Still sick

Well, I’m still sick. I have bronchitis. Boooo

That’s it. Just wanted to complain for a second.

But here’s a picture, unrelated

Wellness

Starting a week or two before Christmas 2024, I took “wellness tablets” several times per day: generally two pills, three to four times a day. If you’re unfamiliar, this legendary concoction is part of the T——— family lore which I believe has its origin story in one of my brothers’ partners from work.

If you choke down these terrible-tasting tablets, also known colloquially as “garlic pills” (I actually prefer the capsules, they don’t taste quite as bad as the tabs) especially in conjunction with a few other delights like zinc and vitamin C, your immune system gets an extra shield, and it has been anecdotally known within the family for years now to ward off even the most contagious bugs.

Anywho, so I pounded these babies for like 3 weeks and felt great. I resisted the pull of whatever terrible cough was plaguing my own kids, including a franken-virus Polly had, as well as my dad’s pneumonia. We got back from California and I got sucked into the vortex of fire news, generally neglecting the wellness tablets other than once a day or so. And then a week later, the sore throat began. And the progression continues.

I’m pretty sure it’s just a cold, but it’s been so long since I got sick (Covid last August) that I am quite unaccustomed to the sensation and not at all pleased.

Photo unrelated, except to document that this was my Disneyland souvenir this year (usually I get a magnet 🤷🏼‍♀️) and now I’m going to force myself to get out of bed and drink some tea out of it.

Thanks for shelter and rest

Ok so I was thinking about how grateful I am to have a warm place to lie down and not to have to work, or really do anything, while I am sick. That is a pretty huge blessing. 🙏🏼 

Thanks but no thanks

Well I still have a few Thanksblogging posts to catch up on 😅 I’m just here to complain for a minute. I have Covid. Bah humbug!

I realized that the first time I had Covid, it was the week after Easter (2022), and I was pretty sure I caught it from church. This time, the week after Christmas, I’m also pretty sure I got it from church. Well, that or the airport. Or the airplane. Or any other crowded, coughy sneezy place I’ve been in the last 5 days…

I was so exhausted after we got back from our trip late Saturday night that I pretty much spent Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in bed. Well not ALL day every day but like… all afternoon and evening. I told myself I was catching up after six months of never resting, but it turns out I was percolating Covid.

Anyway, I actually am thankful for kids who are old enough to take care of themselves—and the dog!—and for Matt who has cooked all the meals this week and brought me up delicious leftovers tonight after working all day at his office.

I am especially thankful for Matt because it’s our 20th wedding anniversary today. Whew! Good job us!

I am also thankful for our bedroom, which is nowhere near as cozy as our townhouse bedroom BUT it has the same comfy bed and someday I’ll put away all the boxes and fix it up Cozy 2.0.

And, now back to lying on my comfy bed, staring at the TV in between dozing. I am simultaneously exhausted and bored out of my mind.

Round and round

Deep thoughts on the kitchen chalkboard

I think I’m turning a corner with whatever I had—the antibiotics seemed to work to dispel the pressure in my head. But now I have some dizziness, which is apparently a common side effect of antibiotics, and round and round we go.

Spring has sprung

Well, I have a cold, which apparently has spread to my ears and sinuses, so i am now on antibiotics. That is not pleasant, but what is pleasant is that I was able to take the week off work and cancel almost everything else. And Theo drives now, so that has been helpful too. Every cloud has a silver lining, and maybe it’s worth it to feel crummy once in a while if it reminds me of how good I have it.

(Unrelated: me on my bday)

Thanks for my lungs

It’s here! Thanksblogging is here!

Today I am thankful for strong lungs. I got diagnosed with bronchitis today, yet somehow I ran 12 miles on Saturday. 🤔 (I’ve had a cough off and on for the past 10 days, and on Saturday I thought I was better ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ guess I was wrong)

Ida and I are running a half marathon together in less than 2 weeks, so I really hope we’ll both be healthy on race day.

We’ve been training for 2 months, and I’ve had a few minor injuries but have not had any issues with endurance. I am very thankful for lungs that let me keep up with a teenager!

Oh, June

I’ve had a weird month. Suffice it to say that illness and infirmity lurk everywhere. To make things even more interesting, following a series of unfortunately clumsy events, I broke my hand today. 

