Pinkeye, Pinkeye, Influenza, Influenza

Mica got sick with a virus shortly after he had surgery. It was right after New Years. It turned into pinkeye. Thank goodness for an on call nurse at the pediatrician's office. They called in drops for Mica's eyes. We didn't need to make the trip into the germ infested Urgent Care, where we would also bring germs to. His pinkeye went away in 2 days.

5 days later I got sick. I started feeling better, and stopped by an art opening. My Mom said, "Your eyes are pink!" I had just looked in the mirror right before I left. Sure enough I got pinkeye too. That night I couldn't even open my eyes up. I looked like a stoned boxer that was in a fight. No matter how many times I'd clean my eyes they'd goop right up again.

One thing I learned from Mica's nurse was to clean pinkeyes with wet cotton balls. Then you can just throw them out. I had to do a few hot washcloths to take the swelling down.

It was course the weekend again! My doctor's office doesn't have an on call nurse. So I did what I wasn't supposed to do; I used Mica's drops for my eyes. It worked, but it took me 4 days to get over my pinkeye. My eyes were still still sore for a few days after that.

On Wednesday Travis came down with something. I thought for sure it was the virus leading in to pinkeye too. He never got pinkeye. He's been dead to the world though. I'm pretty sure he had Influenza. More than likely a small strain. Travis never got a fever. 

Now Mica's been sneezing, snotting, has a headache, and body aches. I think he has what Travis had. He slept almost all day. He doesn't have a fever either.

So far it's skipped Isaak. *Figures crossed he doesn't get it!

I've been cleaning and doing laundry like mad! Since it was warmer today I opened the house up. 

Has anyone in your family been sick?

Flu Shots

This week has been crazy. I hate midterms, and finals. The stress of it all just sucks! I care more than most the students about their grades. It's sad really. I don't know if it's a generation thing, or if it's just the group I have. I love teaching. I show examples of what I want, what I don't want, talk about what I want, and what I don't want, and have a handout. For some reason the group of students I have is having a hard time with deadlines. I think in high school many art instructors gave their students as long as they wanted on projects. Ya...I don't do that. If you want a job in design, you have to get things done fast. Tomorrow most of them will get a swift kick in the butt to get things done!

I've been stressing, and tired this week.

There were somethings to do this week:

• Test drive a Rav4 to replace our 12 year old Pilot
• Go to the boy's school for Mica's curriculum night (Isaak had his last week) - that's tonight 
• Wash all the bedding to add blankets on the beds - It's done 
• Wash the drapes, iron and put them back up - It's done

I thought Travis was going to kill me in the cleaning process. He doesn't get spring and fall cleaning. For a long time Travis worked the weekends. When he worked is when I did those things.

• Get flu shots - That's done

We all got flu shots.
 
Travis was first. His work all went together to Walgreens to get them, then they paid for them to all have lunch.

I always insist on going to the doctor to get the rest of our shots. That way it goes through insurance without hesitation. It's lucky for us, the boy's doctor has Saturday appointments. I had to take off a 1/2 hour to get it done on Monday.

Why get the flu shot at all?

Heck last year's didn't work...we all got the real flu minus Dad. Travis got the real flu when I was pregnant with one of the boys. I can't remember which one now. I think Mica (2004). They had a shortage that year. He missed 2 weeks of work.
 
When we were sick last year. Mica got it the least. He was the last, and I got him on Tamiflu when his symptoms started.

Last year the strain was off. It's really a guessing game each year to figure out the next years flu shot serum. I've never gotten the real flu before, so in my mind the flu shot works. 

My mom has always said that since I have year round allergies, and asthma I need to get this shot. My immune system isn't as strong as it should be. I'm around college students that don't take care of themselves as well as they should. 

Mica takes the shot like a champ. In fact he tries to talk Isaak into thinking that the shot isn't a big deal.

They didn't have the mist yet, and I don't know how I feel about it because it's a live virus. 

