Tummy Bug and not Tailgating with Dad...Lessons learned

Our family has recently survived our first stomach bug. Thankfully, Ethan made over 3 years without ever having to deal with one but poor Caden just made it 18 months. And like champs, Ben and I decided to join in the fun.

Caden got sick at noon on Friday and threw up until midnight, bless his heart. I stayed in his room with him and asked Ben to bring us whatever we needed and pass it through the door so that no one else would be exposed. Saturday shined bright, he was in good spirits and able to keep the little that we gave him down so we began to get excited thinking that maybe it would just get him since his immune system was the youngest. We had been very cautious and he was isolated from everyone until after naptime on Saturday. Even though we took it easy on Saturday we decided not to go to church on Sunday just in case. Good thing because by lunchtime on Sunday, Ethan was in meltdown mode but had not gotten sick. And by the time Ben and I went to bed Sunday night, Caden had begun to throw up again. You heard me, AGAIN! YUCK! This threw me for a loop because he was on round 2 and no one else had gotten sick. So, I made a pallet on the floor in his room and slept in there to keep an eye on him. What do you know, by 2 a.m. I found myself in the bathroom. Ben was not too long after and at 5:30 a.m. Monday morning Ethan had joined us :-(. I pretty much knew that I would probably wind up with it, but I was so sad when Ethan and Ben got sick, too, because Ben and I had worked so hard to keep the two of them away from Caden and myself.

We spent Monday laying around and feeling horrible but thankfully Ethan and I were able to quickly get it out of our system. And after Caden's bout of nighttime sickness, his seemed to subside as well. Ben's however has hung around for a few days. After some initial stress about whether we will all have a second round like Caden did, it seems that we may have kicked it.

Unfortunately, Monday was Shadowbrook's annual Tailgating with Dad's event and the boys had spent the last several weeks learning songs for a special program and preparing special projects and treats at school to celebrate Dads. Ben had planned to attend the program and have a special football lunch with the boys. And we ended up spending the day laying on the couch :-( So sad, but his awesome teachers sent the special treats home for Daddy to keep.

Although appetites are still returning and energy is just now coming back, hopefully it's gone for good. If not, I'm going to cry because I spent all day Tuesday sanitizing the house and Mimi is coming this weekend! There is one huge lesson that I have taken away from this ordeal...it doesn't matter how hard you work to keep your family "safe" or "isolated" from a stomach bug, if it wants you, it's going to get you, period.