Thursday, January 13, 2011

Finding the Blessings amongst the CrAzY

I have had this blog post swirling around in my head since all the craziness began last week. The title has changed several times. Here are some of the proposed titles I had going...

"The week from HE!!"
"You wouldn't believe it if I told you..."
"If it isn't one thing, it is another..."


Ok, you get the idea. For those of you who know me, you know that this last week has been one of the worst weeks EVER. I had planned to just blog about the events that have taken place in the past week and a half. After thinking about it some more last night, I decided to force myself to see the Blessing hidden inside all the Crazy. So, I will share the events of each day that had me going "WTH!!!" and then share the Hidden Blessing inside.

If you are a regular reader of The Superhero and The Princess, then you know we have been battling some illnesses since Thanksgiving. Pretty much someone has been sick in this house non-stop since then. Well, it all got worse in the last week and a half.


Tuesday January 4; 12:30am-The Princess throws up 7 times before 5:30am. In MY bed. She recovers ok and rests the rest of the day.

Hidden Blessing: The Princess was a trooper and did her best to stay hydrated. She was willing to go with the flow of the recovery process that day. I work from home and can take care of The Princess while she is not feeling well.


Wednesday January 5; Middle of the night. The Princess has a fever of 102.4. Sigh.

Hidden Blessing: We have Motrin to bring down the fever. I work from home and can take care of The Princess while she is not feeling well.


Thursday January 6; 7:15am - Just as The Princess was about to leave the house with Rod to spend the day with a friend of mine while I worked, she threw up AGAIN. Sigh.

Hidden Blessing: She felt fine afterwards and it was probably just a fluke. Thank God I work from home and she can hang out here with me, again.


Friday January 7; 3am- The Superhero wakes up with CROUP. Trip to Urgent Care at 4:30am. Home with some steroids and back in bed by 5:30am. The kids still spent the day with my friend, Kristi. Rod has not been feeling well for a couple of weeks, a cold/flu or something, but is managing to do ok at this point.

Hidden Blessing: Kids got to play with some friends and I got some work done, kid free!


Saturday January 8; REALLY early AM- The Superhero wakes up coughing. His first steroid dose from Friday wore off sometime around 8pm the night before and he is miserable. I gave him a second dose of the steroids at 1:15am. At app. 1:30am, he threw up. He threw up 2 more times in the next little while.

Rod and I made the decision to take him to the ER and get some Zofran and IV fluids. I called and woke up my parents. The Superhero, my mom, and I were off to the ER. We got him some fluids, Zofran, and he was feeling a ton better in a short time. We made it home around 1pm that day thinking all was well.

Hidden Blessing: Walking into the ER with a vomiting T1 diabetic with ketones will get you into a room with IV's started fairly quickly, especially if they actually throw up for the ER nurses.


Sunday January 9; The Superhero seemed to be feeling better and was eating ok. BG was on the lower end of normal, but we were ok as long as he was eating/drinking. Then he threw up, ALL.OVER.ME. Showers for both of us. Thinking we just over did it. We waited it out at home some more. Ketones were not out of control and BG was ok. Then after a short time, he threw up AGAIN. Forget it! Off to the ER AGAIN, knowing we would be admitted. BG was dropping and ketones were rising.

Again, we were taken right back with our vomiting, diabetic with ketones. IV started. They started with just saline. I PUSHED (a blog post for another day) to get glucose/dextrose with the saline since his BG was DROPPING. Once they listened to ME and OUR endo (again, a blog post for another day), they started it and his BG started coming up from the 70's.

Hidden Blessing: SO thankful for an awesome endocrinologist on our team! Also Blessed to have the ability to get IV fluids for The Superhero and more Zofran.


Monday January 10; Spent another day at the hospital with The Superhero. He slowly went from a liquid diet to a regular diet as tolerated. Love the endo team at the hospital and how they respected my abilities to be The Superhero's pancreas. (our 7.4 A1C for over 6 months helped :) ) --Side note: I start to feel sinusy and have a sore throat today; Rod is at home throwing up and still feeling "fluish".

Hidden Blessing: I have a wonderful support system, in person (my Parents and friend Kate) to watch The Princess for me AND I have ALL.OF.YOU (online friends) supporting me from all over the globe. I honestly NEEDED the support emotionally and it meant so much to me to see so many FB messages of support for me and our family.  


Tuesday, January 11; I had them turn off the glucose drip in the morning to see how the BG stabilized without it.The Superhero was doing a TON better and we were able to go home in the afternoon. After we got home, The Princess broke out in HIVES on her left leg. Not sure what THAT is about. I gave her a bath and used some calamine lotion to clear it up. I thought she must have been bitten by something and then scratched at it, making it look worse.--Side note: I feel worse, Dayquil is my friend. Rod is feeling a little better and has orders from the doctor to take time off work this week to rest.

Hidden Blessing: I got to see my Princess again after several days. I REALLY missed her and I know she missed me too. She keeps following me saying pathetically "Hold me". The Superhero felt a TON better.


