Every year our pediatrician asks me the same question. Every year I say no. The question, "Would you like the kids to have flu shots?". I'm fairly sure she knows my answer before she asks, routine or maybe hoping I'll change my mind. I won't change my mind. There is one week (or almost two weeks) each year that have me questioning my answer but I know my answer will always be the same. The past two weeks have been those weeks.
It started at about 3am on Friday, February 4th. It started with a, "Mooooom, I don't think I feel...'
BARF'...good". One touch to his blond little head told us he was burning up. It continued for 5 more days, high fever, refusal of ALL food, and horizontal on the couch. Sean laid there through 4 days of school, Superbowl and anything and everything that was going on in the world around him. He didn't care what he was missing, he wanted to lay there. Lifting his head off the couch or walking to the bathroom were two big feats, if he even attempted them. On day 5, the fever broke, he was up more and starting to eat. We went to pick Iain up from school. One look at Iain's face told me what I didn't want to know. He didn't feel good. So as our journey with 'Flu Take 1' was ending, it's sequel was beginning. Iain's symptoms were much different than Sean's. Still a fever but instead of 103-104 degrees for 5 days, Iain had lots of 101-102 degree temps. One night he peaked at 105.5. It was scary. I like to say I was calm, cool and collected but not so sure I pulled that off! His Dr. told me to set an alarm around the clock to monitor the fever to make sure it didn't come back. We didn't have any of his test results back and they didn't want me to take any chances. It brought me back to the newborn days. The crazy high number never came back but the fever did linger for a few more days.
Here we are today, 10 days later. It is our first day off of solitary confinement. Sean went back to school last Thursday, Iain has been fever free for 24 hours. They are outside playing, enjoying our beautiful 80 degree weather. I won't even try to pretend that the past few days have been easy. I didn't sleep through the night once. It sucked. I also know that this is a real possibility when I turn down the flu shot. Last year we had two weeks of Swine Flu fun. Still waiting on this years test results but we are suspecting Influenza A. No matter what they call it, it is done and my chickadees are healthy.
You may be wondering about Sara. She has remained fever, cootie free the entire time. She delivered drinks, she snuggled with her brothers, she waited out the solitary with them. As of today it looks like she will avoid it...this time around.
