Tag Archives: Conditions and Diseases

Cacophony of Coughs

17 Feb

On Friday my son was diagnosed with the flu after spending the entire night before coughing. All 5 of us were started on Tamiflu to prevent family wide infection. It was difficult to locate the medicine as many pharmacies around here are out of stock.

$300 later I had the 5 prescriptions and we began.

Two days later four of us are coughing, aching and headachy. The only person seemingly unaffected, thus far, is the family member who did not get a flu vaccine…my husband. For the record I’m a big advocate of vaccinations, but, WTF!?!

Ugh. I’m not quite sure how this Tamiflu is supposed to work. All I know is that this house is producing a wide and disgusting assortment of coughs that has kept me awake for the past few nights!

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The source of infection and the face that has been within one inch of mine for the past 72 hours or so!

Have you had any experience with Tamiflu?

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Dimple Dude

24 Jan

When you give birth to twins there are a million and one people in the room and the babies are whisked away to be examined before the mom can get her hands on them.  I still feel so grateful and blessed that my delivery was great, and that the twins were fine.

But when my son, twin A, came blasting out, the first thing my husband said was, “what’s wrong with his ear?!”

Men.

Here I am having just pushed out one baby, bracing to push out ANOTHER baby, and I’m now panicked about an ear.

dimple

An ear with a gorgeous, adorable dimple!

ear

He actually has them in both ears…the right one looks like a slit and the left dimple looks like an earring hole.

I love them and kiss them on a regular basis.

My father mentioned something about ear creases indicating heart disease (thanks a lot dad!).  I found this info:

On One Hand: The Crease Connection

For reasons which are not fully understood, there does seem to be a connection between having a crease in the earlobe and the likelihood of having heart disease. One theory is that the crease is caused by a lack of elastin, which is also a contributor to hardening of the arteries.

On the Other: No Link with Other Risk Factors

Other well-known risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and stroke were not found to be related to earlobe crease. It may be that earlobe creases and heart disease are simply both indicative of advancing age.

Bottom Line

A crease in the earlobe does not mean that you currently have or will develop heart problems, although it is an issue to consider. Raise your concerns with your primary care doctor or cardiologist, who will advise you if screening is indicated.
Read more: Is a dimpled ear lobe a sign of heart disease? | Answerbag
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1969626#ixzz2Iu1WXGYg

(Aren’t parents great at giving you a reason to worry where you previously had none?!)

Anyway, I just love them.  Where my husband asked what’s wrong with the ears I feel they are what’s right about them!  I think the little one agrees :) .

Are there any special parts of your child’s body that you adore?

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Goodbye Nursery School

14 Jun

Today my little one had her graduation from nursery school.  I’ve complained before how I think these graduations for children are kinda dumb.  However, this is the very last of nursery school for any of the kids and I can’t believe it.

When I first toured the school for the twins I was pregnant with the little one.  On their first day I videotaped them with the little one in my arms!  And now here she is a big kid.

It was nice to see her enjoying her show/gradation. I actually appreciated it much more because I’m still feeling down from the continued sickness in the house. From end of May til today we’ve had 5 of us with the stomach virus, another one again, 2 cases of strep throat and 1 sinus infection. That’s a lot of illness in less than a month. I am consequently very, very sleep deprived and getting down in the dumps.

But today I am hoping and praying it’s done and focusing merrily on the graduate!

(And, my husband has just pointed out that it feels like we’ve gotten a pay raise…no more school tuition until college…and two then three at the same time!!!)

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Crabby, but Sick, Girl

23 Mar

The little one beckoned me to turn around in the car the other day as we were traveling to a family party.

She wanted me to look at her finger.
And her finger was all I saw!

She’s been so crabby lately and it’s been rough.  But she’s also been sick with an unresolved sinus infection that has been around for about 8 weeks.  3 pediatric visits, 1 ENT visit, and 1 allergist visit later (with a neurology appointment scheduled that I am hoping I’ll be able to cancel), I think she is finally on the right medicines.

Waiting at the allergists' office...far back from mom who was just spit on...

The downside to the beautiful weather is open windows in which all the screams and distress leak out into the world. :)

Happy Friday!

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Pneumonia Twins

6 Feb

The kids are fever free and running and fighting but I kept them home from school today to rest.

We’ve also had the further complication of my daughter having an allergic reaction to amoxicillin. (it never ends!)

They still both have horrible coughs.  Nothing seems to work on them.  I’ve elevated their beds and slather them with Vicks at bedtime.  Anyone have other suggestions for helping a cough?

