Chaos and Cupcakes

The kids and I seem to be sick so much of the time. I guess I passed on my horrible immune system to them. But if I look on the brighter side of the constant stream of illnesses, I am getting great training for being a nurse. A few weeks ago when Olivia and Taylor were sick, I told Jared I was going to take them to the doctor’s. But I said to him, “I just need to get prescriptions for them. I already know that Olivia has an ear infection and Taylor has croup.” I was right on the money. I correctly diagnosed Olivia and Cameron’s strep throat last month and my own last week. But more importantly than the practice I get diagnosing, I am getting lots of practice with the nasty side of nursing. For instance, on Saturday Taylor allowed me the chance to practice cleaning up lots of red vomit. Thank you, Taylor! Right now we are all battling fall allergies so I am getting lots of practice wiping runny noses and running away from Cameron who loves to use my clothes as a tissue. Thanks for keeping me in shape, Cameron! Olivia gives me lots of practice trying to force feed her, although I have not been too successful here. She’s been on the same small canister of formula for over a month and there is still at least a week’s worth left in it. She’ll gobble up table food but she can’t stand this pre-digested formula. I really don’t blame her. Last week she weighed in at 14 lbs. 4 oz. so I need to do better about making her drink the horrible-smelling stuff. I have one last person to thank for giving me nursing practice- Jared, thanks for letting me practice having patience with grown men who don’t like having the sniffles! I sure hope you get better really quickly!

I feel like we live at the doctor’s office. We are there pretty much every week, sometimes more than once a week. I had to take Taylor and Olivia to the doctor first thing this morning after a very rough time for both of them last night. Taylor has a nasty case of croup. He has a prescription for steriods to open up his lungs. He is supposed to sit in a steamy bathroom for 10 minutes and then go outside for 10 minutes several times a day to help him breath more easily. Olivia has an ear infection brought about by allergies. She is on antibiotics now. She has been running a temperature of 104 and is pretty miserable. She has also lost 6 ounces since she hasn’t had much of an appetite and so she is back down to 14 pounds. Aghh! We worked so hard getting her over 14 pounds!
It is upsetting to see both of them so sick and unhappy. We went to Target to get the prescriptions filled and I bought Taylor a talking Star Wars book that he can read while he rests in his bed. I got his homework from school so he can work on that, too.
I have to make an appointment with a pediatric allergist for Olivia. The doctor wants us to have an Epi-Pen for her that we take everywhere with us.