Sick Kids

Last Night, we didn't sleep much.  Allie crawled into bed with us.  I knew she hadn't been feeling well so I snuggled up to her until she quit coughing.  Only thing, when she quit coughing, she started humming in her sleep.  After a while, she added grinding teeth to the humming.

Every so often, I'd notice Jason's eyes were open.

"Have you ever heard anyone hum in their sleep?"

"Now I have."

I got up and got the thermometer.  103.8.

Oh man.

Influenza.......

Don't these kids ever wash their hands?

So, I got some cool water and Ibuprofen.  Jason got a cool wash cloth and gave her a soft sponge bath.

I called a sub.

Natalie had stayed home for three days during her last bout of Influenza and missed  her ortho appointment.  So, guess what?  Her appointment is scheduled for this morning.

So - dad gets in on the action.  He stays home with Allison while I'll bring Natalie to her appointment and get my sub notes to school (it's on the way to the dentist).  When I get home, dad will go back to work.   I'll stay home with Allison and snuggle up watching movies with her.


When the girls were younger, this happened fairly frequently.  It seemed they got every little bug that went around.  As they got older, they started REALLY taking my advice about washing their hands - and now, they rarely get sick.  So - there's a plus to kids growing up - they wash their hands.

Yesterday, when I brought Allison to the doctor, the doc told me she thought Allie might be coming down with influenza since Nat had just had it.  I'd know within the next twelve hours.  If her temp was low, and she had the sniffles, her advice was to go ahead and send her to school.  If it climbed to 101 - 102, it was probably influenza and to keep her home. 

Afterwards, I mentioned to the doctor how hard it was when the girls were sick because it seemed like I was checking on "every-little-thing"  just to get the go ahead to go back to work.  She got that.  It's not easy being a working parent.  I'm lucky to work for the type of business that believes in kids - kids are their business after all, right?  If my kids are sick, I won't get an eye-roll or a tongue lashing.  I can just concentrate on being a mom.