Tuesday, January 16, 2007

One, Two, Three ... Floor

After a one-month hiatus ... today, I had planned to continue the rest of my pregnancy, delivery and NICU experience. But instead, I am writing about the events that unfolded at our house. Last night.

This may seem hauntingly familiar.

1 AM: Elizabeth wakes up crying. Soon thereafter, we bring her in to bed with us, but not before she threw up all over the bathroom floor. We change her pajamas, wipe her face, and after feeling confident that this was a one-time event, climb in to bed. As soon as I start to fall asleep on the comfort of clean crisp sheets, she rolls in toward me - and vomits all over my chest and pillow.

Oh bugger.

I say a prayer that this is only limited to Elizabeth.

2 AM:
William wakes up crying. I scoop him out of his crib and rendezvous with Charlie who is in the family room holding a vomiting Elizabeth. By the time we arrive in the kitchen, William is vomiting. We lay down on the couch and just as soon as I start to fall asleep on the comfortable, albeit lumpy couch - he lifts his head and vomits all over my chest and clean pajamas.

OH CRAP.

I say a prayer that this is only limited to Elizabeth and William.

3 AM:
Carolyn wakes up crying. By the time I arrive in her room, she has vomited all over the inside of her crib ... all over her blankets, stuffed animals, and pajamas. I bring her out to the family room where William is perched perilously on the couch and Elizabeth is snuggled up with Charlie. I quickly retrieve the trusty bed pads that we used during our last trip through hell, and spread them all around the couch and floor. I sit down with Carolyn on my right side, William on my left side and a huge Shamu bucket that the popcorn came in, when we went to SeaWorld two weeks ago.

OH ^&*#^(*&^#$@!!!!

This has got to be a nightmare. Surely, I am still sleeping.

I pray that Charlie and I don't get this and that it's limited in duration.


For the next ten hours (and counting) ... every 10 to 15 minutes, all three of our children have coordinated their vomiting so that it is entirely synchronized. As soon as one starts, the other two are seconds behind.

Fortunately, Charlie and I have not been sick.

Unfortunately, the children are not yet at an age where they know how to hold their own emesis pan. When I can hear them start to gag and I bring the pan, bowl or bucket up to them, they swat at it furiously, like it is the thing causing them to vomit. Holding a pan, bowl or bucket for three vomiting toddlers who are swatting at it - simultaneously - is one of the hardest things I've ever done.

I cannot believe that our children are so sick, they cannot tolerate slivers of a popsicle, sips of water, three Cheerios, or ice chips before wretching everything out of their system.

I cannot believe that it was less than three months ago we went through a vomiting pandemic like the one we appear to currently be experiencing, again.

I cannot believe that our little children can stand to lose any more weight. They have only barely recovered from the last event.

I cannot believe that before noon, we have done six loads of laundry.

I cannot believe that we have propped our children in front of the television all day, and thus far, we've watched an entire PBS repeat of Dragon Tales, Clifford, Curious George, Sesame Street, Between the Lion's, It's A Big World and Caillou.

I cannot believe that Caillou was even more annoying the second time. How is that possible??

I cannot believe that I have only had 3 hours of non-consecutive sleep in the past 32-hours ... nor that Charlie has only had 2.

Like before, I don't know where this was picked up. Applying my three-day rule for germ incubation, we were at Church on Saturday. The children were in the nursery. Other than that venture - and small trips to the park [where there are rarely other kids] - our children have not been around any other kids for two weeks.

I have decided that after two weeks of continuous vomiting in October ... the flu in November ... bronchitis in December (that William is still coughing from) and now, this ... we are not going to expose our children to other kids until Spring. Of 2010.

I cannot believe this is happenening again and I would give absolutely anything to trade places with them.

If this bug lasts for more than 24-hours, so help me ... I am going to crawl in to a hole and not come out again until the Fourth of July, give or take a day or two, as necessary.

OR, until I get an uncontrollable craving for chocolate.

17 comments:

  1. oooohhhhh....

    I hope this is of short duration and that you can get some rest soon. So sorry.