As a teenager I broke my finger by slamming it in a car door—the finger mended itself after a few weeks in a splint. In my twenties I broke my toe by running into a door—the toe mended itself after a few months in a surgical shoe. This break, in my thirties, involving a bike basket and a signpost, is trying to outdo the others in pain and complexity, and I will need a hard cast but hopefully not surgery, don’t know yet. I have been put on notice, and I promise to be very very very careful in my forties.

Covid has sprung

Surprise! I have Covid. Only about 500 million people in the world have had it so far, so it’s a pretty exclusive club.

I’m mad at myself for catching it, but at the same time I realize that I couldn’t (or didn’t want to) live my life isolated forever; we’re all vaccinated and I was still relatively careful, just not quite careful enough.

I’m grateful that we don’t have any major plans to cancel; travel etc.

I’m also grateful that my symptoms are manageable. I don’t feel as bad as I did after the second Moderna shot… yet…

I’m also grateful that no one else in my family has tested positive… yet… 

Knock on all the wood for us, ok?!

Inoculated

Yesterday I got my second covid shot! I am so happy and grateful, even though today I’ve been in my bed all day after a bit of a rough night. Side effects just mean my immune system is doing what it’s supposed to do. Yay for science. ❤️ And yay for independent kids, a flexible calendar and a helpful husband ❤️

Thanks for wellness

I always appreciate wellness more during sickness... darn it.

I’ve been fighting off a cold for the past couple of days. Halloween candy was NOT MY FRIEND! Well... not my immune system’s friend.

My brother passed along to me his not-so-secret regimen of supplements, medicines and early bedtimes that have helped me successfully fight off several colds this year. I’m really trying this time, but it might be too little, too late! Waaaaaahhhhh

It’s good to get sick sometimes, if only because it makes me so grateful that I’m usually well. I will never ever ever take good health for granted.

Take 2

OK, so my putrid throat didn't actually go away. Sneaky. Except it's really bronchitis, I found out this morning. Started a Zpak and am crossing my fingers that tomorrow is my day... Since today sure wasn't.

I have no one to blame but myself--doped up with ibuprofen and an intense desire to NOT be in my bed for one more minute, I overdid it yesterday. Fortunately today I was able to make it to the doctor, and my good friend brought me chicken noodle soup, and Polly took a good nap. And Matt came home early from work... Again.

And I'm that much further into season 2 of Poldark... Ahhhhhhhhh

Maybe this week we'll get a Christmas tree. I'm just ready to get back to real life. Counting my blessings. Glad that I have a busy active life that keeps me moving and learning and healthy and happy most days.

Putrid throat

Polly got croup and then Matt got pneumonia and then I got... Something. I don't know what you want to call it (maybe putrid throat... Poldark reference) but it felt like it could be croup and/or pneumonia and it knocked me down pretty good for a while. It's Sunday night and I've pretty much been in bed since Thursday night. OK, yesterday afternoon I got up for a few hours and then this afternoon I forced myself out of bed from about 2 pm to 7 pm. Oh and I showered yesterday. Hoping that tomorrow I'll be ready to face real life. And maybe even shower again.

In the meantime, I sure am grateful that since Friday afternoon, Matt has taken care of all the kids and the house and the grocery shopping and making dinner and church and anything else that might come up, so that I could stay in bed that whole time.

I'd like to say I've been sleeping, but in all honesty I have spent most of the time watching TV on my iPad. With a little bit of reading. OK and some napping. I rarely make time for TV shows (which I'm fine with) and also don't make much time for reading books (I'm not fine with that). Now I'm almost done with The Audacity of Hope (LOVING IT), and in between reading, I binged pretty much every random TV show or web show I came across that looked interesting. (Gilmore Girls reboot... Poldark... A Different World... Drunk History.) And some things that looked interesting but turned out to be super overrated. (e.g., This Is Us. sorry if you're a fan!) I think my brain might be ready for a rest from the screen time. I kinda feel myself turning into an iPad zombie of sorts.

Next up: Monday!

When you're busy making other plans

Now in the middle of my fourth mastitis episode in the past six months. Why?! I guess it makes sense when I look at the causes, and I know from experience that the remedies work. It is always a signal to back off and slow down. But it still surprises me.

