Happy Friday, everyone!
It's been a looooong week. My HS Junior has been home all week with the flu. Influenza B, to be specific -- which I now know is not the crazy bad flu that is sending people to the hospital. That would be Influenza A, also known as H3N2 or H1N1. Thank goodness she doesn't have that particular strain...I have to admit that I was a tad bit worried.
We went to the doc on Monday after a horrible Sunday filled with aches, coughing, and a crazy bad sore throat. They swabbed her nose and within minutes she was diagnosed. I love how quick we got an answer -- Yay for scientific technology! With her flu diagnosis, we were issued a prescription for Tamiflu and sent on our way. I thought, "Well, thank goodness... Let's get her the meds, some chicken soup, and set her on the path back to healthy! She should be feeling 100% better by Thursday or Friday."
Yeah. That didn't happen.
Unfortunately, my lovely girl is one of the small percentage of people who has an adverse reaction to Tamiflu. Having never taken it before, how could we possibly have known? She took the meds as directed, with food, but the poor thing spent the next few days not only coughing, aching, and exhausted, but once the Tamiflu really mixed it up in her system (less than 24 hours after first dose) -- she was a GI disaster. Vomiting, horrible bad stomach pains, and let's just say it is a good thing there was a bathroom nearby. I felt so bad for her. We made an executive decision that she should stop taking the meds after multiple times of this reaction occurring. And now that we have stopped the Tamiflu -- no issues. In fact, I feel like she is getting better faster. It's no wonder; she is finally able to rest and let her body recover.
Now, I'm not a doctor, so please do not use my daughter's situation as reason for you or yours to stop taking Tamiflu. For so many people, it is a miracle medicine that shortens the debilitating effects of this virus. Just not for her. Lesson learned. For my little chickita, we will not be on that course of meds ever again.
She is so much better today. Just a slight cough and that's it. Her energy levels are still wavering, so we chose to keep her home again today from school. By the time Monday rolls around, I know she will be itching to get back to school and back on track with anything that she has missed.
It's been a crazy week. Thankfully, I'm blessed to be a work-at-home mom so I didn't have to take time off in order to be with her. Now I am busy working to bleach the living daylights out of my house so no one else gets sick.
Woo hoo -- what a fun weekend for me! Talk to you soon...
Such a lovely day here in Chicagoland. Let me set the stage for you...
The morning started sunny, with a hint of humidity in the air. High 50's, which is amazing for this time of year in northern Illinois. Nice!
Fast forward to 1:00 p.m. -- somewhat misty rain has started and it is now a whopping 64F degrees. What??? Needless to say, I had all my car windows down as I was cruising home from Target.
It was glorious.
I also sent a picture of the temp on my display to my KU girlie (because it is 29F and icy rain in Lawrence today. Ha!). Yes, that is the kind of mom that I am.
So now it's about 5:00p, it has dropped to 44F, and it has been full-out raining since 1:30p. My sump pump has been going to town. To top it off, apparently I now own lakefront property -- our backyard now leads to a ever-growing pool in the field behind our house.
Thank goodness the berm of leaves we create each fall is holding strong. When we moved in 20 years ago, we knew that the field behind us had a little bit of wetlands. No worries though. We don't mind all the water as long as it stays on the far side of our lovely leaf berm. It guarantees us that in the late spring and long into the summer, we will be able to hear frogs singing each night. Which is THE most magical sound...aahhh.
So, for now, all is good. I am headed downstairs to double-check on the sump pump, let the dogs out, and get started on some dinner. Have a wonderful night!
Blerg...
I feel like I have a 10-gallon drum of congestion in my sinuses. ((blows nose)) Being sick sucks. And before you ask -- Yes, I did indeed get a flu shot this year. But this is not flu. Just your garden variety cold virus.
You see, silly me, I was travelling last week and totally forgot to up my vitamin C intake.
I first thought about it as I got into the airport and saw people milling about, wiping their noses and touching everything. Gross. I thought about it again as I got on the airplane with an alarming number of sniffling and coughing passengers. Again, gross, and cover your mouth, please! Then once I landed...I promptly forgot. Oy. And now here I sit, up since 3:30 a.m., dripping like a faucet from my very raw and sensitive nose.
They say it is 7-10 days incubation for a cold virus. Yep, spot on. Thank you, fellow travelers, for bringing your petri dish selves onto my flight. Now we can all share in your viral suffering.
Seriously, just stay home if you're sick. Really, it's okay, I promise!
My poor hubs has had to listen to me for the last 24 hours as I snort and sniffle my way through the day. He's doing his best to make sure I am comfy and feeling as good as possible, all things considered. I have hot tea, tissues, a bag for the gross used tissues (because, EWWW, I am not going to leave those sitting on my nightstand), and lip balm. All the necessities. Hopefully by Monday, I will be able to breath out of both nostrils at the same time. Woo hoo! ((blows nose again)) I always take that for granted until it is not possible...such a luxury.
But onto better subjects. With less germs.
So last night, I was freezing. Seriously, I am Queen of the Hot Flashes, yet I was wearing 2 shirts, a sweatshirt, sweatpants, and thermal socks. Not my best look. As I said, I was sitting there freezing when my pups all decided it was their job to come onto the bed and help warm me up. (I love being their alpha...)
Anyhoo, as I sat with the pupsters, our little guy, Bailey, decided that his brother would make a good pillow. Not his twin brother, but his BIG brother, Gus. It was adorable... see for yourself.
This is not the first time that Bailey has decided to lean on his big bro. They've been like this for years. How sweet is their bond?? Gus lets Bailey clamber all over him, sleep on him, curl up for extra heat. You get the picture. Best big brother Bailey could ask for. And a cute photo op to boot!
So there it is, my effort for this morning. I'm off to take care of myself as the sun is now rising. I need to get more tea and more cold meds. And some Shea butter for my nose. Ouch.
Have a great weekend -- and take your Vitamin C!
Good morning all my lovely friends. Did we all survive the chocolate onslaught that is Valentine's Day? While I do love the sentiment of V-Day, I feel like the pressure has gotten out of control. My hubs and I have resorted to celebrating the weekend following V-Day. We can go out to dinner without a reservation, the inundation of red and pink is gone from all the venues, and we can buy V-Day specific items at half price in the days after the official celebration.
Sounds like a win for us!
Now, we are not doing this simply for the economic savings. I still got together a V-Day care package for our daughter at KU (Rock Chalk!) and had it delivered a few days before. I also put together a gift bag for our cutie-patootie high school junior daughter and gave it to her last night. We're not animals, after all...
Anyhoo - One of my favorite things I gave to the girlies was one of those felt letter boards... you know, the kind where it is rows of rolled felt and you push in the plastic letters to create messages? Like this:
That would be my motto.
For the ladies, they each received one of these boards courtesy of the Target Dollar Section (best part of the store). My college daughter got the pink and my high school daughter got the teal. I was eagerly awaiting what thought provoking messages they would create -- they are both smart as all get-out, so I had high hopes.
My KU gal delivered...
My HS junior, let's say she delivered the laughs...
I love these gals. They are so much fun.
Of course, after receiving the pix from my KU girlie, she then texts "...on weekends we're gonna change it to funny alcohol puns." Yep, that sounds about right.
It was a good V-Day. All fun, no broken hearts. What more could I ask for?
Talk to you again soon!
