Sick, Sick, Sick and Sick Again

I'm not sure if it's having three kids instead of two, but geez this winter has been hard on my clan in the illness department. I'm so very thankful that Michael's new job doesn't require much travel so he has been home almost every night to help with these sickies! A few weeks before Christmas both boys had double ear infections and were wheezing. Whoa - making sure they both had their breathing treatments every 3 hours and their meds twice a day was quite a task in between infant feedings and naps. Fortunately their bodies healed and we enjoyed a healthy Christmas! Sure enough, however, Ryan got another double ear infection the first of January. I have to say, I'm becoming a very good at predicting when it's just teething and when it's something more. Glad I went in for another ear check. At this same time, Michael was tired of being sick himself and got on Z-pack for a sinus infection. After Ry finished this round of antibiotics, sweet Luke went down fast and furious. He was in his room "napping" but came out to tell me he was cold. I was busy with boy #2 and told him if that was the case that he needed to go in his bed and cover up and go to sleep. Well, sure enough he did! When he woke up he had 103 temp. In a true preschooler's form, he said "yes" when I asked if his ears and throat hurt. But he also told me his leg hurt?!?! Me, the Paranoid Mom, thought it might be another ear infection so I took him that night to Acute Kids in hopes that was all it was and he could go to school the next day. He tested negative for strep and was diagnosed with a viral infection. Poor kid fought that fever and later stomach issues for SEVEN LONG DAYS. On day 5 when he still wasn't better, I did take him back to our ped just to make sure Acute Kids didn't miss anything. Nope, he just had a bug. On Monday after Luke was better, it was time to take Ry in for an ear re-check and to get his flu shot booster. This appointment went well - he still had fluid in his ears and a little congestion but was cleared off of any meds and was able to get his shot. But no kidding, the very next morning the fussiness and lack of appetite began. By Thursday that little voice was telling me, "Get his ears checked" so back to the ped I went. My poor, poor baby had ANOTHER ear infection, this time he was prescribed Omnicef which cleared him up really quickly but gave his tummy a bit of trouble. Thank goodness for probiotics and breast feeding - the only thing that comforted him. Oh and can't forget to mention that during this time, Ryan absolutely stopped taking the paci even from his Daddy at night time. We had to cold turkey drop the swaddle and the paci the only way he'd fall asleep was crying it out. :( Thank goodness only the first two or three days were hard and now he only cries and fusses for a few minutes before he falls asleep. Soooo..... that brings us up to last week. Hannah had been a little sluggish and tired for a few days and complained about not feeling well but she never had a temp or any real symptoms. Until Boom! last Friday morning, I got a reading of 100.6 when she woke up. She stayed home from school and has spent the weekend resting and we hope she will return to school tomorrow on Valentine's Day. She's had trouble sleeping at night and some of the aches and pains she describes are a little concerning but they never seem to last. If her fever spikes again today we will again be making another co-pay to TLC Pediatrics. It's long days like these when I have all 3 kids, all day, all alone that I have to continually remind myself to focus on the positive. The silver lining in this situation is that I CAN stay home to care for them. I don't have to take time off of work or ask Michael to do so. I'll just have to make sure I get out for a bit later today and feel no shame in looking forward to sending Lukie to preschool tomorrow. Haha!