I'm a punk of a mom because I have zero sympathy when it comes to shots. I got allergy shots when I was a kid. That's not to say that I enjoyed them. I hid from my mom when she was about to give me one. It's just that after dealing with Influenza last year, dealing with Meningitis when Isaak was a baby, dealing with a staph infection in Mica's neck when he was a baby, and having a Mom that had Polio I don't want to deal with anything yucky if I don't have to. Nope!

Travis waited in the lobby.

I couldn't help, but to crack up laughing when Isaak got his flu shot. Here's how it went down:

Nurse: Who's going first?

Me: Mica can you go?

Mica: Really? Do I have to? I go first with everything!

Isaak: I'm not going to get the shot at all!

Nurse: Let's get the one who's not going to get the shot at all first.

Me: Ok

I grabbed him, and put him up on the table. Down his pants went. I held his arms, so Isaak wouldn't move on the nurse.

Isaak: Hold up! I haven't had a chance to think of anything nice, or good at all! {Insert shot here} Give me time!

Tears, and a slight scream came out of Isaak's mouth.

Mica: Really Isaak! Get over it already. It hurts way less then a bee sting.

I couldn't help, but to laugh.

Mica got his. 

Mica: See Isaak...I'm not screaming, or crying. 

Isaak: I can't help it. It hurt, and she didn't wait for me to think of anything good like you guys talked about in the car. 

Isaak limped to the lobby to pick out a sticker. 

Isaak: Mica do you want a sticker?

Mica: No! Those things are for babies. 

Me: Mica stickers are not for babies. Babies would eat them. 

Mica: Ok then they are for little kids. 

Me: Isaak is a little kid. 

Mica: Ok let's go. 

Travis: Isaak stop limping. You're fine. 

Isaak: But my leg feels like it's going to fall off. It hurts.

He milked the limp for a few hours.

Asthma

The Influenza I had hated me. I think it's gone. 

I have a lingering dry cough that I just can't get rid of. I've tried drinking it away with a lot of water, tea, and Emergen-C drinks. I've did the neti pot twice a day, and the cough just lingered.

I think my sickness I had aggravated my asthma. It's happened before. Now I'm puffing my inhaler, and taking some allergy meds just until I can get it under control. I don't have asthma all the time. I just get it in the cold, if I'm sick, or if my allergies are really bad. The sad thing is that since I don't have asthma all the time - when I do need my inhaler it's expired.

I still haven't gotten my new insurance cards - we switched insurance. From what I understand, the inhalers don't really go bad, they just weaken. I've only puffed the thing for 1 1/2 days, and it's helped. I coughed stuff up, and can breathe again without sounding like someone that's smoked for years (when I don't smoke at all).

Isaak has been great for a week now. He's all over Influenza.

Time is Cloudy

Since I was sick towards the end of last week, and over the weekend everything seems off. It's really Wednesday? I had no weekend to do my errands. I was stuck at home because A) Didn't feel up to leaving the house and B) Didn't want to get anybody else's family sick.

I started back up at work, and the kids started school yesterday.

We had a teacher Inservice, and I was one of the main presenters.
I had finished up my 3 PowerPoints when I was sick. One was an intro to the whole Inservice, another was on the Adobe Creative Cloud and many of the new things that programs offer, and lastly I had a PowerPoint to talk about Creativity Cans from Creativity for Kids | Faber-Castell. Faculty members got to take a Creativity Can with them. 

Source

When I wrote the PowerPoint for Adobe Cloud I was seriously in a cloud.
It's been a long time since I've been that sick. I should have been resting only I was tending to the kids, cleaning, washing dishes, washing my hands enough to make them chapped, and preparing PowerPoints. Thankfully Dad did most of the meals.

I feel like I presented well. Lucky for me I caught 1 spelling error before I presented. The word was underlined in red, but my clouded mind just didn't see it until prior to presenting.  A few teachers came up to me and said, "Thank you for presenting that. I wrote down some things you said that I found helpful." That's always nice to hear.

