Oink, Oink Flu! {H1N1}

I have to be honest.

Ever think to wonder why people say that when about to say something? In my experience when someone says "I have to be honest...." the next thing out of their mouth is probably something I am not going to like. Well, that isn't the case here so you can take a deep breath now.

Ahem.

Moving on.

I have to be honest.... I am really disappointed about this entire Balloon Boy Hoax. Not only am I disappointed, I had to admit to my husband that 'he was right' and that isn't an easy task sometimes.

Yes, we debated that day it all took place over the news of this little 6 year old boy possibly caught up in a helium home made balloon. He said "its so a hoax, probably looking for attention" and I argued "no, I believe him, did you see the way the dad was really upset and cried while holding his son? And I don't think if you were going to do a hoax, that you would choose your youngest 6 year old boy to be the one to pull it off for you and hide out for 5 hours. On top of that, if the little boy had fallen out or found dead, would that then be the only way they wouldn't be accused of it being a hoax. People these days!!!"

Sure enough, it was a HOAX!! Sigh. People these days!!!

Good news!

That is so not what this post is about. In fact, lets move on to something a little more interesting, like the SWINE FLU (a.ka. H1N1 Virus) or the other way around, but mostly known as the Swine.

Doesn't that sound FUN?

Well, I have to admit (again) that I didn't see this one coming AT ALL. Did I make that AT ALL part clear? Good.

We are a group of four in this home that rarely get sick, and if we get sick, its not bad sick, its just a minor annoyance kind of sick for a couple of days and its over. Hunter, my rock star kid, he has never ever missed a day of school since preschool days (third grade now) for being sick. Can you believe that? This kid {like his mama} would have had perfect attendance every year he has ever been in school, except for missing days for travel sports.

He misses about five days a year for travel hockey at most, but never for being sick.

Until this week.

Until this H1N1 = Swine Flu = Oink. Oink. Flu. = In My Home = In my KID!!!

But I didn't see it coming.

Hunter traveled to Detroit last weekend with his hockey team for a tournament. He came back from the weekend being himself, with having a little bit of a sore throat. He sounded like he was a little horse in his voice, which is common from playing in the tournament all weekend and yelling during the games.

On top of that he had complained about his back 'hurting' in couple of places. Again, I assume it is sore from the weekend in Detroit.

Then Wednesday morning he went to school. With in a couple of hours of being there the phone rang and its the school nurse. "Hunter is fine, he is here in my office with a headache, can I give him some Tylenol? she asked. I told her that she could, but that I also wanted her to make sure he drank some water. He has been a bit lazy lately with drinking proper amount of fluids {Ahem. Like his mama} and I assumed he was a bit dehydrated. The nurse agreed 100% and gave him the Tylenol, made him drink water and sent him on his way.

Hunter isn't a complainer either, so all of my know it all assumptions, sort of make me feel guilty.

The next thing I know, I am at the park with my little butterfly as we often do in the early evenings, and I get a call from Hunter's dad saying that Hunter says he doesn't feel good and can he drop him off to me (its his night with Hunter). He had tickets to the Panthers game and Hunter wasn't feeling well to go with him.

The next day, Thursday, Hunter was to attend a really nice and formal awards ceremony. As I mentioned a week ago here, Hunter's art project was chosen to receive a high honors award at this ceremony.

I was very excited about this and while I was out running around looking for him a nice shirt, tie and pants, his dad drops him off at the house with Mark.

By the time I got home, he was curled up in bed asleep. I feel his head and face, instantly I knew he had a fever. Got the thermometer and sure enough it was 102.7. I give him some Tylenol and a cool clothe to his forehead and let him go back to sleep.

The next morning after Mark leaves for work, Hunter crawls in bed with me and is on fire.

(in my bed)

I check his temp, it was 103.5. Okay, this is not good. He is missing his FIRST day of school for being sick. I know that some of the boys on his hockey team were also sick, and that a couple of the boys had siblings that had the H1N1 flu. However, I really didn't think that to be Hunter's case. However, something inside me said to not assume, get answers and off to the doctors we went. Not even have fed them breakfast, as the doctors office is down the street.

This is him as we wait on the doctor.

Lethargic.

While waiting, Morgan is getting bored and playing around, when all the sudden she falls face flat on the floor and starts screaming. I knew she was hurt by the way she fell. I pick her up and blood starts to pour out of mouth onto my shirt where she is crying and burying her head in my neck. I try to get a better look as it almost appeared that her bottom teeth went through her bottom lip.

Sigh.

I guess if there was a place to fall and bust your lip, may as well do while sitting in the doctors office. (I have heard that before.... ??)

It turns out she did put a hole in her lip on the inside of her mouth, therefore the blood we saw. The outside of the lip just had to dent marks, where here lip was flattened between her teeth and the floor. Thankfully it wasn't that bad and she soon got over it with a teething cookie I happened to have in my purse.

They ran three test on him; blood, throat and nose swab.

Doctor comes back in to say that test #3 for the H1N1 was positive. POSITIVE!!!

Hunter's poor face.

He looks over at me and I notice he has now turned pale and looks frightened, as his eyes well up with tears.

I wasn't expecting that either.

I asked him what was wrong and he asked "I have the Swine Flu?"

I said "yes honey, but why are you so upset about it?"

"People have died from the Swine Flu in Mexico, mom" he replied. Just in case I didn't watch the news or know of such deaths.

The doctor and I spent the next three minutes trying our best to explain to him exactly what the Swine H1N1 Flu was and meant, and assuring him he wasn't going to die.

