virusland

Oof, what a week. Those eye boogers? viral, not very contagious, but just the advance signs of a Very Bad Cold that's had Sam feverish, snotty, coughing, cranky, and out-of-sorts all week. So, no daycare, no birthday parties, and no sleep for any of us-- he'd wake hourly, choking on mucus, and our efforts to help him breathe (propped on pillows and even, when we got desperate, in his carseat in the crib; humidifier running all night every night; Motrin, with or without decongestant; lots of fluids; warm baths; sitting on the edge of the tub with a hot shower steaming up the bathroom at 3AM; suctioning his nose; saline drops) weren't doing much. He'd nurse back to sleep then wake again an hour or less later, screaming in frustration. I haven't been this tired since he was a brand newborn. J. retired to the guest room because Sam just wanted to nurse when he woke, so there wasn't much J. could help with, and at least that way we weren't both psychotic with exhaustion. Last night was moderately better after an extended flush-and-suck session with the bulb syringe (the sight of which now makes Sam yell then bury his face somewhere out of reach, like his hands or my leg).

Snot is fascinating, eh? It's like the poop stories of the first few months.

Anyway, his fever is finally gone, but we're finishing up a course of antibiotics prescribed when Sam's lungs sounded a bit fluid-y on Thursday, and since he hasn't been eating or drinking well all weekend, I'm going to keep him home again tomorrow so he can get fortified before picking up the next nastybug at daycare. (Work? who needs to work? Grrr...) Fortunately, he doesn't have any clue that he missed two birthday parties this weekend.

Now I just have to figure out how to not get sick myself. At least when I have to flush out my own sinuses, I won't need someone to hold down my arms while a second person stabilizes my head with one arm while wielding the bulb with the other... I'm awaiting a call from CPS any day now when our (childless) upstairs neighbor can't take the howls of protest any more.

In non-bodily-fluid news, we picked up our locally-grown, pastured turkey today (from Stillman Farm), as well as groceries for our Thanksgiving meal. Sam's Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt L. are flying up, and Aunt S. and Uncle D. are driving over on Thursday; my bro (Sam's Uncle M.) is coming up too.