It got so cold here like it is in many places that they closed all the schools in the area for today.
We got up earlier than normal to haul the boys to Grandma and Grandpa's house. They were so excited. They love their Grandma and Grandpa. When we got there they fought over who was going to sit next to Grandma. At least we know she's loved.

I'm still not feeling 100%. It doesn't help that the air is super dry. My throat hurts, I'm coughing up stuff, and I feel tired. I hope I'm full over this soon!
Seriously I've had Influenza since last Wednesday. I got on Tamilfu day 1. Isaak's been bouncing off the walls for 3 days now. I did get stuff out of him when I help him do the Netti Pot, but he feels good.

I feel like I need to make a Costco run, a library run, a bank run and so on. It's too cold, and I have zero drive to do any of those errands.

Influenza

I've never had the true flu; until now. I mean the beast Influenza. The stomach flu is a breeze compared to this crap. I always heard it feels a bit like you're on your death bed. 

Dad got it when I was prego with Isaak. They were low on flu shots then. He was late in the game for getting Thamiflu, and was out of work for 2 weeks. He's one of those people that's always like, "I never get sick." Then when he does he's a big baby that I love. I was lucky that I got the flu shot that year. I was one of those high risk peeps that could get it because I was pregnant. Influenza is highly contagious. 

Luckily I got on Thamiflu early, Isaak got on it early, and Mica's on a preventative dose. Experts say to get Thamiflu within the first few days of getting the flu; for it to do its thing. Technically I still don't know what all this beast of bug can do because we're lucky enough for meds. 

I do know the first person in Iowa died from Influenza just yesterday, or the day before. My couch days are running into each other. Instead of being pissed about having this nasty bug I'm thankful for modern medicine. I'm thinking of this sweet little girl that died of the same thing we have. They say that people with weakened immune systems are the ones that have to watch out for the flu. True, but look at this little girl that died. She was perfectly healthy before she got Influenza.

Bless her family!

Source

Death from Influenza can happen to anyone. Thank goodness we have modern medicine to help prevent the flu, and help when the flu shot isn't the right strain. It really is a guessing game to get the flu shot right for the following year. Look back in history at how many people died of Influenza back in the pioneer days.

We're pushing through it! Even with the grumpy face, and pale white skin.

 Lots of Sleeping! That's the only time Isaak doesn't have the grumpy face!

Trying to eat. Kids often do not have an appetite. I had less of an appetite, but not as limited as him. He said, "Mom the soup hurts my eyes so bad!" :( Sore eyes is one of symptoms of the flu on the 2nd day.

After he ate his soup crackers, snap peas, and soup he took his meds.

He threw up the meds. Luckily they gave us more than enough for an extra dose. If he keeps throwing up we may be in trouble! 

As for me I'm 1/2 done with my meds.

 I'm thankful for modern day meds today! Happy 2015!

The New Year

Yesterday I had a cough. I didn't think much of it. I mean I took the tree down the night before, and cleaned in spots that don't get cleaned as much - like behind the TV stand. With my allergies coughing is normal.

I met with two of my old friends for lunch.

After that moment things got worse. Then I felt bad exposing my friends, and their children to my germs.

Last evening we watched Night at the Museum - Battle of the Smithsonian and Grease thanks to the Omaha Public Library! For the record in Grease they do have 2 questionable parts for kids like talking about hickeys, and making out in a car. Also for the record as a kid I remember none of this. It went over my head then. I know my boys don't have a clue what "hickeys" are. I'd like to keep it that way for now.

On with the story - I couldn't even sing to Grease. Let me tell you I know the words to every song. The extension of my sickness came on me like a bat out of hell. I got the shivers, and my body ached so bad! I called Grandma to tell her I won't be able to celebrate "Christmas" with my family tomorrow (which is today now). My sister's whole family was sick at Christmas time.

Grandma said, "Call your doctor right away. Get on Tamiflu." I reluctantly called their answering service, they transferred me to an on call nurse. She wouldn't call anything in until I saw someone. Dad called Urgent Care down the street that has a one star rating. I was out of choices. It was 7:50 on New Years Eve. 