    And that it is something they ate and you and Charlie did not. :)

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  2. Sending you prayers that your little ones get well soon.

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  3. sorry, sorry, sorry. that is the worst. Sorry.
    If I lived near you I would creep up to your door (leaving my children in the car) and leave you a pan of brownies (for you) and chicken soup (for the sickies). Then I would go back to my car and use hand sanitizer and feel very grateful that it wasn't me. Again, so sorry. There is NOTHING worse than throwing up kids, in chorus!

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  4. Those poor kiddos. It must suck being so sick so often. I hope they get better soon.

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  5. Nooooooooooo!! Not AGAIN!!!! I am so incredibly sorry, there is nothing worse than 3 puking babies!!! I hope this time it passes very quickly!!!

    Big hugs to you all!!

    :)Katie
    Mom of Eryn, Maya and Kyra- 2 yrs
    www.lenhartfamily.blogspot.com

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  6. Oh bugger isn't even close to what I'd be saying... yikes.. and its not like you're not tired already... I hope you get some rest and everyone feels better soon!

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  7. They definitely got the bug at church! I hope everyone is feeling better and getting proper rest very soon.

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  8. OH you poor things... sorry to say, this sounds like the nasty norovirus that spread through my house a few weeks before Christmas (first my twins, then me). Highly contagious, kids seem to get over it quicker than adults, and .... well, hon, I'd just say to lay in a major supply of pedialyte (for you and Charlie, in case...), Immodium (with me, it was a major both-ends kinda thing), and ginger ale. Sorry to break it to you, but if this is what I think it is, it is likely to hit you and Charlie too. (This is the bug that had San Quentin prison in northern CA on lockdown with over 500 sick inmates.) Forwarned is forarmed?

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  9. Dear ones:
    Not again. Our hearts go out to all of you.
    We will call you Saturday on our way down to Mexico to check on you.

    Maybe we will find a cure from the mother whales and babies we are going to visit in the lagoons down there.
    Love and many warm fuzzy hugs to all of you.
    Dad and Kathleen

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  10. oh my goodness. I'm sorry to hear about the sickies!! It had to be the church nursery. This time of year is horrible for germs in places like that!

    I hope and pray it's just the kids, but still what a mess for you and Charlie.

    You'll make it through.....hang in there.

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  11. i hope this passes quickly. one of the hardest things about dealing with sick kids is trying to comfort and clean up all at the same time...

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  12. My healthy vibes & well wishes are with you!!!!!

    Holy cow -- I hope it is something they ate that the grown-ups didn't.

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  13. Oh my goodness. Again?! Just the day before you were going to the park! I'm so sorry...I hope this passes soon. I'm also worried about you...you're pregnant and have to be stressing so much. Please try not to stress---I know easy for me to say!---and please, give your sickies a hug for me...they'll be better soon! Blessings, Sarah C.

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  14. Hey! I think you might be 16 weeks today...is that right? Congrats on making it this far and still being SANE!!!

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  15. And just this morning I was feeling grouchy about being up two hours last night with our one (and so far only) child! I hope they're all better soon-soon, and that some angel comes and takes care of them so that you and Charlie can go out to do something FUN and glamorous and totally unrelated to throwing up!

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  16. Awe Geez, I haven't been to the site in a while and needed a triplet fix.... Not the fix I was looking for!!

    So sorry to hear about this round -sounds like a rough go of it. I hope it doesn't last long.

    Everytime that junk hits our house I am the bleaching queen!! (okay no remarks on that one, pls) Doorways, door handles, toys get thrown in the Dishwasher and stuffed animals - bedding - towels -etc go to the laundry!!
    Yuck, Yuck, Yuck!

    I will be thinking about you all. Here's to hoping it's only a 24 hour thing! Hugs.
    Love, Marg.

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  17. Man, can't anyone cut you guys some slack? I am so sorry they are sick. I hope you guys are able to escape this. It's been nasty this year, I have had kids absent a lot for throwing up. Fortunately, it seems to be 24 hour bug recently. I hope that's the case for you guys.

    Take care! I wish I could help (FROM A DISTANCE!)

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