Happy Flu-entine's Day???

This year for Valentine's day, G and I decided to not break tradition. I cannot come up with one Valentine's day since we have been together, that we actually celebrated Valentine's Day. We have spent some of our 7 Valentine's days together and some apart, some working, one at a wedding rehearsal and some just flat broke. This year we tried a new genre that we will hopefully not try again. We call it Flu-entine's Day. Monday night I didn't feel so hot. I really thought dinner had just upset my tummy, but after a rough night, I knew it was more than that.

Lesson #1 I've learned - It STINKS to be sick.

I tried to spend Tuesday taking it easy on the couch. L thought it was great that we had added a jungle gym to her trampoline in the living room. By Tuesday afternoon, G was feeling bad and we canceled the bible study that was scheduled to be at our house later that night.

Lesson #2 I've learned - It STINKS to be sick and have a sick husband.

At about 11 o'clock I woke up to L getting sick all over me, the couch, the floor, herself, you get the idea. I yelled for G, who was asleep in his chair, to help. He took one step towards us, threw us a trash can, and bolted to the bathroom.

Lesson #3 I've learned - It REALLY STINKS to be sick, have a sick husband and a sick kid.

There was no one to help. My mom offered when I called in the middle of the night to see if she had any Phenergan suppositories on hand to knock out my troops. The last thing she needed was to catch this and spread it through her 8 little ones. I pulled myself up, cleaned the mess up, got out enough blankets to cover the living room and slept on the floor with L. Thank goodness she and G slept the rest of the night. I however didn't. Every time L moved or groaned or breathed, I jumped up and grabbed a bucket. I was slightly paranoid, I'm sure, but we already had the washer and dryer backed up. Between that and the hives I broke out with from not taking my allergy medicine for 2 days, I didn't get much sleep. Long story short, we spent Valentine's Day sharing saltines and sprite, while laying around the living room.

Apparently this is a very bad, flu bug that is spreading fast. A friend of ours from east Texas said over 30% of his high school had it and they shut down the school to avoid spreading it. My brother said it was all the talk at the YMCA this week, as well.

Lesson #4 I've learned - It's never to early to order bio hazard suits.

Mammy and Pops dropped off a gift bag with an apron and a book for L and Nana and G-Daddy sent over a bunch of coloring supplies, construction paper and some groceries. She had a lot of fun coloring and cooking during the times she felt better. She would wake up and feel really good for a few minutes and then crash again. This morning we all woke up feeling quite a bit better. I am still fighting a really bad headache, but I think I'm just dehydrated. L woke up and wanted to eat...EVERYTHING. She had some cereal and juice and then cried for dinner. She kept asking if we could eat at the restaurant. I decided to try a piece of toast with some peanut butter on it.

Lesson #5 I've learned - Check e-mail before eating breakfast, not during breakfast.

I ate my toast and read my e-mail. One of the e-mails I received was from a friend of mine, N, warning me about a Salmonella out break in peanut butter. Not just any peanut butter, but Peter Pan peanut butter. Not just any Peter Pan peanut butter, but the jars reading "2111"at the start of the label code. Just like the one in this picture.

Now, I don't think that is what caused our stomach problems for several reasons (G doesn't eat much peanut butter, I ate it after I had been sick, Salmonella doesn't spread from person to person that easy or at least I don't think it does), however it is less than comforting to feel like eating for the first time in 3 days only to know you ate something that probably isn't good. By the way, L shared the toast with me. Oh, and C.J., our peanut butter loving Beagle, got to lick the knife. So, as I shared with G, at least the dog won't be the only survivor, with no where to go. There is always a bright side.

Lesson #6 I've learned - Who really needs the PB on a PB&J anyway?

G had a lunch meeting today so I gave in to L's cravings for "restaurant food" and took her to Wendy's for lunch. I ate about half a burger and she ate one nugget before we headed back home. I guess we need to take it a little slower and enjoy the time on the couch. Hope that you all stay well and watch out for the peanut butter!

Lesson #7 I've learned - There is no such thing as too much Lysol, Germ-X and hand washing.