the many faces of life with piggy flu

Kai is still being quarantined at Po-Po's house until Sunday afternoon. His homecoming will include an H1N1 mask and a bottle of preventative Tamiflu. I can't wait to see him! Our home is just not the same without our little China man!

The kiddos at home are doing much better. Very low grade temps and just a bit of coughing left. Please, pray that this is the end of it. I continue to praise and thank God for sparing Kai, sweet hubby and myself!

germ-a-palooza

Anyone interested in coming over to play?

All three kids (Amanda, AJ and Anna Grace) are being treated for Swine Flu and for Strep. I have a counter covered in meds, 12 different bottles at last count, which included Tami-flu (which is in short supply here and we ended up going to 3 drugstores), antibiotics, Tylenol, Motrin, Cough Suppresant, and nasal decongestants.

Somehow, by the grace of God, Kai has been spared, although he has his own collection of meds he's taking. I picked him up directly from school yesterday and delivered him safely to the germ free haven of Po-Po's house. (Thank you Mom for again being my angel. I know how hard it is for you to drop everything to take care of a little one, and you do it without hesitation. I love you!) I am praying to God that he shows no symptoms later. The doctor discussed with me that if he does get it, he will immediately be hospitalized because of his severe apnea.

At first, I thought, "this isn't too bad." But oh my word,

I. WAS. SO. WRONG!

My babies are so very sick. I've never experienced a child with such a wicked, horrible cough, especially AJ's. Poor baby turns beat red and can't stop coughing. I'm talking for hours on end. Cough suppressant does absolutely nothing. His lowest fever has been 102.2 and it's spiked to over 104 last night. I had him in bed because I was afraid of it spiking and my not realizing it. He coughed all night long.

At one point, in the middle of the night, he shattered my heart when he looked at me with his sweet glassy eyes and said, "Mama, I'm sorry I wake you up."

Anna Grace is not too far behind. Her temperature has dropped into the 101's and her cough, although bad, is not quite to the extent of AJ's. They are both wearing their masks and are in separate rooms laying down watching TV right now. She is a trooper. That little girl's resilience will get her so very far in life. I'm so proud of her and love her so much!

Lastly, my big girl, Amanda. Amanda, the first one to get sick seems to be a bit better. Although she's obviously not completely 100% there yet, she now has only run a low-grade fever and her cough has subsided a bit. Fortunately, she has everything a teenager needs, and it's all in her room, so she comes out of there only to go to the bathroom. She's barely eaten in 3 days but I'm making sure she keeps fluids in, as the other 2 little ones are.

As for me, although tired, I have physically felt better than I have in the last two weeks. I continue to be on my own antibiotics for Strep. But no signs of the flu.

Please, please continue to lift our family up to our loving Father, praying specifically for the following:

1) Complete and quick healing for the kids at home that are so sick.

2) For Kai to continue to be exempt from all of this and for complete recovery from his Strep that he is on antibiotics for.

3) For neither Scott nor I to get this terrible flu. We would both without a doubt be out of commission with fevers so high. My babies need me to care for them and Daddy is our sole provider.

Thank you my dear friends and prayer warriors. May God bless you abundantly for your prayers.

We continue to praise Him in the storm.

we need your prayers

I'm exhausted.

I'm worried.

I'm sick.

But far worse than that, my babies are sick. All four of them! It seems like there are choruses of coughing fits throughout our home. Antibacterial hand rinse has become an hourly ritual here. The scents of Lysol and bleach are the aromas that fill our humble abode.

It started almost 2 weeks ago with AJ. Some coughing, a couple of sneezes, a bit of low grade fever and before you knew it, full blown Strep throat. He started on antibiotics.

A few days later, Kai started coughing. We have to be especially careful

with Kai so I immediately took him in. Sure enough. Strep made it into

his system too.

Next, was me. A horrible sore throat, coughing and that same low grade

fever. I went to the Urgent Care Center on Friday. Yep....same Strep monster got me.

That makes three out of six of us on antibiotics.

Sunday night Amanda started complaining she was feeling well. No fever. A little bit of cough.

She went to school on Monday. Came home and was moaning and groaning. I went to feel her forehead. She was burning up. 103 degrees.

Today she didn't go to school. I waited to call the doctor hoping it was a one day deal. Before I had a chance to call them later today, Amanda's best friend call us. Why? To tell us that she had gone to the doctor today with a high fever and feeling miserable. The diagnosis? H1N1 virus!

I immediately got on the phone and called the doctor. We have an appointment at 11 a.m. to have Amanda tested.

Tonight as I was tucking the little ones in, I went to give Anna Grace her goodnight kiss and she felt very warm. I pulled out the thermometer and sure enough....102!

So now tomorrow morning, I'm off with both of them to the doctor. AJ was better and is regressing a bit, as am I.

Kai will go to school since he's on antibiotics and is doing well and is not contagious. If we get a positive diagnosis for H1N1, Kai will immediately be going to my Mom's until we get over this. He CANNOT get that flu and our pediatrician has not received the vaccines yet for him to be vaccinated.

Can you tell I'm stressed?

To add even more to my stress. My son is getting married in 3 1/2 weeks! We need to be there. We need to be healthy! We need this to go away.

Will you please pray for us?

For those of you wondering, sweet hubby has been out of town. Therefore, he's been missing out on our germ fest and for the time being is 100% healthy.

But, he's home now. :)

UPDATE 9/23 8:45 a.m.: FEVERS: Amanda 101. Anna Grace 102. AJ 100.6 Me...not sure of the temp, but I know I have one. Just took some Motrin and my migraine pills. I'll be okay (I hope).

EVERYONE is coughing up a storm. Doctors appointment for the 3 kiddos at 11 a.m. (Please, please, please remember to pray that it's NOT H1N1. ) Kai seems okay and Scott took him to school this morning. Praising God that Scott's schedule allowed him to be home.

bring me to this ROCK???

WHAT IS SO TRAGICALLY WRONG WITH THS PICTURE?
(Please scroll to the bottom to turn off background music.)

We should be mourning the genocide of millions of babies, killed every year through abortion. We should be mourning the deaths of millions around the world, dying from disease, starvation, and lack of clean water. We should be mourning for our country.

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:14