Some causes-

-missed or irregular feedings

-going a sudden long stretch between feedings

-overabundant milk supply

-compromised immune system

-poor diet

-exhaustion

Check, check, check, check, check, and... check.

Some remedies-

-frequent nursing

-frequent hydration

-anti-inflammatory diet (ditch the sugar and dairy for vegetables)

-direct heat

-bed rest

I think it's possible that at this stage of life what I think I should be able to do doesn't quite match up with what my body can handle. I remember reading once in a Vicki Iovine book that a breastfeeding mom is "still a little bit pregnant." I'm torn between wanting to move on and claim my own body back, and not wanting to leave behind this fleeting connection with my baby.

Something else I read that stuck with me was "A mother suffering from an abscess needs to get some rest and let herself heal. That is the 'message' of mastitis and abscesses to every mother. She needs to do nothing but rest and feed her baby. Nothing else is more important." (via kellymom.com)

I think I thought that by the time I was within spitting distance of my baby's first birthday, I'd be happily still nursing (at times and places convenient for me, of course ;) but way past any issues like abscesses and mastitis. I guess I forgot that having four kids means, among other things, not really being able to plan or choose the timing of any of this stuff.

I'm fine

Ummm... Don't you think it's funny? Just me?

I'm home from church today because of mastitis. Or "my status" if you have been reading this blog long enough to remember my OB with Ida whose accent was so thick I couldn't understand most of what he said. Anyway it snuck up on me on Thursday and it went downhill quickly with chills and shaking and aching and fevering and pain. I'm really thankful that I could call my midwife late at night, get a prescription, send Matt out to pick up the prescription, and then sleep most of the night. And then do nothing but lie on the couch and nurse for most of the next 2-3 days because of help from friends and a lot of help from Matt.

When pioneer women got mastitis, they just had to suffer through it and/or die from it. Possibly while pushing a handcart. Right?

I guess that's true of anyone who had any kind of infection before penicillin was discovered. Handcart optional.

Too bad that Polly now thinks she can just nurse 10 times a day whenever she feels like it. Or maybe it's not too bad. I guess it's all in the way you look at it. Babies, man.

Sure wouldn't trade her, though!

Listen up

Maybe this blog is a little Polly-centric, but can you blame me?

I wanted to write about a weird experience I had this week. Well I guess it started a couple of weeks ago. One afternoon I put Polly down in the family room to play while I worked on the laundry. She was out of my sight and would be for about a minute, but she was happily occupied (she has a history of needing to be held constantly) and I figured I'd just quickly get my chore done. As I was advancing the laundry from the washer to the dryer, I had a feeling I should check on her. I dismissed it because I had already looked around the floor where she was and I hadn't seen any little chokable things.

The thought came again, "Check on Polly," so I reluctantly did. She was fine. I looked around and found nothing that seemed dangerous. Immediately though I had the thought, "It's not that hard to keep her closer. Just keep her where you can see her." I felt like this was a warning of sorts. If you're religious you will recognize this as a classic Holy Ghost anecdote. If you prefer your dogma to come from Disney movies, you might think of it more like Jiminy Cricket. At any rate I knew it was meant for me, and I even used it in my Young Women lesson about the Holy Ghost that Sunday.

A week later in Young Women, the lesson was about choices. The girls shared the different choices and consequences they'd experienced that week. We talked about how choices might be big or small with big or small results, but regardless, whatever choices we make, we should keep the end goal in mind. Will this choice lead me down the life path I want to be on, or will it not? And what if both choices are good? In that case, just choose one and don't be too stressed because you're still on the right path.

Might I add, perhaps needlessly, that I have a bit of an anxiety issue where my children are concerned, and it's part of my day-to-day to identify: "Is this a real concern, or am I being anxious?"

A couple of days after that, during the Weeknight Witching Hour one evening, I was exhausted after wrestling Polly into her pajamas. She shook me off, then crawled away triumphantly into her brothers' bedroom and I decided to let her play for a few minutes. Theo and Ida were in there and we had long since removed all the Legos and marbles and stuff so I felt fine about it. After about a minute, I remembered my little promise to myself and went in to check on her. She was happily playing on the floor. I thought to look in her mouth, and I found a tiny magnet. Ugh...

