Swine Flu

Motivational Monday

Our family has been out of commission this last week, due to the Swine Flu. This nasty bug, came home with a couple of the kids last Tuesday and Wednesday, and has left us all exhausted!

Five of the kids are going through the Swine Flu right now. The worst part of this whole thing is keeping up with keeping everything clean. I am trying to sanitize everything, every few hours, as to try to prevent this from going round and round. So my handy dandy Lysol wipes are my best friend!

Here what WE are dealing with:

Symptoms

Symptoms of H1N1 flu infection in humans are similar to classic flu-like symptoms, which might include:

• Fever above 100.4 °F
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Chills
• Muscle aches
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

Our family had/has all the above symptoms. It was hard for us to determine, if we were just dealing with a cold....or maybe it was just the common flu. It's hard to know, which you are dealing with, and you won't know, unless you get tested. Pay attention to your symptoms and see a doctor, if any of these symptoms last longer then a couple days. The Swine Flu CAN be different for everyone....so listen to your body, manage your fever and stay hydrated! The first couple days, started out with a runny nose, low fever, and sore throat.....

But as the H1N1 progressed, the fever set in and really made the kids feel bad. I kept them home from school and the nurse noted their symptoms. It was the end of the 2nd day, that was the worst. The fevers stayed at about 101.....the coughing and snotty nose all were manageable. I kept very aware of the vomiting and diarrhea, as to prevent dehydration.

Days 3 and 4 were basically spent in bed. Cool wash clothes, 7-up (and Mommy's special secret tootsie rolls pops) made everyone feel good. There was no vomiting no diarrhea. Motrin and tylenol seemed to do the trick.

So far, just the kids have been affected by the Swine Flu....and I have been vigilante about sanitizing and cleaning up after them. It has been exhausting, but very worth it.

With all the media hub-bub about the Swine Flu....I was scared to death about having it hit out home. Everyone was made to think this was horrible...and I know, it is for SOME....but compared to the regular seasonal flu, this has been a walk in the park.

I spent a lot of time searching the net for articles and stories on families dealing with the Swine Flu...I came up short. I found articles explaining the symptoms and what to watch for, but no real life stories.

So here you go, our real life story about dealing with the Swine Flu. As we go about our day...I think back to the episode of the Brady Bunch when all the kids came down with the measles. All I need is bongo drums, a kazoo, a horn, a bell, a whistle, and a New Yrs noise maker.....and I'd be set.

As of right now, we have coughs, fevers and runny noses to deal with. Unless the kids show signs of dehydration, we will continue to let this run its course here at home.

Take care of yourself!