Flu Survival

Just before Jeremy got home from the grand Canyon I came down with the flu.  Or I am assuming it was the flu, since I tested negative for strep and mono, though I also tested negative for the flu (all of these tests only cover some of the varieties).  It was the sickest I have ever been in my life, as far as I can remember.  I was in such agony with sore throat, body aches, skin sensitivity, headache, fevers, cold chills, sweats, and sinus congestion that I could not take care of Emmy and Laura and asked my mom and step dad if we could stay with them.  It turned into about a three day stay.  I would lay awake at night and worry that Emmy or Laura would get sick, because with the amount of pain I was in I could not bear to think of one of my children suffering that much. Laura had received the first half of her flu shot last month, but Emmy and I had not received a flu shot yet, and we still don't know if it was even the flu for sure. The night before Jeremy got home I went home with the girls, since we were so excited for his arrival, but I was still so ill that I had to ask my mom to come out to the house and help.  It was so discouraging to be so unable to deal with basic responsibilities, and it made me so grateful that I have family here that can help out when things like this happen.

The day after Jeremy returned I was starting to feel better, but Emmy began to get sick and feverish.  It was so hard to see her sick, but oddly she did not complain of the exact same symptoms I had.  However, her fever was frequently very high (around 103F) and she was in clear distress.  I think we went to the doctor 4 times last week.  She was supposed to start preschool on Thursday but we had to delay it because she was so ill. Finally on Friday we got a call from the doctor who said she did not have the flu like we had thought, but was suffering form a kidney infection.  I could not believe we had just been trying to keep her fever down when she should have been on antibiotics days earlier!  But we just hadn't known. So, a few days of antibiotics later, Emmy is getting back to her normal self, and she was able to start preschool yesterday!  Besides being completely exhausted, I think it is going well.  She is very excited about the upcoming book fair.

Emmy, recovered and excited for her first day at preschool.