I asked Theo and Ida, and none of us knew how many magnets there had been on the magnet board, and how many she might have put in her mouth, or if she'd swallowed any. A quick Googling revealed that magnets are bad news when swallowed, so I called poison control, as I am wont to do. The lady was super nice and after a lengthy conversation we both came to the conclusion that she had probably not swallowed any, but if she had, she had probably only had time to swallow one, and it's only two or more magnets that present a problem because they can stick to each other and poke holes in your intestines. Lovely! Anyway she said "If you're sure it wasn't two, you can stay home and just keep an eye on her diapers for the next couple of weeks to see if a magnet comes out. You can call your doctor if you'd like, just to double check."

So then I called my doctor, as I am also wont to do. The advice nurse surprised me by saying, "You should definitely go to the emergency room and get an X-ray." What? I told her the poison control lady had said that was only necessary if it were two or more magnets. "No, even if it's one magnet, you should check it out immediately." But what if I wait twelve more hours and go to urgent care in the morning? "We recommend that you go tonight." Ughhhhhhh, why had I not listened to my voice? I had a warning about this. I KNEW I needed to keep her closer and be more careful for the next few months.

I hemmed and hawed and discussed it with Matt and ultimately decided to wake her up (she was long asleep by now) and take her to the ER. So, I said goodnight to the big kids and Matt, buckled Polly up, and off we went. We drove to the ER entrance, dropped off the car at the valet, walked in. The valet guy drove off with my car, I started the registration paperwork and WITHIN TWO MINUTES, a voice came on over the loudspeaker, "Attention patients and personnel. No one will be allowed in or out of the hospital until further notice." WHAT?!?! THIS is what I get for coming to the ER when I wasn't sure whether to come in the first place??

Long story slightly less long, Polly and I were stuck at the hospital during a lockdown. I will admit it was a tad stressful. The lockdown ("code silver," which means a hostile person with a gun--thanks Google) lasted about an hour. I feel good about how I handled it because I assessed the situation--honestly if my car hadn't already been driven away I would have turned around at the first announcement and darted right out of there--stayed alert, kept my eyes on everyone, asked questions, eavesdropped on whispered employee conversations and on the security guard walkie-talkie chatter. I hung out in a sort of sheltered alcove which was next to an emergency exit. After a few minutes they ushered us out of the waiting room and into a smaller triage area. A few minutes after that, they moved the babies and moms to yet another waiting area. I felt afraid (and squished...hello, personal space) but at the same time like we were doing the best we could.

Once the "code silver" was finally dropped (I have no idea what happened, if they found the guy or if he left or if it was a false alarm or what), Polly got her X-ray, which was of course delightful (not delightful). AND THEN the radiologist proceeded to tell me that I basically hadn't needed to come in.

So the best thing to do in a crappy situation, well the two best things, would be (A) be grateful it wasn't worse and (B) learn for next time. I'm definitely grateful, and I've definitely learned. I learned a whole lot in a short amount of time! ...But wouldn't it be nice if I could also (C) make the ER bills disappear? (I guess if I did that, there would be less learning.)

Cold, schmold

Polly's newest trick--sitting up in bed. And unsnapping her sleep sack (the other morning she unsnapped it and completely wiggled out of it!)

I've been down with a cold this week. Or maybe a flu, I can't tell. No fever, but I've been achy. If it's not a flu then it's a pretty mean cold. It started a week ago and slowly built up over the next few days. I think I'm turning a corner, after having spent the majority of the last 3 days lying on the couch. I always forget what a pain it is to have a cold. I think to myself "it's better than throwing up/better than a migraine/etc." And it is. But it's still kinda miserable. Blah. And Polly only wants me to hold her. Ever. Which I don't mind doing except for the achy thing.

But Matt--who is the one who ordered me to rest--is on to something. I hate lying on the couch--really do not enjoy it AT ALL. I would actually much rather be doing something productive like mopping the kitchen floor (it's sticky, I noticed today) or Kondo-ing my boxes of papers and photos (a project I started before the cold and am itching to get back to). Or at the very least outside enjoying the California-esque December weather we have been having. Alas, instead I've been on the couch whenever Polly is asleep, as directed. And watching "How I Met Your Mother." (random) And I reluctantly admit that I think I'm getting better more quickly because of it. It's always nice to get back to real life after being sick, and I'm hoping that in a few days I'll be feeling top notch again and ready to tackle those boxes. The kitchen floor, though, I think I'll assign to one of my kids.

