Here We Go Again - Another Family Illness

Well the last half of February and well into March we were back to our winter usual . . . sick, sick, sick. Honestly, our winters here in Texas have been pretty miserable, especially these past 2. The whole thing started with the youngest three getting runny noses and congestion. Then came the cough. It was a horrible, horrible cough. The kind that generally comes when you're trying to sleep and yet totally prevents sleep from happening.

After a weekend of this cough, I'd had enough and headed to the doctor with the three youngest. At that point, only Declan was having problems - he was wheezing. Poor boy. The doctor's comment was that he seemed to be heading in the same direction as Taylor (she has asthma and gets sick CONSTANTLY). Ahhhhh!!! I hope not. At that point, Taylor and Payden hadn't developed anything serious, but I was put on watch to check their progress.

By Thursday, I was concerned about Payden (her cough was worse and she'd developed a fever) and took her back. She was diagnosed with bronchitis. Poor baby! I can only imagined how sick she would have gotten if I hadn't been watching her progress. Then over the weekend Declan started getting fussy and I was concerned about him again, so on Monday we headed back to the doctor (the third time in a week). Sure enough . . . he was still wheezing (even after finishing a round of steriods and breathing treatments) and now had developed a double ear infection. So now he ended up on antibiotics and 2 sets of breathing treatment medicines.

The person who I'm generally most worried about is Taylor because she always develops something and generally gets the sickest. I was so excited when she didn't develop anything. Amen to her surgery. I really believe her tonsils just gave a place for her germs to multiply and without them she was actually able to fight off the germs on her own. Of course, the tubes helped prevent the ear infection by draining the liquid in her ear before it produced into anything. I am so grateful for her surgery. By the end of this whole ordeal, she was the only person who got sick but didn't develop anything worse than the initial symptoms. Hallelujah!!!!

As the others were finally starting to get better, then Shelby started getting sick. Her cough didn't get as severe as the others, but she ended up getting a fever and an ear infection. By the time we got to the doctor though, her fever had subsided and she wasn't feeling any more pain.

Of course, I couldn't even escape this. After over a month and a half of allergies symptoms plus the many sleepless nights taking care of these kiddos, I ended up getting what they had, which turned into a sinus infection. Fortunately, I was able to continually clear out the sinus and I was able to get rid of the infection without medicine.

By the time we finished, a month had elapsed. We had TONS of bad nights. Fortunately I never had to deal with more than 2 at a time and generally it was just 1. I slept on the couch for all of that time because it allowed me to help the kids better. Whenever they would go into their HUGE coughing fits (lasting 1-2 hours), I would just pull them next to me on the couch where I was able to prop them up on pillows and help them stay propped up. The coughing would finally subside and then they'd finally be able to get some sleep.

These family illnesses just kill me, but I'm so used to it that I just pop into survival mode and we make it through alright. I think between February and March, we went to the doctor around 10 times, going every week except one. It definitely explains why my kids are so comfortable going to the doctor's office; we're there too often, but are grateful for them and for the wonderful medicines we get to help us through our misery. Now hopefully this will be our last family illness of the season. I'm also praying that we will agree with Washington much better and be able to avoid so much sickness . . . here's to hoping!!!


Declan decided to always fight taking his breathing treatments, so I would have to pin him. I'd place his right arm behind me and squeeze him next to me. I'd then hold his left hand and we'd have to sit there for almost 30 minutes as we'd do his 2 breathing treatments.


I'd feel bad for him and would relax a little . . .


He would sieze the opportunity, generally immediately, and would do what he'd been dying to do . . . grab the face mask and munch on it. We'd try giving him the bottom of the mask to munch on while taking his treatment, but he just wouldn't have it. He wanted one thing and one thing only. I felt bad having to pin him for so long, but there wasn't anything I could do about it. If only he had learned.


These were taken the night Payden developed her fever. We were sitting at dinner, and I was having problems getting her to eat. I looked closely at her and could tell she looked miserable. I felt her forehead and sure enough . . . she was burning hot. We gave her some ibuprofen and then Tom headed up to give her a bath to help the fever go down.


Poor baby. She just felt awful.




Since Payden kicks her covers off, I put an undershirt on her when she's wearing short sleeves to help her keep warm. I have never bought new undershirts and have just kept her in her 24m onesies. Well here is what Tom likes to do with them . . .


He thinks it is hilarious to put them on the outside.

Anyways, we are well into April now and I am still backed up because of this nasty illness. Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up soon. The house, my blog, my e-mails, and so much more could sure use it.