Wednesday, January 12; I took the day off from work to re-cooperate and get my house in order. The Princess broke out in HIVES AGAIN. This time they were ALL over her legs and arms in patches. I covered her in calamine lotion and messaged a friend of mine with a picture (the awesome nurse from our pediatrician's office). She mentioned giving her benedryl so we could go at the hives and whatever was causing them from the inside out. I don't know why I didn't think of this!? Dosed her up and the hives were gone. Hoping they don't come back, or that we can figure out what is causing them. 

Hidden Blessing: Awesome friends to help me diagnose/treat symptoms in my kids as needed. I love my nurse friends. Naps are awesome too.


Thursday, January 13; I.feel.worse. I am back to working today, but am planning to re-schedule all of my conferences from this week for next week so I can catch up on other things and be prepared for them. I am SO achy today and tired. I have both kids home with me. We made the decision earlier in the week to pull The Superhero out of pre-school for the rest of this year. I am tired of paying $300 per month for him to not be going due to illnesses right now. So, we told him the school year was over and moved on. Hoping to rest while the kids nap today. I had a hard time sleeping last night due to yesterday's nap. 

Hidden Blessing: I work from home and my job can be somewhat flexible. The kids feel better and are playing nicely today (mostly). I am going to rest during nap time.


And THAT is a rundown of my life in this new year so far. Sigh. Hoping things improve soon and we can get rested. Hoping NO MORE illnesses strike our family for a LONG time.

I have CRIED more in this past 2 weeks than I have in a LONG time. I held it together pretty well until we had to go back to the ER the second time. Then.I.LOST.IT. I am SO grateful for all the love and support from everyone on FB. I NEEDED it more than you know.

On the way to Urgent Care with The Superhero on Friday EARLY morning, I started thinking to myself "What is God trying to tell me?". I am still working on this one. Not sure what the message He is trying to send our way. Hopefully I will hear it more clearly soon.

Please PRAY that our family can get better and our immune systems have time to catch up before we get sick again. Sigh.


*Disclaimer: I am a mom of a T1 Diabetic child. I am NOT a doctor. I just play one in real life. Please do not take anything in this post or any other post on this blog as medical advice. If you have questions or concerns of your own, please seek advice from your doctor.*

12 comments:

Donna said...

Oh honey.
Of course, I knew this was all going on.... but man, seeing it all written out like that in one place.... GeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeZ!

I PRAY that this is it for you guys for awhile. I PRAY that you all get and STAY healthy for a LONG time!

(((((HUGS)))))))

Alexis Nicole said...

Oh Tracy Ive been following it all on fb and so glad kiddos are better!! Hope you make a speedy recovery and illness goes away!!

We used to have alot of flu stomach stuff with Synsyre. We started vit c and echinchea. Worth a shot def boosts immune system for colds and such.

((((((hugs)))))))

Amy said...

TRACY!!!!!!! Okay, first I am goign to send you a germ-blasting-disinfectant-bomb to set off in your house. While it is detonating and doing it's dirty work, you and your family will stay at a posh hotel with room service, a maid, a nurse and a full spa. Manis, Pedis, Facials . . . the works. Finally, when you return home your house will be sparkling clean and the toothbrushes will all be replaced.

HA! Okay, so not real but it does sound good, right? I do, however, stringly suggest you buy everyone new toothbrushes ;)

And, you can bet your achy little body I will be praying for healing and rest for your household . . . and your wonderful sounding parents.

L-O-V-E-D the blessings listed after every incident. Good job on seeing the ray of sunshine, my dear. <3

((Big Hug!))

Choosing Joy in 2011, Amy

Lorraine of "This is Caleb..." said...

I hope the worst is behind you all and there are many more blessings ahead. :)

Meri said...

I think keeping him home from preschool is brilliant. Preschools are a pool of germs, and I'm sure it was aggravating the situation.

I hope this is the beginning of a long...long...break from illness for you guys. Sending love and prayers to your family!

Unknown said...

Ah yeah...I hope you are done with illnesses for 2011. Your "illness quota" is filled. I too, liked the way you looked at the blessing with each incident...and I felt a bit bad that you have to work with the sick kids at home...that cannot be easy my friend.

Anonymous said...

Tracy, I have been following the saga on Facebook, but reading it all one sitting - it seems unreal! You and your family are incredibly strong! I will keep you in my prayers!

Denise said...

May you all have a healthy rest of 2011!! Hope you feel better soon!

Shannon@ The New Normal Life said...

okay so now I know why everyone said we should connect.. man I hear you on this one.. I am so over the sickness cloud on our house. Our docs office all know me by name and I swear it only gets worse. I am thinking and praying for you all and know that I am here in VA fighting along side you. PS WAY to go on knowing what to do and ask for at the hospital.. I dont have that experiance so I appriciate the knowledge

Kelly said...

I dont think God is always trying to tell us something....I think sometimes illness piles on top of each other because you were never quite recovered. :(

Unknown said...

I want to cry :(

I'm so so so so sad you've had this horrible stretch.

Oh, TRACY!!!!! Seeing it all typed out. OMGSH!!!! I'm so thankful your family is on the mend...and PRAYING THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN!

Heather said...

I'm so glad this terrible stretch is over for you and that you were able to look on the bright side of things, despite everything. I'm pretty sure I would of had a nervous breakdown. Kudos to you my friend. LOVE YA!

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