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!

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.

Sick

The animated boy seen in the post below has the tummy flu. It managed to skip him over Christmas and now he has it. His teacher said that 3 other kids were out of class. Mica looked white as a sheet when Daddy picked him up. I told Mica, "Honey if you don't feel well, you need to let your teacher know! Then Daddy or Mommy will come pick you up." I think he was ashamed, or something. Now he's probably passed it along to more kids there.

He came home, was sick right away and than acted just fine. Now he's sick again.

How do some kids turn it off and on again? I remember being sick like that and it was like I was tied to the couch. My kids bounce around like nothing was ever wrong in the first place. Then I never know if they are better or not. They totally fake me out.

Mica missed swim lessons tonight and we've already decided that he's not going to school tomorrow. I think when I was little the policy was, you get up, eat breakfast and see how you feel. Well if Mica bounces around in the middle of being sick, how do I know if he's really sick or not? He's staying home. At least in the morning.

I feel really bad because on Saturday Mica was walking all hunched over. I was freaking out thinking that he had appendix issues. I press on his lower left side and he said, "Ouch." Then he got up and started walking normal and said, "I'm fine now." He was fine the rest of the weekend. Maybe that was just the start of this.

For the record, I think I've dealt with and been around enough stomach flu this winter. Thanksgiving they were sick, Christmas Isaak was sick, then I got sick 1 day after and now this. I'm hoping no one else gets it!

Sick

A few weeks before Christmas Cousin Emerson was sick with a cold. He was put on antibiotics. One week before Christmas most all of Aunt Terra's family had the tummy flu, our Daddy had a cold, then I got a cold.

1AM on Christmas Eve Isaak gets the tummy flu. His personality bounced back, but he wouldn't eat for two days. Grandpa Spiehs gets the tummy flu on Christmas Eve and missed out on all the Christmas activities.

Mica got a cold somewhere in the middle there and lost his voice on Christmas day. He sounded like a little old man talking.

The day after Christmas Grandma Spiehs felt blah and I got the tummy flu. I was really down yesterday, but came to work anyhow. No one is at work. It's more quiet and restful here then it is at home. I'm now feeling much better. Emerson is back to having a cold. That poor little baby is well, sick, well, sick and so on.

I Got My Flu Shot Today

My question of the day is, do you get one? I know some people are pro flu shots, some think they do nothing and others are anti shots.

I air on the side of caution. CAUTION meaning, preventing me from getting deathly sick. I get sick a lot from being a mom, a teacher and having allergies. I just don't want the risk of getting influenza. If a shot can prevent that then I'll get one.

I've known two people that have had influenza and it wasn't pretty. My co-worker that got it had thyroid issues and along with that had eye problems. It was horrible. My husband got it and missed 2 weeks of work.

I was a skeptic about shots when my boys were younger. Mica got his staph infection a week after getting his vaccines and Isaak got his meningitis two days after getting his vaccines. For awhile I thought maybe my boys had some rare reaction when it came to their vaccines. Mica had an ear infection on the same side as his staph infection. Isaak could have gotten meningitis anywhere. I pushed all my skepticism aside.

Now I'm thankful that we have the vaccines we do today. Grandma Spiehs had Polio when she was a little tike. It's been a real problem in her life. Vaccines prevent things like that.

When I got my shot today Isaak was with me. He said, "Momma are you scared to get a shot?" I said, "No honey. It really doesn't hurt that bad. It's like a little sting." He said, "Oh. Will you cry?" I said, "Nope." Then he said, "You will get a sticker when you are all done!" I said, "Nope. Only kids get stickers. Not adults." He said, "Oh." I think he felt sorry for me that I didn't get a sticker for being oh so brave.

The boys are getting their flu shots later this month. The nurse asked if I wanted them to have the flu mist or the shot? The shot is what I went with. The boys won't like that decision, but I know they will in fact get it. With the flu mist...well they won't even blow their noses; I doubt they will suck in a mist effectively.