Sicknesses, yet again...

I felt their little foreheads again and again, as their body temperature rose throughout the day. Their energy was dissipating, like air leaving a deflated balloon. Their smiling faces and happy voices, suddenly turned sluggish. They laid on the couch and looked tired and watched the American Ninja Warrior All-Star special... 

And after awhile, I was finally able to get a temperature read from my daughter, but thankfully, not my son too. His immune system seems to be kicking the butt of whatever is overwhelming my daughter's system. So for now, they're both resting, trying to let their bodies fight whatever is fighting back even harder.

This cold and flu season has been unforgiving to us. We have gone 6+years without a major sickness, no more than a cough and sniffles. Which the cough and sniffles seemed to be taken care of since we started routinely diffusing... But somehow, this year, we were caught off guard and have been in this whirlwind of illnesses. Right when we think we have it beat, like a Hawk circling its prey, it comes right back around again to finish what it started.

I may be a parent for 6.5 years, however, I am not a veteran parent when it comes to fevers. I have very little experience from a mothering role and quite frankly, fevers terrify me. So as soon as my daughter's temperature spikes up to 103 (which seems to be a common thing now), I'm immediately transported back to our last experience, when we rushed her to the emergency room. I am immediately inundated with fear, that she'll become confused or forgetful or exhibit other weird behaviors again. 

So, I keep her close and snuggle her tight. We talk about TV shows and we read stories. Anything to distract her from being so sick that even blankets hurt her body. She tells me how much she loves me and I tell her how she's my most favorite girl in the whole world. And she spends each night of her fever induced sickness in my bed, which she loves. At night, she keeps her warm body close to mine and wakes, as soon as her hand falls from mine. (My rule is, the sick child stays in bed with me so I could keep a close eye on them the whole night, and also, because no one likes to be sick and alone at night. And, my husband sleeps in my son's room, so he doesn't feel left out). 

I'm not sure if I'll ever get used to watching my babies be sick. I'm OK with the sniffles and even a deep cough, but fevers will be the death of me for years to come. And I hope, as spring rounds its sunny warm face, our bodies will rid themselves of these evil germs and we could put the last two months behind us.

Until then, maybe I'll try to do a ritualistic dance or some sacrificial ceremony. And maybe, just maybe, we can conquer this super bug that is being just as pesty, as flies during a barbecue...

Or maybe, just the old fashioned way of love, soup, and juices will also conquer it...

But hey, at this point, I'll try anything ;)