Merry Coughing Christmas

Ah, Christmas.  It was a really good Christmas this year.  Interwoven with the family time and eating (ugh, so much eating) was our own little health drama.  M stayed home with both kids Monday and Tuesday because daycare was closed for the week.  This was fine since we were leaving for my home town on Wednesday.  It was also a good thing because we discovered the week before that L had a terrible ear infection and pink eye. We found out by accident when M took him in to check to his never ending cough. So, with both kids on antibiotics along with my own visit to urgent care over the weekend for pink eye and an ear infection, I thought that we were finally on the mend.  Then, M got sick and E's cough got worse.  Poor M looked after L for a few hours while I took E in again.  She was tested for RSV because of a little wheezing. Thankfully, the test was negative, but I was told that since she's already on antibiotics it was probably viral and there wasn't much that could be done. I could give benedryl and try to keep her upright. As a precaution, I was given scrips for some Xopenex, Pulmacourt and a nebulizer. (Those are actually the same things I take for my asthma). 

We managed to get everyone well enough to travel a few hours west and made it to B-Town.  I was glad to be home and L was thrilled to be able to run around after being cooped up all weekend.  Poor E was miserable. The nights were full of coughing fits and crying when she would wake herself up.  M sat with her for hours in the rocker since she hated sleeping in the car seat.  Thank goodness we were with my parents. My mother took E in the morning so I could go back to sleep and M would nap in the afternoon.  My brother and Dad did a great job making sure that L was looked after.  I finally decided to break out the neb and started E on twice daily treatments.  Her cough has gotten better, although I still have her in the car seat at night.  We aren't often sick, and this is the first family wide sickness, so I found the whole experience very stressful.  Despite all of that, though, Christmas was wonderful.

Everyone enjoyed the visit and helped out with the kids so much.  L and E got a lot of toys and a lot of cuddle time with the family.  We ate food, drank wine, and watched TV.  The kids even napped at the same time!

Of course, M and I are both utterly exhausted, but I think (hope) that everyone is actually on the mend now. 

I hope that your holiday was healthy, happy, and uplifting.  As I prepare to say goodbye to 2009, I am working on a new plan for 2010.  I hope you'll come back to read about it.  I am very excited!