They said, "We'll see her if she gets here in 5 minutes." Out of the house I go with flannel pjs on. I was lucky enough to slip a bra on. Sorry for the (too much information bit). You get the point.

It was the last day I could use my insurance card. My new insurance was accepted, but I don't have a card yet. 

It took them awhile to see me. The lady had me fill out paper work even though I'd seen them before. Then they switched my chart with someone else. That got resolved really fast. I could see why they have a 1 star rating.

The test came up negative for Influenza, but they are treating me for it anyhow. The doctor said, "The test is only right 70% of the time. You are on day one. Day one usually doesn't come up positive." Off I went to pick up my meds. 

I've been washing clothes like crazy. Dad slept on our clean bed that he made, and I slept on the couch (since I was resting there before going to Urgent Care).

I know I have Influenza despite what the test said. I was feverish last night, I had chills, I was aching all over, I had a dry cough, I was around someone at work that left and was off of work for 2 days that shared the same symptoms, and today my eyes ache, and I'm coughing up stuff. 

I came home expecting my boys to be asleep. Nope! They were wide awake. Isaak fell asleep at 10, and Mica blinked heavily from 8:30 to 11:15. 

Daddy was sipping on wine and said, "Oh come on let them stay up." I didn't have the energy to argue. When the boys stay up they are grumpy the next day, and fight more than normal.

  
So far 2015 isn't nice. I'm hoping for a better year as we get a little more into the year.

*By the way I did get a flu shot, but it's strain wasn't right this year. Boo!

Flu Shots

The last 2 days we did a lot of errands. Not my idea of a great time, but they needed to get done.

Yesterday it was flu shot day. The boys had an appointment to get theirs done in the morning. 

In the car Isaak said, "Are we going to get a shot?"

I said, "Yep. Getting a shot isn't that bad. It feels like a pinch and then the pain is over. That spot where you get a shot may feel like a bruise later. The shot you are getting today protects you from getting Influenza. Daddy got that once, and he missed two weeks of work. Some people who get sick a lot anyways can die of Influenza. There are shots for all kinds of things. Many are to protect you from diseases like Polio. Grandma had that, and she's still having issues from it today. Mommy had to get allergy shots when I was little. It was supposed to make me better. Maybe it did. I think people make too big of a deal about shots."

I left out the part that some adults HATE shots, that I used to hide from my Mom when it was time to get my allergy shots and that many people opt not to get a flu shot.

I probably over talked that one. The doctor's office is a ways away. I figured I may as well cover their worries.

Isaak said, "Well Mica's going first."

When we got in the office Mica picked up a book to read it right away. Sort of to avoid getting a shot.

I said, "Ok Mica you are first."

Mica said, "Oh no! Isaak's first."

I said, "Come on remember it's just like a sting. Then it's done." I had to hold him down.

He got his shot and said, "Oh that really wasn't that bad!"

Then Isaak got held down.

He just said, "OWWW! That was it? That really wasn't that bad."

Isaak limped for a little while. 

Neither kid cried!

Next it was my turn to get a flu shot at Walgreens. The boys were fascinated with the fact that I was getting mine in the arm, and not the leg. Then they felt bad for me that my Band-Aid wasn't as cool as theirs.

They went on and on about the Band-Aids they each got. Mica was trying to roll his pants up to show Isaak and I his Band-Aid. His pant leg wouldn't go up high enough; and he almost dropped his drawers to show us. I caught him first.

Am I crazy for not getting the mist? I just don't trust something that doesn't go right into the blood stream. Some feel flu shots are unnecessary. If I can get something to prevent Influenza, I'm all about it. I don't want to miss 2 or more weeks of work. I don't want to be that sick. I don't want that to get passed around in our family. I've found that there are still people that feel like the flu shot covers all illnesses. NOPE! Just one really bad one, Influenza.