Today is a new day

I try to always stay as upbeat as possible in life as a whole.  Sometimes, though, things just get you down!

Yesterday we went back to the pediatrician for a follow-up with James since he was released from the hospital on Friday.  We also made the appointment for Aleksa and Micah since they were exhibiting the same symptoms as Michael and James had in the weeks prior.  100-102 fever, rough loose cough, and behavior that suggests they're just not feeling well (Micah was falling asleep eating, Aleksa was picking at everyone and everything).

Off I went yesterday morning with 8 little ones in tow while Kristopher was at school.  They lined the floor of the doctor's office even though I'm sure they picked up even more germs that way... We sanitized well afterward!  After the doctor listened to Micah and Aleksa and deemed that it was in both of their chests and both had pneumonia, she swabbed them for Strep.  Surprise surprise... they both were still positive!  Since we were all there, she swabbed the other three girls as well (James and Wesley are both still on other antibiotics).  ALL FIVE still have strep! :(

Yes, this was just about my breaking point!

In the past 4 weeks we have had so much going on outside of our control that it has been a bit nutty.  Mike's been sick, all 8 of the older kids (thankfully not myself of Delaina) have been sick, James spent 4 days in the PICU, we've had the car break down, an appliance need replacement, close relationships that have had major things happen, and now we're dealing with yet another round of sickness!

Our house went from full on homeschooling to "a little germ that came home from school and infected everyone in the house!"

And guess what?  It hasn't been easy!!  Michael was out of the workings of the house due to sickness and a business trip for almost 2 weeks, at the same time that all of the kids were diagnosed with the first round of strep.  Then, as he got healthy and rejoined the family, James ended up taking his turn for the worse and since Delaina is nursing, it made more sense for Michael to be the one to be with him at the hospital.  So, my solo-parenting gig took on almost another week.  I'm SO GLAD to have Michael back home, feeling better, and I even took an almost 3 hour nap on Saturday afternoon!  Of course it hasn't all been fun and games for Michael either while he was sick or hanging out in the ICU with James  :).

Monday's news of two more with pneumonia and 5 still with strep was just about enough to knock me over. After an hour at the pediatrician and then driving through McDonald's for lunch, we came back to the house and "picnic'd" in the car after I picked up the feeding pump for Wesley and formula for James.  I sat and nursed Delaina while everyone else enjoyed their cheeseburgers and chicken nuggets.  Then we hit the road again and went to pick up prescriptions (which is why we didn't go right inside, plus it was a beautiful day!!). I started driving to our regular pharmacy and called to find out they were out of stock.  I asked them to find another local pharmacy that could fill it and I drove to the park to wait it out again.  The kids and I sat and took a break watching the dolphins play out the car windows at the river.  Well, half of them slept... but the others watched the dolphins with me...

After about 30 minutes they had located the medicine and sent me to two pharmacies to pick it up.  I went to the first pharmacy that took over an hour to fill them, then off for the 20 minute drive to the second pharmacy who filled it quickly (thankfully!).  At that point Michael realized he wasn't getting out of his doctor's appointment (his follow-up for pneumonia) and I needed to pick up Kristopher at school.

By the time we arrived home 6 hours after leaving for the doctor, we had all 5 kids' prescriptions and had Kristopher, so I guess it was all worthwhile!

I wasn't so happy to see that unlike the previous medication... this one had different dosages for every child.

We now have quite the assembly of medications...
James takes 8 doses of meds a day
Micah takes 11 doses a day
Brianna takes 3 a day
Lynae takes 3 a day
Emma takes 3 a day
Aleksa takes 9 a day
Wesley takes 11 a day
The grand total: 48 meds/day.  YIKES

And here is where you curl up in to the fetal position on the floor and cry.  (Yes, I considered it...) Then you get up, put yourself back together, recognize that this is a temporary thing and it's worth it because when they are all HEALTHY then 90% of those meds will stop... some as soon as the next few days for those that have been on them for a while already.  And you make another meal, prep another round of meds, and keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Aleksa and Micah are each playing in their bedrooms, once again.  Both have rattley coughs and don't need to spread the wealth whether it's the same germ the other kids have or not.  Lynae started with a cough this morning, as did Emma, but after a few coughs they both appear fine now.  It's a TV marathon day today, though... keeping everyone SEPARATED, confiscating most toys from bedrooms and keeping the playroom closed up so toys can be sanitized and so they don't spread the germs more, and generally just trying to GET BETTER!!

All the while, I'm attempting to keep Delaina away from the loving brothers and sisters that want to help her with her pacifier or kiss all over her hands (which she puts in her mouth).

Today's goal is to keep kids separated, sanitize (yet again), and to keep my sanity.  And, Brianna will go to karate this afternoon (she will have had the STRONG meds for over 24 hours and it isn't somewhere she should be swapping germs with people!).

Tomorrow will be back to schooling (at home), a speech evaluation for two of the kids (at home), and youth group at night for two of the kids.

Time to get healthy.

**However I reserve my right to curl back up in the fetal position on the floor and cry if something else major happens this week.. ok??  :)  **