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Pnuemonia x2

4 Feb

My son has been hacking up a lung and completely unresponsive to any cold meds.  Last night he developed a fever along with the hacking.  I told my husband I thought he has pneumonia.  He gave me the “you’re crazy” look.

I stole away for an hour to kickbox and it was amazing, just what I needed.  When I returned home I learned that my husband had given my son ibuprofen instead of acetaminophen for the fever.  I had just given the ibuprofen before I left so now I’m freaking that he has pneumonia and he has been overdosed on meds!  I ended up elevating his bed and he finally fell asleep.  And then, I took  a bath and some meds and got a little sleep.

Today took the fevery, coughing, sore throat, headachey and drippy nosed twins (yes his sister was coughing too but without fever) to the doctor.

They BOTH have PNEUMONIA!  Holy crap!  And the little one is getting over a bad cold.

So, today is a day of PJs and comfy stuff.  I’m making chicken soup from scratch.  We’re all okay being home bound and thankfully the kids are all comfortable at the moment!

Pneumonia is a first for us…have your children ever had it?

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A Moment of Rest from Illness

31 Jan

It seems like everywhere we turn someone is sick.  Strep, pink eye, stomach virus….it’s all out there.  My baby’s preschool class sounds like a hospital waiting room!

And we haven’t been immune.  That’s why I was grateful for this moment the other night when the kids (though pale and somewhat miserable looking) had a peaceful rest in my bed watching the Fresh Beat Band.  (Thankfully I have my kindle close by the bed…always….that show is unwatchable!!!!!!!!)

Boy these winter months are rough…(Though I do appreciate the mild winter we are having here in NY)…do you find yourself surrounded by sickness also?

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Fever (feel like death)

5 Sep

I started getting a fever yesterday.

It sucked.

I think the last time I had one was in 2003. Last night was bad, then I woke up today better.

Stupid me. Typical of a mom. I went ahead with the day. I did not rest.

I started feeling a little crappy again early in the evening. (Thankfully I had just finished making school lunches!).

Minutes later I was in hell. Aching, shivering and thrashing around. I declared I felt worse than I did in labor (with a failed epidural). What’s worse is that Kate Plus Eight was on the TV during my agony, which you know added to it.

I wailed that this was karma, for not sufficiently caring for my son when he was feverish last week and being dragged around Great Wolf Lodge (I didn’t know he had a fever…thought he was being a pill).

Despite ingesting Tylenol and Advil the fever kept rising, and my agony along with it.

I don’t remember fevers sucking so bad. I get nervous when the kids have them because of my daughter’s history of febrile seizures. I’m guessing this was particularly painful because it was rising rapidly.

My really devoted husband tried to help, but I was unhelpable. So, he kept taking my temperature.

Now its down to 101.6 which feels great compared to two hours ago, but I can’t sleep at all. I was wondering how high is really bad. I’m hoping I can get it together in the morning to have a proper first day of school send off.

How do you manage when you’re sick yet responsible for others?

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Itchy Spots

12 Jun

My daughter has eczema.  She therefore sometimes has dry itchy patches on her body.  When she got out of the tub tonight I wiped her down well and then got out her moisturizing cream.  As I scooped it out ready to slather her body I asked if she had any itchy spots.  She said,

Yes, I do…inside my butt.

A nice start to the week :)

How was your Sunday?

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Day 5 in the Feverish Fun House

9 Jun

Yesterday I started hallucinating from lack of sleep.  No really, I was seeing moving objects out of the corner of my eye.  My big guy and little girl have been feverish all these days.  When the meds wear off in the early morning, I am awakened around 4 or 5.  I’m a very bad sleeper to begin with (future posts to come on that) so I never get back to sleep.  I’m dying!

But, we may have turned a corner with the big guy as he is doing better today.  I really need them healthy for Saturday as we have a family event that has been in the works for 2 years.  It would be a real shame for any of us to miss it.

We’ve all been going a little stir crazy.  My son was climbing on me this morning and said,

You smell bad…like beauty.

I’ve been taking them out on one small outing per day while they are medicated and bouncing off the walls. Yesterday was Dunkin Donuts.

My son opted to travel out in the 90+ degree weather with a furry mask while my daughter went for the princess look.

Today we went briefly to Target as I needed supplies like Tylenol and Motrin.  I find it so endearing that while my big girl has been at school during these outings, the little one has been occupying the seat right next to hear brother so they can “talk”.

And speaking of the big girl…as we walked to the bus stop this morning I asked if she has been missing her siblings while at school, kung fu, or swim class without them.  She surprised me when she said,

I don’t miss them.  They take all my stuff.  I need a vacation from them.

Well there you have it.  Would it be to much to ask you to please send us some good health vibes!  I am teetering at the edge :)

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