January - A month of illness

Ok, so blogging in January was kind of a bust. The truth is that nothing really happened except that we were all sick for the whole month. Actually, it started at the end of December, and frankly, it hasn't let up yet. I kinda wish we could have a do-over for 2009.

It all started on Christmas Eve-Eve (what I call December 23rd). I had finished my last caroling gig for the season the night before at McCormick & Schmick'a Restaurant (a total bust. but the way, the place was empty - no tips). I woke up Christmas Eve -Eve with a scratchy throat. I always know that is trouble, but was trying to wish it away. By Christmas Eve it was a full-blown sore throat. And of course, I was constantly surrounded by my entire family, including my relatives from Colorado and their 8-month-old. My sister wasn't there, yet still managed to get sick anyway.
By the day after Christmas, my dad was starting to feel it. We went to Disneyland that day and he mentioned his throat didn't feel right. Madeleine was the next victim, then Jason, then my mom and then my brother Jared. By New Year's Eve we were all miserable, but holding on to the fact that it was just a really bad cold. (Yeah, right). We had plans to go to visit Jason's dad on New Year's Day, then have a family weekend in San Diego and take Maddie to the zoo. We were determined to keep our plans. We called Jason's dad, Wes, and he said we could still come because he and Chris were sick too! Unbelievable! So we went. Madeleine and I were the sickest. But we pressed on. Of course, it was also cold and rainy, but were still determined to go to the zoo. And so we did. We had a good time, but I think it would have been better if we were healthier and it was a little warmer.

Maddie and me sick on Jan. 2, 2009





Sick in San Diego



Pics at the San Diego Zoo, Jan. 3, 2009









We came home from San Diego on Sunday exhausted and not rested and leery of working the next day. We all had a terrible cough, especially Madeleine. I decided it was time for her to visit the doctor.
The next day, I canceled my work day and took her in. I wasn't that surprised when the doctor said she had bronchitis (which means Jason and I had it too). She did say she was going to have to have a nebulizer to inhale some medicine to break up the congestion, otherwise they would have to hospitalize her. So we got the nebulizer. She hated it. I had to give it to her 3 times a day. She cried and cried, but it got the medicine into her lungs. I decided to take a few hits of her medicine too. Why not, I had bronchitis too. Jason saw his doctor and he got an inhaler and some cough medicine. Jason took the next two days off of work. We were just a mess. Come to find out, the rest of my family was equally as miserable, and of course, we all had many obligations we had to fulfill using our voices. Then I found out my family in Denver also got sick, including my cousin 8-month -old Lexi. It was bad. It didn't go away for about 2 weeks.

Then I got a sinus infection. GREAT! New sore throat, new symptoms, new congestion. I was sick of being sick! Jason was out of town in Orlando, FL on business and I had to suffer alone. Luckily, Maddie didn't get this one; she just had a little residual congestion from the earlier infection. However, my parents were not better. It was bad. That weekend (Jan. 24 -one month since beginning of sickness) I was feeling really run down, but I still had to teach my Saturday morning class. When I picked Maddie up from Jason's mom's house that afternoon, I was feeling really exhausted. My stomach was not right either. I ate a Subway sandwich to try to appease my nausea, but it started getting worse. I was also feeling achy. By the time we got home, I had a fever and was miserable. Since Jason was gone and I had no help with Madeleine, I called my mom and asked if Maddie could stay with her and my Dad so I could rest and so that she wouldn't catch what I had. I mustered my remaining strength and got Maddie to my parents. I drove back home and crashed. By 5 am the next morning I was throwing up and basically couldn't stop. I couldn't hold down any fluids at all. Jason was still gone! That afternoon, my dad picked me (still sick from the first infection) and took me to the emergency room. They gave me an IV of fluids and determined I had food poisoning! I still felt awful. I went back home to my parent's house until Jason finally picked me up after coming home from Florida. Madeleine stayed another night with my parents so I could sleep in. It took me another 3 days or so to feel better. (Sorry, no pictures of food poisoned, green Rachel Green)

Ok, so it seems like January ends and the sickness is over. Feb. 1 was SuperBowl Sunday. We had a nice relaxing day and were all ready for Monday. Monday, Feb. 2nd- Jason wakes up with a sore throat!!!!!!!!!! AAAARRRRGGGGHHH! He has had a cold all week and yesterday, who gets a runny nose and cough but Madeleine. Here we go all over again. Please God, let cold and flu season end soon!