A month of illness

       March ended with Runny noses and a slight cough, I figured it was a "change of the seasons cold" no big deal. Luckily our friends' kids all had similar symptoms so we could still play together and go about our daily routines. The week before Easter I was struck with a sinus infection, double ear infection and broncitus! I was miserable but made it through singing at two rehearsals and two Easter services (with some good antibiotics). The next Wednesday I had to take Pen in to the Dr for her first ear infection. Got her on some antibiotics (first time either of my kids have ever had an antibiotic).

      We seemed to be better for a couple days and then the poo hit the fan. Nasal congestion, chest congestion, coughing and sneezing and a WHOLE LOT of crying and whining soon followed. Penny and Lily both stopped sleeping through the night (which means mom and dad did too). No one was eating well, so I just tried to keep them hydrated and as comfortable as possible. Don and I have been sick with nasal and chest congestion too, so we went into survival mode.

This is what our front room has looked like this week

Then Lily spiked a temp of 104 on 4/15/12. Neither of my girls is sick very often and have never had a temp over 102. I was really scared so I called our neighbor who is an ICU nurse, and she talked me through what to do. I am so thankful for my neighbors!! Lily's temp passed but I took her to the Dr anyway because I had heard that something called "Hand, Foot and Mouth" was going around Beaver Dam area and some of our friends' kids had come down with it. After two Dr.s telling me my girls did not have it, the spots appeared. Lily never complainedabout the rash itching or hurting though, and was eating and drinking normal, so I figured it was going to be ok even if they did have it.

1:00am 4/18/12 Penny wakes up screaming with a temp of 104. I did everything that I had done with Lily, but nothing seemed to relieve her pain, I alternated motrin and tylenol and cool bath. By 1:00pm she was screaming and ripping at her mouth and body. I have never seen a child in so much pain and I felt so helpless. I called the nurse and she said there was really nothing to do but comfort her until it passed. I had to put her in foot pjs and mittens to stop her from tearing herself apart. Penny reacted a lot different to HFM than Lily did, she had the rash all over her body from her head to toes. she had the sores on her mouth and ears, no blisters on the hands or feet as the websites had said. Thursday was better, she still didn't sleep thursday night, but Don and I have taken turns staying up with her.

My poor baby

So today is Friday and thank goodness my girls are acting like themselves again!! It sucks that my kids are so close together in age sometimes and I would never call it a blessing that they get sick at the same time, but I am so glad that this HFM disease is out of my house!! Hopefully Don and I can recover now and May will be a better month!