snack to Lillie’s class. I am supposed to work lunch at school. I was happy to get to work lunch with two of my friends today! So much for that! I am also angry with myself for thinking about what a good winter of little illness we had! Did I jinx us?
I quickly go to my email and see my friends daughter is sick who was supposed to work lunch! I feel so badly but I email everyone that my daughter is also sick! Another email rolls in that the third volunteer is sick with the stomach flu! What is going on?! Germs be gone!
Ella, Seth and Lillie are fast asleep. I drag myself to the car in my pajamas and tell Max I will be right back! I drop snack off to my friend to take to school and head home. I am laughing at what it takes to take a sick day!
I come home to Seth rolling out of bed. He is not amused that I brought snack to my friend and explains to me that school could have found something to feed Lillie’s class. He also informs me that Lillie puked. Maybe I wasn’t dreaming? Lillie wakes up totally fine! The girl is a feisty spit fire and it is serving her! I am also thrilled I have been giving Max, Lillie and Seth grape juice! Supposedly it keeps away the stomach flu! Ella refuses to drink juice! My delicate flower is a mess. Ella cries for the entire day! Give me strength!!!
I go on a laundry binge and do tons and tons of blankets and sheets! Germs be gone!! I am loving the sanitizing option on my washing machine!
Lillie’s mattress arrives and Seth breaks down the crib. I am laughing to myself thinking not only do I have to deal with sick Ella tonight but I also have to deal with Lillie’s first night in a big bed! You just have to laugh and attempt to roll with things! Life can be funny! That is for sure!
Seth and Max are completely and totally exhausted and sleep through the night. I don’t think either of them moved. Must be nice!!
I hear Ella crying and go running! I sleep with Ella and then hear Lillie crying and go running to her! I play musical beds all night and in the morning I felt like I ran a marathon!
Seth and Max leave for work and school and around 10 am my mom arrives with stuff for Ella. New thermometer, popsicles, etc….
Mom/grammy to the rescue! I am beyond thrilled to see her! 38 years old and yes I still need and love when she walks through the door. She assures me that she will go to work and come back soon. What is this thing called work that she has to do? You mean she can’t stay here?
Ella’s eyes are red and I start looking it up on the internet! Do not look up symptoms on the internet! Worst thing you can do! I quickly get off the computer and reassure myself that Ella just has a fever! She is so weak and I keep reassuring myself that she will be fine! Why do we let our minds go to crazy places? It is just the flu! Ella cries the rest of the day. I am forcing her to drink water all day! I am the water nazi!
My neighbor leaves Ella a care package! Gatorade and an assortment of crackers for Ella and oreos for the healthy kiddos! A ray of sunshine! So sweet! She made me smile! I needed to smile!
I get into bed and completely lose it on Seth! I cannot go a third night of no sleep! I am tired and cranky and tell him he cannot sleep through the night! Yes, I know he needs to work! Yes, I know he needs to function and be productive at work! I don’t care! I am feeling insane at this point and NEED some sleep!
We take turns and get through the night! Ella is crying less and wakes up with no fever! She asks me for food and I can’t stop smiling! Hope! One of my favorite words! She ended up being sick for 6 days! That was a long week!!!
Now to say a prayer that the rest of us stay healthy! Take your vitamins, eat well, get plenty of rest and stay healthy everyone!
My parents store:
Marlene and Phil’s Vitamin and Herb Center gets me the greatest vitamins and herbs!!
My greatest lessons:
Sleep! We all need lots of sleep! I think the time change really messed up Ella and brought her immune system down! Get your sleep!
It is ok to accept some help! Mom’s, friends, neighbors…
It will pass!!
