Warning: Contents Under Pressure!

What a week we're having at the Burneson home!

Monday:
After several sleepless nights, Emily spent Monday morning at the doctor's office with Darren learning of his right ear infection. It is wonderful when you are able to discover that there is a cause for all the screaming at 2 am, that your son just wasn't mad at you for no reason, and that the cause is curable with the help of antibiotics.

Tuesday:
Despite my desire to enjoy a lazy day at home, I took the kids to the farm. Darren's reaction to seeing a ram up close was totally worth it. Wow, did he giggle! I returned home from the farm just in time to grab Danny from school. Then it hit...

The Flu!

It was awful. I lost strength immediately. The loss of fluids was great, and I found myself on the floor of our hallway wishing that my husband could teleport home sometime in the next millisecond.

The on-call doctor simply said that there was nothing they could do until the office opened in the morning. She said to start calling around 8:30am and see if I could get an appointment. She recommended that I be tested for the flu.

I spent the night enjoying fever, chills, a sore throat, body aches, and other unspeakable symptoms.

Wednesday:
I got up and drove Danny to school to give James some time to finish cramming for his Anatomy exam. I used up much of his study time when I requested that he come home early the night before to scoop me up off the floor.

The doctor could not get me in until 11am (the exact time of James' exam). James called for back up. My good friend Shelley rescued me and drove me and my two little ones to the medical office. She then watched my kids while I went to see the doctor.

I collapsed in the hallway on the way to the exam room, and a wonderful nurse caught me before I hit the ground. It was then that they determined that maybe the ER was a more appropriate place for me to be seen.

My blood pressure was low, my heart rate was high, and my fever was 101.8.

In the ER they treated me for dehydration, low potassium, and the flu. The doc prescribed anti-virals and then reminded me that these would not help me feel better. They would just shorten the duration.

LOVELY!

Thursday:
Around 1 am, James' came to check on me and found me drenched in sweat. Just after helping me get changed into dry clothes. Danny woke up with croup. This happens every fall with Danny, so James knew to take him outside to breath the cool night air. Before they walked out the door, Darren woke up. James handed me the baby and headed out the door with Danny. About 45 seconds later, Dallin started screaming that he had tinkled in his pants.

COME ON PEOPLE! REALLY?

We survived Thursday thanks to lots of Gatorade, toilet paper, anti-bacterial soap, and a terribly over-used DVD player.

My friend Ali brought over dinner, complete with rolls and cheesecake. Is she amazing or what? *side note - my family sure does eat well when I am unable to consume anything more than ice.

Thursday night was awful!!! Probably the worst night all week. The chills made rock solid knots in my back and neck and my fever kept spiking and falling.

Friday:
I woke up feeling not well, but much better. I could finally stand. I couldn't eat, but I could clean. After James left for school, I got busy disinfecting the house. I am determined that he will not get this thing. At least not from me.

The cleaning was a big mistake. This immediately indicated to my husband that I was back to myself again and ready to tackle life as usual.

All the cleaning wiped me out. I really had zero energy since I hadn't had a meal since lunch Tuesday.

Kate brought over something for dinner that smelled heavenly and the boys gobbled it up!
(Kate wasn't feeling so hot either - so she is absolutely a saint for cooking for us.)
*side note #2 - James will never say no to a free meal. He's shameless.


Saturday:
Saturday was a lot like Friday. I spent too much time cleaning and not enough time resting. James spent the ENTIRE day at school catching up.

It was so hard not to call him home to rescue me. I still felt like I had recently been flattened by a semi. The boys were done watching TV and were losing their ability to play nicely.

It was a rough day.

Sunday:
I'm feeling better. I still can't really eat much, so I'm weak and a bit cranky. The baby is showing some flu-like symptoms. I hope we're not at the start of round 2.