right now

right now

Oct 26, 2009

Well, at least he'll be immune after this...!


Swine Flu is my new houseguest! I was hoping to write a post on our rockin' fun Halloween Party, but my priorities have changed this afternoon. Sucks when all you get in your candy bag is H1N1 germs.

Lately, every time the phone rings during the school day I fear it is the school nurse. Up until today, it was usually my best friend on the other end to my relief! Today at 12:30 it rang and it was indeed the school clinic. I raced over there and he looked awful. We went straight to the Dr.'s office where he popped positive on their H1N1 test. By then he was shivering terribly and kept kind of "falling out" where he would just lay down wherever he was, temp of 103. Luckily, he qualified for the Tamiflu and she also prescribed some for my younger son who is not showing symptoms yet, although it's probably a matter of time since they share a room! So now poor Loch is eating his dinner in his room, where he is quarantined. Finnegan will be bunking with us at long as he is healthy. Trying to keep the two apart is nerve-wracking to say the least!

If there is an upside to all this, Loch will be immune to it this year now! We have been waiting for vaccines to arrive for sometime now in our area but it isn't happening. I heard on the news all the local pharmacies were running out of Tamiflu, but our pharmacist told us we got 2 prescriptions out of the last bottle they had, lucky for us, but maybe not for the others we saw arriving with masks on as we were leaving. I tucked it into my purse and hurried out, almost afraid I was going to be mugged for it! I will say that Tamiflu appears to be like a magic elixir, as Loch's symptoms are getting better with every hour.

Incubation is 48 hours, so no doubt that one of the 17 (no kidding, 17!) kids at our party was shedding the virus germs. Now we are on pins and needles to see how many were infected. This is especially upsetting to me since I hosted the party, and went as far as to write reminders on the mirrors of the bathroom about handwashing, put out Purell everywhere, but I guess when it comes to kids, what more can you do? I had a feeling about having a party this time of year... and apparently it's just a matter of time before we all get it! I almost think I should let Finn back into his room so he can catch it and get it over with, but I realize this illness is really nothing to play around with.

Hoping you all are getting vaccines delivered to your area soon! Time to go tend to the sick...

8 comments:

  1. We've already had it here-or so we think- they stopped testing here. My daughter came down with it (along with 400+ other kids) a few days after the homecoming dance. Imagine having 700 kids packed together- it only takes one sick one and 45% of the school was out the next week. Since then it has spread to the younger grades. The hospital where I work is now restricting visitors to try to control the outbreak.
    Good luck- I hope everyone heals quickly.
    Judy

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  2. We've had several kids and teachers out with it recently. It sure is a nasty bug. I hope the boy gets much better soon.

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  3. Sorry you got the dreaded houseguest! Hopefully it will be over soon for you!

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  4. Oh no Erin! I hope he gets to feeling better real quick! :) ((hugs))

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  5. Yuck. The immunity certainly is the best part!!

    It is not widespread yet out my way, though there is one case I know of in the high school so it is just a matter of time.

    This bug is more nerve wracking than the seasonal version, I see your dilema with the option to just get it over with for both boys.

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  6. Oh, poor little pumpkin. (Poor mom!) Don't feel badly about possibly spreading germs at your party. You know the blasted germies have been incubating in school for weeks.

    Try to take care of yourself during this period so you don't get run-down. Your little guy is so fortunate to have loving parents and a safe, secure home to recuperate in. He'll be back to himself in no time.

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  7. Gah! Poor kid! I guess he'll miss out on Trick or Treating this year too!!! They're not testing for it here either - just telling you to stay home and away from the doctor's office unless you're really reall sick. We're steering clear of the vaccine so we're crossing our fingers it stays away....although we were all very sick at the beginning of the summer and wonder if we all had the swine flu then?? Hope he heals quickly!

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