Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Saltines, applesauce, and gatorade.

Sounds like fun 'eh?  Big boy yesterday morning complained that his throat hurt and he had to throw up.  I told him to go to the bathroom.  He did, but nothing happened, so he came back, and threw up on the floor.  I told him to go lie in bed and use the trash can.  I cleaned up.  Baby was NOT happy to be relegated to the crib or high chair.

Hubby came home from the gym.  He told me we can't keep him in his room all day.  So he threw a sheet on the couch.  Then...big boy proceeded to throw up on the couch.  (Which is why I didn't want him on there.)

Anyway, I went off to the store with the baby to get pedialyte and crackers and applesauce and gatorade, and went to work.  Hubby stayed home all day (okay, he has totally made up for the two business trips).

Finally the puking stopped at around noon.  Starting at around 2:30, big boy got tablespoons of water or pedialyte every 15 minutes.  At 7 pm, he got 1/2 a cracker.  At 8 pm, he got the other half.  He seems to be better today, but will be kept home from school until tomorrow at least. 

We've quarantined the kids, because the last thing I need is to have this thing spread.  Big boy is on his little chair, or in his bed, or in the bathroom.  Baby is allowed in our bedroom with his newly cleaned toys, his crib, and the high chair.  I plan to keep them separated until at least Thursday, because apparently these viruses can live for 3 days.

Hubby did a ton of laundry yesterday, and I'm doing more today.  He bleached everything.  I bleached everything.  I am using the Clorox wipes on the doorknobs, fridge, and light switches about 3x a day and will bleach everything at least 2x a day.

This may seem excessive, but big boy brought home a stomach virus when he was 11 months old.  We didn't realize it until too late and we both got it.  I was down and out for a week.

He's only had a stomach thing probably 4-5 times total in  his 7 years.  The first time and the time we caught it camping with our neighbors (no running water camping) were the only times we caught it too.  So the quarantine, the obsessive hand washing, and the bleaching really does work.  I am also really glad that we buy paper towels at Costco.  These are the days you give up on your "environmental/green" side and use paper towels.  If we make it to Friday with no spreading, I'll be happy.

The one good thing about the stomach virus, unlike respiratory illnesses, is that you really aren't contagious beforehand.  When you start getting sick, that's when you are contagious.  So you don't have to worry about who you were around 2 days ago.  You DO have to be careful for the three days after.

So yesterday and today are full of Harry Potter.  We are reading book 2 and watching the movies.  Yesterday he watched movies 2, 3, 4.  He's watching movie 5 today.  Sucks to be missing the last week of school but he's not complaining.

Thus far he's had a bunch of applesauce, gatorade, and crackers today, so I think he's definitely on the mend.  I'll probably see if he can handle some bread for lunch.

Wish us luck that it doesn't spread.

2 comments:

Joanne said...

Hoping your older son feels better soon and that it is contained to him!

Marcia said...

Well, he seems to have passed it on to me, but at a much reduced amount. So now I am quarantined from the baby as much as humanly possible. Ugh I am looking forward to getting back to normal!