The Plague

Our household has just survived what I like the call the Plague. While others may call it a "bug" or the stomach flu, I think those names are a bit mild for what we experienced this past week. Here is a breakdown:

• Dan's parents visited us over the past weekend.
• Sunday night/Monday morning, we work up in the middle of he night to Riley's vomiting. It covered her bed, pajamas, and she sat upright saying sadly, "Mommy, dirty." We stayed up all night with her as she puked every 15 minutes.
• Monday, we stayed around the house and stayed on the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, apples, toast). It looked like we dodged a bullet and that Riley was going to make a recovery. She was drinking enough liquids but only ate two pieces of bread that day. She was tired, to say the least.
• Tuesday - I woke up and knew that I was in trouble. I tried to ward it off by taking some Tylenol and Zofran (nausea medicine safe for preggo ladies) but couldn't keep it down. By 2:00 - I was throwing u every ten minutes and sobbing to Dan that he had to come home from work. He came to check on me and saw that while Riley was OK, I was in really bad shape. By 6:00pm, I was dehydrated - I wasn't peeing, I couldn't keep down sips of Gatorade, my lips were chapped and bleeding, I had stomach pains in my lower abdomen and had a low grade temperature. I called OBGYN extraordinaire and he drew up orders for m to go to the Labor and Delivery triage for fluids and meds. Because Riley was just recovering, I didn't want her to sit in the hospital so thankfully, my best friend came to the rescue! Careful not to step foot in our house, she drove me to the hospital and sat with me while they tried to get IVs in my arms. I was so dehydrated that my veins kept blowing so they brought in another nurse (who happened to be the nurse that was in the delivery room when I had Riley). She was a pro and soon I had two bags of fluids and a full bottle of anti-nausea meds that also made you sleepy and a little loopy. While I don't remember this, Melissa said that I was rambling and slurring a few choice words, including my disdain that I didn't have DVR and I was missing American Idol. Here is a picture that Melissa took of me in the hospital. What would I do without you Melissa? She also skillfully updated my Facebook status to let everyone know I was laid up in the hospital and that she was indeed the best of the best.

• Tuesday night - Riley and Dan were both vomiting this time. We were like a cess pool of germs at our house. There was no escaping the plague. I have known Dan for seven years and I have NEVER seen him this sick. This was no joke. Riley was vomiting again throughout the night so I took over watching her once Dan was sick. Luckily, had enough energy from the fluids a few hours before.
• Wednesday, all three of us literally laid around the house. Taking turns washing in ho water whatever we touched, running the dishwasher, bleaching everything in sight, I was determined to rid the plague from our house. Dan had cleaned the bathrooms in between naps and taking care of Riley and I. Riley didn't eat or hardly drink anything on Wednesday and neither did Dan or I.
• Thursday, Riley woke up lethargic so we took her to the doctor's who reported that she was on the brink of dehydration. If she didn't have a wet diaper by 3:00pm, we were instructed to take her to the ER for IV fluids. Luckily, we didn't have to as she weakly began drinking and eating after sleeping in our bed that early afternoon. By this time, Dan and I still hadn't eaten anything but were feeling much better, weak, but better.

Now, it is Friday morning and I can say that we are all feeling much better. The analogy that I kept using was that we got hit by a bus. Well, this bus driver actually backed up and hit us a few times. I have NEVER been this sick, let alone, this sick, pregnant, and taking care of a sick toddler. Riley is eager to eat some food and I have been having a hankering for a Big Mac and a large coke. Hopefully, we will spend this weekend soaking up warmer weather, and even sneaking in a trip to the beach....while our house is airing out!