Why Sick Days are Unpredictable

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This family has been battling terrible colds for over two weeks.

Finally, we needed a sick day.

Actually, it began with a sick half-day on Wednesday.

Miss G had been up most of Tuesday night with an earache, but woke up cheerful and asking to go to school on Wednesday morning.  So, we let her.

I checked on her at noon on Tuesday in her classroom, and she had a fever, so I arranged for a sub in the afternoon (no easy feat, but with a supportive administration, it was happily achievable).

I picked up Miss A from preschool, too. 
Often when one girls goes down with an illness, the other is not far behind. 

Once I got them home, my girls established appropriate sick day positions on the couch. 

It was picture day at school, so they are wearing their princess dresses under the blankets.

We headed to the walk-in clinic when it opened that evening and had a little wait, so we distracted ourselves with the camera phone. 

 The next day, Thursday, Daddy stayed home with Miss G, who did have a pretty big ear infection in her right ear.
Eli and I had decided to share taking sick days on behalf of the girls so neither of us would have to miss too much work.
Miss G really wanted to go to school, but Daddy insisted she stay with him so he could keep an eye on her fever and pain. 
She's a trooper!  (And Daddy's a keeper!)

She began her sick day by washing pennies. 

Then, she picked a beautiful dress to wear.

This helps earaches go away more quickly, in case you are wondering. 

She wanted to help Daddy run a few low-key errands to the stores. 

I like how Daddy made sure she had a hat on that completely covered her ears.

This was the day that they were off running errands in Old Town before the twin otter plane crash close to that same location. 
Always counting blessings!

(As an aside, Miss A was sent home at lunch Thursday because of a non-ear related illness... tummy trouble.)


The next morning, Friday, we all planned to be back at school and work.
But, Miss A's digestive troubles were not fully mended.
And...

Miss G's left eye was swollen when she woke up on Friday morning.

Those of you who were around when Miss G had the massive allergic reaction in the spring will understand that I was concerned.

The swelling of her left eye was her first symptom then, and it spread to swelling all over her body, followed by itchy hives all over (including her mouth).

I had ensured that she did not have penicillin to treat the current ear infection (the suspect for the allergic reaction in the spring). 

Perhaps the swollen eye was related to the infection in her ear, and was not an allergic reaction, but better safe than sorry.

So, I did what any Mommy would do, I arranged for a sub and kept my girls with me.

After I dropped off my detailed sub plans (any teacher knows how difficult it is for a teacher to use a sick day... it's labour intensive!), we went to the hospital armed with snacks and colouring books.

Just after we arrived in the waiting room, we met a friendly man who introduced himself as Drunk (with a capital D, as he said it as if it were his name). 

He was pleasant. 

He said, "I'm a Drunk, you know."

He kept asking me if I was a doctor or a nurse. 

I assured him that I did not work at the hospital and was not a medical professional. 

Did I have any Morphine, Demerol, Cortisone or weed?

That would be a "no."

I consistently stayed pleasant and answered his repetitive questions clearly.

There was a nice security guard close by, and the cops came by to escort him somewhere safe after a few repetitive minutes of polite (but sad for me) conversation.

We went into a treatment room and waited. 

The girls entertained themselves with invented games.

Like clap your hands and feet at the same time. 

And they coloured. 

They used the spinning stools to entertain their toys. 

Beautiful colouring! 

We played musical beds and went to a ward later on.

Six hours.

Six hours later we left the hospital. 

The girls were amazing for that long waiting in a hospital.

Mommy was bored and tired.

Final verdict for the six hour wait:

The doctor seemed unconcerned about the eye, and possible allergic reaction. 

The doctor also suggested that the girls attempt to blow up balloons to pop their ears. 

Balloons curing ear infections... 

Infections. 

Not plugged ears. 

Well, colour me skeptical, but thanks for the suggestion.

We went home and relaxed (Miss A's tummy was still giving her some trouble).

Then, we drove downtown to pick up Daddy from work.

This was the girls' first time seeing Daddy's work.  They thought it was beautiful. 

We got to visit the monuments around the building. 

(And, yes, they are in their PJs.  I put them in the tub as soon as we got home from the hospital, to drown any hopeful germs.  Plus, it is a sick day...  Not that I need to justify PJs all day in my house.)

It was very exciting! 

 

This aviation installation was captivating to my girls.

The girls wanted pictures with their Daddy (Miss A above) 

Daddy with Miss G 

Then, we went into Daddy's work. 

There is a polar bear in the lobby. 

And another in the Officers' Mess.

Miss A told me that he was climbing.

I like to think so. 

There were boats. 

And a steering wheel.

In all, very exciting.

But the main thing about sick days?

It tires Mommy out!!

Get well, family.  Kick those germs out the door and keep them out!

(I just hope we don't end up swapping our illnesses... we've all had different symptoms...)