probably influenza...

I talked with my cousin yesterday. She said that her son had the same symptoms as our kids and that the doctor told her the same exact things that they told us to do.

Here are the kids' symptoms:
--I. started a fever on Friday (well, it may have been before that time, but I didn't take a temp. until Friday morning.). She was 102.5 in one ear and 103 in the other. The doctor said, "She sounds clear. She has a virus. She'll have a fever for 3-5 days. Watch her VERY, Very carefully! Switch the motrin and tylenol every three hrs. and tepid baths* past the belly button to control the fever." Then, she high-tailed it out of there (she's a talker, so this wasn't very normal).

So, Sunday comes along and now H. and A. also have it. (So, we didn't just ditch church for no reason.) I treat them with the advil, since that worked for I., but A.'s fever persisted so we are doing tylenol and advil with her. I had to give all three tepid fever-reducing baths last night.

Every three hours I had an alarm set on my phone for taking temperatures and giving meds. During the night, I.'s temp stayed around 99, so I didn't give her advil. H. needed advil once. A. needed advil and tylenol all night and I needed to give warm water compresses to evaporate the fever, too (I didn't think she'd go for a bath in the middle of the night twice).

This morning, I woke up with the alarm again and went to do my rounds with the thermometer (thankfully we have the ear one...I can't even imagine having to put the thermometer under the arm that many times). I. was around 100. A. was about 101. H. was 104.5. SO, back to the bath.

I called the doctor to get more appropriate instructions and this is what I learned...just in case we get influenza A (I assume it is because my cousin's son had the test) again, I want it documented in a better place than on the back of some random paper.

Here goes:
if fever is above 102.5, give a DOUBLE dose of advil.
after 3 hrs., if fever is persisting, give SINGLE dose of tylenol.
after 3 more hrs., if over 102.5, give a DOUBLE dose of advil.
repeat.

If, the fever continues for more than 5 days or isn't getting lower each time it is treated (by meds or tepid baths or warm water compresses) then you need to go back in.

If the cough that comes with it persists and isn't just from the throat like post-nasal drip, go in for a bronchitis test.

If diarrhea, nausea, cough, etc. come on, too, then call.


When asked about meds that they can take, this is what I learned:

Continue with the allergy meds.
Treat the post-nasal drip.
Treat the cough to avoid pneumonia...pulmacort and xopenex 2xs daily for a week and then wean.


Crappy, huh?


Oh, and one more thing...no contact with other kids for 7 days. So, we won't be seeing you for a while...and thankfully, we didn't go anywhere this week (except soccer, but there's no contact in soccer, right?????)


*tepid bath = 97-99 degree bath past the belly button for 20 minutes, or until the fever has dropped a degree. Do this when the fever is over 102.5

If ye are prepared, Ye shall not fear...

...a commandment?

...a blessing?

...I think it is both.

So, I always think about food storage to not be fearful of disasters and spiritual preparedness to not fear the day of the Lord's return. But, today, I have seen this in a new light. If ye are prepared ye shall not fear.

The swine flu again...sorry to keep talking about it, but it really has consumed my thinking lately. This is what I've come up with for our family, "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear."

So, what would we need to be prepared for the swine flu, heaven forbid we contract it?

1. a clean toilet and bathroom.
2. clean clothes...because mama ain't doing the laundry when she's doubled over the toilet.
3. clean dishes, and some paper goods...because again, if mama can hardly get the dishes done when she's well, then when she's sick, I can guarantee that she ain't goin' to be doing them!
4. menu, food already bought.
5. meds and electrolyte-containing drinks.
6. a clean house so that no one else contracts it even if one of us does.
7. kleenexes, soap, trash bags, and sanitizer.
8. lots of clean towels (for sleeping on in case of a quick need to vomit, so you don't have to change the sheets every time a kid barfs in bed).
9. Make sure that you have eaten good food and have drank enough water so if you come into contact with someone who is sick, your body will be able to withstand it.
10. make sure that you've exercised appropriately so that your body is ready.

So, our three goals today are
#1 to have Mt. WashMore sorted into the baskets so we can get our laundry in order
#2 put away the clean clothes that have already been washed so that they are easily found, thus wasting less time.
#3 dishes cleaned and put away.

Wish us luck. Go assess your own home. Are you ready for whatever will come your way? If yes, good for you. If no, then make some goals to get to where you can feel comfortable and not fearful!

Have a great, healthy day!!!

R.

Come on, give us some information we can use!

I'm sure I'm not the only one with swine flu on my mind.

It is kinda stressing me out.

We were home for 5 weeks with two different viruses and walking pneumonia.

The kids just finished their breathing treatments last week from it all.

We had our flu shots.

Is this like the "gripa" I had in Romania? (flu + stomach flu = gripa)

Is the 23 month old that just died in Texas Mexican? Had they visited Mexico? Was the child a sicky before? Did the child die from pneumonia like the twenty 20-40 yr olds in Mexico? Is the child's family sick? Was the child in daycare?

So many unanswered questions.

I searched last night online and this is what I came up with...

1. You can get it from someone from one day before they show ANY symptoms until 7 days after (after they aren't sick, or after their first symptom???--no info)

2. It is like the flu we are familiar with (the one that kills old people and kids?--no, this one kills otherwise healthy young adults, or were they?--no info)

3. Some people also get vomiting and diarrhea (isn't that like our regular duck flu?)

4. A bunch of scared people the moment that the universal health care bills are going through congress...interesting. I really wish that the press and the govt would give us some real information. They can't be that in the dark. Either close the schools so we can avoid getting it, or quit barking about how bad it is. Why wait until it is a pandemic before trying any protective measures???