Oh yes and I'll go outside too...

I have to say I sure am glad I finished all the Christmas prep before this week. Thanks, Past Eliza. That was smart of you.

Thanks for medicine.

I already posted along these lines being thankful for good health, but I want to say specifically how thankful I am for medicine and medical knowledge in my day-to-day life.

Lars had a bad ear infection a few weeks ago. Ida had strep throat this week. Theo and Polly have both had colds this week and Polly has had some bad teething pain a few times. The occasional road rash, cuts, and scrapes are part of normal life for us, made instantly "better" with soap and water and some Neosporin. We all get sick from time to time, but we have been immunized (as much as we can be anyway) against what a few generations ago were crippling or life-ending diseases. Over the years we have been prescribed various antibiotics for various ailments including pretty bad mastitis. I can pick up my phone and call my doctors any time with medical questions. I safely gave birth to four children with very few complications, thanks in no small part to antibiotics, good hygiene and safe practices among my doctors and nurses. 

All because of a whole bunch of really smart people who keep coming up with ways to fight infection and inflammation and all that bad stuff. Super thankful for that.

Polly put the kettle on

So Polly caught a bad cold this past week. She was up all night coughing one night, and the following day she turned purple a few times while coughing. I may possibly have been influenced by my own anxiety about--well about everything, but in this case specifically about my not having gotten a Tdap shot during pregnancy, and about having taken her too many places and having let too many people hold her. 

Anyway I called the pediatrician's office no fewer than 4 times over the course of about 5 days. Finally I brought her in on Monday morning. The doctor listened to her lungs and said they sounded good. I asked for a pertussis test--even though Polly was already clearly getting better--and she obliged.

Also, Polly started napping and sleeping in her car seat and swing. Not surprisingly, sleeping propped up did wonders for the cough.

Wednesday afternoon, the doctor called me with her test results--negative! (Phew. Pertussis in a newborn is no joke. If you need any pertussis facts, I'm your girl. Dr. Internet proved too tempting, yet again.) We talked for a minute and at the end of our conversation she said, "We do need to be very cautious at this age. Please don't hesitate to call if she gets worse again, and don't think that we're talking behind your back for calling so much." Haha...um...I wasn't, but thanks!

I really wasn't. What I was thinking was, "I'm paying for this service, and I only have one Polly. I'd rather call way too many times than not call and wish I had."

And I still think that.

When Theo was a baby I'm pretty sure I didn't call the nurse advice line or make a sick appointment for him even once, although I know he had colds that first year (though not his first month!). Ida had multiple ear infections her first year, but I never brought her in until she'd been miserable for at least a week. 

Who would have thought that I'd actually become more anxious about sickness the more kids I have? Thanks, hormones. Although I still let my kids eat food they've dropped on the ground. They (unlike Polly) already have immune systems, after all.

Burnin' love

Ida woke up this morning with a pretty high fever. I hate when my kids get sick: not just because I worry that it will linger and/or turn into something serious (which I do), and not just because I feel bad for them for being so miserable (which I do), and not just because I feel bad about cancelling the day's plans (which I do--sometimes ;) but also because it changes the vibe in our house for the day. Ida is so helpful and pleasant, so full of fun and good ideas and good questions. 

She's spent most of the day sleeping, and the boys either have been playing in their room or outside--and now are playing on the iPad--so the house is quiet. Theo is pretty helpful and pleasant himself, so I'm not without a helper. This afternoon will probably involve watching movies guilt-free. It might be a little boring (I think I've spoiled my kids and myself by planning outings for almost every day), but it hasn't been a bad day.

Still I miss her, even though she's just in the next room. I think it's going to be a big adjustment for me in 2 weeks, having my girl gone until 3 p.m. every single weekday! I guess actually that after school starts, I'll be selfishly glad on the days she's sick, since I'll get her all to myself. :) And I know she is going to love school.

Side note, I have been in a bit of an Elvis phase lately and this morning I couldn't stop singing "Oooh-hoo-hoo, I feel my temperature rising..." #feverjokes #elvisjokes #thankyouverymuch

http://youtu.be/DcJac6OykfM