Sick and Tired

Playing on her activity mat (sans arches) while wearing a Little Boo Bibble.

I have the flu! When the symptoms first appeared Saturday morning (headache, sore throat), I wrote it off as the after-effects of a long night.  However, by Saturday night, I was also achy and there was that tell-tale tickle in my throat.  On Sunday morning when I woke up, my head was pulsing and my digestive tract was running (read: the big D), I was alternating between being super flushed and hot and super cold, I was dizzy and weak and I ran a fever.

Thankfully, it was the long weekend, and Hubbs is a long-suffering sweetie.  Despite his not having had much sleep in the past week (he was in E-town for work and he never gets enough sleep when he's there), he offered to care for Baby L while I rested.  But not before we called the health hotline and consulted Dr. Google for assurances that Baby L wouldn't suddenly come down ill as I have (she won't, in part because of breastfeeding..woot! woot!). The primary advice I was given: stay hydrated (Gatorade and water) and don't eat dairy or anything that inflames the bowels.

So, I tucked myself into bed with my water and my Gatorade at close range.  Whenever Baby L needed to nurse, Hubbs would diligently bring her to my side and she and I would snuggle (poor girl would sweat beside her hot mama) and she'd breastfeed to sleep.  Once she woke up, she would once again be whisked away by my man to play.

Today I am feeling a little better.  Scratch that, I was still feeling like crap for the first half of the day.  Then I took some Advil and my fever broke.  I was so sweaty that I had to dry off from carrying Baby L from the living room to the bedroom.  I had to dry off a second time when we switched breasts for nursing.  Finally, after that nursing session and a nap on both our parts, I was feeling a little better.  I'm still dealing with a headache that just won't quit, but at least I have Advil for that.

Hubbs returns to work tomorrow, so if I'm still not well (or at least in recovery mode) by then, I am totally booking it to the nearest doc's office.  I seriously don't know how single parents care for their kids when they are sick.  I am so blessed with Hubbs, with housekeepers who can come bi-weekly, with resources that allow me to buy organic watermelon and Gatorade and filtered water.  Not that I deserve any of this, mind you.  But I feel very grateful that God has blessed us so.

How do you deal when you're sick and you have a little one to care for? Thoughts? I'd be curious to learn from your experiences.