Phsewww

Yeah, gauntlet run.

Health tanked temporarily (mucous EXPLOSION!), but my dr cheerily ordered up a "shot in the hip" to get things on the road to healing.

Yes, it was just a month ago that I was suffering from something similar (not this bad though!). This time it was a chain of germ passing from nephew D, who spent the day with us on the Friday before Easter because he had a fever and couldn't go to daycare. We had a nice time, made a fort, played with the Ocean puzzle...and then after lunch his energy level tanked. Easter Sunday was E3's day to come down with it...and then Wed/Thurs E2...and on Friday nephew F left school early due to a fever and not feeling well. Friday night as I sat cuddling E2 I could feel my head growing stuffier and my throat getting drier and more raw-feeling as the night went on...

I'm getting there. I no longer feel like I'll need a month in a sick bed to recover, my head hasn't exploded yet, and I still haven't coughed up that lung that's been threatening to leave my body. So all in all it's good.

Of course, the thing I kept putting off was packing for the trip Rob and I were taking. I had the girls mostly packed, food covered for the First Communion after party, but I had Monday set aside to be my day for packing our stuff. We don't need a lot, and I've got a nice packing list on the computer that makes things easier... except by Monday morning I was thinking maybe I should be packing for a visit to the hospital for pneumonia or bronchitis, or whatever was going on with my respiratory system.

So, I showered. Then I rested. Then I called/redialed the doctor's office the minute they opened, sweating the whole time...I mean literally - sweat pouring down my face...until I got an appt. Aaannd, then I rested in bed (thanks Nick Jr!) until my appointment time. On the 20 minute drive there, I wondered if maybe I shouldn't have had someone drive me - I was feeling a bit woozy.

The doctor was running about 45 minutes late. He never actually gave me a diagnosis, but upon hearing of our upcoming trip he loaded me up with all the things that he thought would keep my head from exploding on the plane - that could get messy, you know.

E3 hid her face in the corner of the exam room so she didn't have to see the shot. She's supportive like that.

I did get to tell the doctor that I'd taught E2 to use the neti pot and her response of, "That's AWESOME!" I've almost convinced him to try it - if my 8 year old can do it then he has nothing to be afraid of, right?

Initially, I felt worse after the shot (cortisone) and the meds...but late Monday afternoon I finally felt like I could get up and move without just...I don't know. Insert your own debilitation here. Rob had most of what he wanted packed set aside, so finishing up his wasn't much trouble. Mine, on the other hand...I hadn't considered what I wanted to bring...I hadn't gone through our toiletries bag to determine if there was anything we needed to replenish... The result? I have half of the contents of our bathroom, and my suitcase has more clothes than I need.

It's better than when I packed my bag to go to the hospital to deliver E3...at least this time I packed pants.