Sick, Ick and Blah

This post talks about sickness and things associated with it, so if you have a weak stomach, you may want to skip it.  I'm just saying...

This fall has been such an interesting one so far.  The temperature has been going between 50s and 20s in the blink of an eye, we've been getting snow and rain, and the general consensus is that it's just not been normal so far.  Which is fine.  I'm not normal, so I don't expect my seasons to be.  But why must that also mean that our health cannot be normal? 

We are usually a very healthy family.  We seldom ever get the flu or stomach bugs, colds are usually quick and mild, and I can count on one hand the number of times all 3 of our children--put together--have been on antibiotics (between the 3 girls it's 4 times, if you're wondering)  We are rarely sick...but that's in a normal year.  This fall we've already battled severe strep throat for Lilly and bronchitis for me, plus a cold for all 5 of us. 

This past weekend was supposed to be a fun, adult weekend away with friends for Andy and I.  We were all so excited to get away and have some fun, relaxing times without our kids.  Well, for Andy and I it wasn't quite that.  He woke up on Friday morning with a headache that he nursed all day with lots of water and ibuprofen.  Then Saturday he woke up with a back-ache and another headache, which progressed into a high fever and raging migraine Saturday afternoon.  He felt better for awhile Sat evening, but during the night his fever returned.  Sunday was a day of slowly getting better and feeling more normal.  This was all while staying at a cabin with friends, who we pray don't get sick.  So I spent my kid-free, care-free time caring for my husband.  He felt awful physically, but mentally too, for keeping me from fully enjoying my time away.  Eh, it happens.  And to be honest, I have a nasty head-cold that would have kept me from fully enjoying myself anyway.

So last night we were snuggled in bed and fast asleep when we were woken up (at 10:00 pm, mind you) by a sick child.  Ugh.  Alayna has only thrown up 3 times in her almost 9 years, so it scared her and she came to our room instead of the bathroom.  Yup, carpet scrubbing and sheet changing ensued while she showered.  She's home from school today and seems to be feeling fine, but we'll see. 

This is the sickest our family has ever been.  I'm not kidding.  We've had a bought here or there where we all get a cold or flu-like symptoms, but never this much this often or soon in the season.  I really hope that we're just getting it all out of the way and will be healthy the rest of the winter.  If you have time, would you mind saying a little prayer for us all?  We'd really apprecate it!