I told him "honey, do you think if you were going to die that I would be sitting her not crying with you? I promise you are not going to die."

As I am being given instructions on what to do next. While, I am also told to go pick up the medication and to be prepared to search out a couple of places, because a lot of places are out, as this is the 5th positive case just this morning at this office.

As I drill him with all the questions as to what this meant to the rest of us, especially Morgan, as she was just there yesterday getting her 18 month shots. He being my friend and doctor said to try to avoid as much close contact with Hunter, but for the most part just see what happens, because although we caught it so early only on (thank the Lord), we still probably have already been subjected to it and it was already in our system if going to get there. Not much more to do and no need to get vaccinated at this point.

Off to the store I go with a sick lethargic boy and a fat lip toddler.

While driving, all the of the sudden a fever blister appears on my mouth out of no where.

You guessed it, I was expecting that either. Sheesh! I can't recall the last time I had one.

Now I am driving to my third stop looking for a place that could fill his prescription. Driving a lethargic boy, a fat lip toddler and now starring at my lip feeling the tingle of this quickly approaching fever blister.

Drop the medicine off, they say it will be about 1/2 an hour, so I decided to head to Chick-Fil-A to get this miserable and banged up bunch some food.

Go back to get the medicine, I pile up on all of these goodies......

$35.00 doctors co-pay

$99.00 medication

$45.00 other meds and supplies

=$179.00 Thursday morning......

Yeap, didn't expect that!!!

Home we go!

First thing I do is get Hunter in bed, set up his room with the trash can and puke bucket next to his bed. Get him comfortable with pillows under his back and under his legs. Hand sanitizer set up, and meds laid out.

I am not taking any chances.....

This is pretty much how the entire day Thursday went.

Once hubby got home, just to get a little fresh air ourselves, I took baby girl on a bike ride. Its not as easy to stay home and be cooped up when you have to be. Agree?

The Motrin started to help a great deal with the fever, but not completely.

Friday morning he was already looking a little better. Still running fever, but we were keeping it under control enough that he wanted to eat and could walk around a little.

I mostly made him stay in his room. We call it the "quarantine room". If I went in I wore a mask and sanitized my hands when leaving. If he came out he wore his mask etc.

I got him and baby girl down for a nap at the same time, while I was able to do some cleaning, laundry and sneak in a little nap myself.

By the afternoon he was a little more mobile as you can see here. Still complaining of a headache, although he is drinking his fluids like a champ.

But this was nap time for him.

Last night we all came together as a group and watched Chronicles of Narnia, had Chili's to go and popcorn during the movie.

(40 Toes and 4 Paws)

Today although still running a very low grade temp, he is a new kid. Well, a new kid from the norm over the last couple of days anyways. He has energy, he has an appetite and was playing with his sister a little bit (with mask on).

His dad came over to say hi, bringing everyone pizza. Thanks dad.

While also surprising Hunter with a "get well soon" gift of a huge Star Wars lego box. As if that wasn't awesome enough, he also hands Hunter a new hockey stick.

What's so cool about a new hockey stick?

I am glad you asked.

This isn't just any new hockey stick, it's the same kind and make of his favorite hockey player #88 from the Chicago Blackhawks, Patrick Kane. Oh yea, now that's cool. It is to an eight, almost nine year old little hockey player boy anyways.

Needless to say that made his day and put a big smile on his face....

(stick yet to be cut and sized!)

(with a kids cool gel sticker on his head for headache - these are pretty cool)

(Chicago Blackhawks, Patrick Kane)

While I am thinking.... "wait a minute, you drop him off, I nurse his Swine Flu and you get to be Disney dad and show up with goodies?" LOL!

I wouldn't have it any other way!!!

My baby was home with ME, being nursed exactly how I would want him to be nursed!!! Beside we all know babies/kids want their mommy when sick. Smart daddy he is.

And we got free pizza out of it and my son had a huge smile on his face.

Although, still running these low grade fevers, hopefully come tomorrow they are gone for 24-hours so he can return to school on Monday, while the rest of us stay on the healthy track and then get back to our real normal. So far so good.....

We have had some awesome prayer worriers and we have an amazing God who continues to just totally and abundantly bless this family, and sometimes I don't even feel that we are worthy enough for such grace and love. Boy am I thrilled that He is the one making the choices on all of that stuff and He is just rocking our world with all this grace and love. Thank you heavenly Father.

Now can we get back to talking about other things, like hairy legs or something? As if the President declaring a National Emergency for the H1N1 and announcing the death of a child in San Francisco wasn't enough.

PS: With the risk and other diagnoses on the hockey team, all games and practices were canceled for the boys till next Wednesday.

And although Hunter wasn't able to attend his award ceremony. Let me explain how special this award is. Several schools in the area participated, and from each school only 22 students from that entire school would be selected for this award. Hunter's art project labeled 'Patriotic' was selected by the Coconut Creek Government Center for this award, and as well will be displayed in the center for many months.

His art teacher accepted his award for him and sent us this digital picture of it. I don't have details yet as to what it was made out of, but I think its as patriotic as it can get and a fabulous job done by a third grade little boy. I am so proud of him.

Although, it would be a nice picture if Hunter was standing there in his nice shirt, tie and pants next to it. We will gladly take this digital image and a healthy boy just fine!!!

Get better big guy.

You are loved!!!

Now shoo-away SWINE FLU before we turn you into bacon.

Speaking of bacon....

Never mind, I won't tease you with the amazing breakfast honey made the family this morning.