thursday's thoughts

Famous last words: I don't understand how people die from the flu...it sucks, but how do they die?

Last Saturday Alison began throwing up in the car on the way home from Mt Charleston. She was feeling much better Sunday afternoon

Monday night I woke up to Brooklynn crying. I went in her room and found her covered in vomit. I was up with her most of the night and was looking forward to handing her off to Brian at 4am (that's our routine, I stay with them till 4, then he takes them so I can get some sleep before he goes to work) at about 2am Brian starts throwing up. Guess I'm not getting a break. He stayed home from work on Tuesday and lost 12 pounds in 2 days!

Wednesday morning I take the girls to gymnastics. While Ellie, Brooke and I are watching, Ellie says "my tummy hurts." I knew what was coming, so I went into the gym and get Alison. While I was gone, Ellie threw up in the trash can. We went home.

At about 12:30 I started to feel sick. I only threw up a couple times, but it was the other end that was giving me problems. Inconvenient - yes, but not *that* bad. I was more worried about Ellie who couldn't keep anything down. No matter what she drank, she would throw up. Brian got home from work a tad early and I went straight to bed.

At 11:30pm I woke up with a crazy headache, so I went downstairs to get some Tylenol. I went to the bathroom and when I stood up my vision got black (this happens every once in a while, so I was going to just stand there & wait it out) The next thing I know I am waking up on the bathroom floor with my face burning. Brian heard a crash & was looking all over upstairs for me. I made it to the bottom of the stairs and thought I was calling him, but he said I wasn't. I passed out again and woke up in a cold sweat. Brian went to the kitchen to get me ice water and I went back to the bathroom. I was afraid to stand up, but I didn't want Brian to have to help me. I finely got up and asked him to help me to the couch. While he had his arm around me, I passed out again. He got me to the rug and called 911 and my brother.

The fire department and paramedics were there in about 7 minutes. They asked a bunch of questions, took my blood pressure (107/56 - way way low) checked my blood sugar, and put me on a stretcher. Once inside the ambulance, they gave me an IV and talked me through everything they were going to do. They were SO NICE. One of them even went to check on my kids because I was worried about Ellie. If I was this sick, and I had been drinking water, then she must be worse if she threw it all up. He said she was fine and drove me to the hospital. Brian met me there about 2 min after we arrived. Nichole came to sit with my sleeping kids.

They said after I finished a bag of fluid in my IV I would have to pee and would feel better. It took 3 bags before I could pee and even then I didn't have to go that bad. They did a CAT scan of my head (because I passed out so many times) a chest xray (to check my Vegus Nerve) and blood work (to check for infection and Swine Flu) About 3.5 hours later I was released. Diagnosis: sever dehydration which caused my blood volume to get so low that there wasn't enough pressure to pump blood to my brain. Therefore I passed out.

We got home at about 3:30 and Brian was up with the girls at 6:00. I think his adrenaline is wearing off, he is hitting a wall right about now. At least he made it through dinner, so all the kids are fed...I'm going to send him to bed. I think I can handle them for bedtime. I just have to get through tomorrow without him, and he will be home for the weekend. Everyone seems to be feeling better. My flu symptoms are fading, but I am SO sore from my fall. I split my lip open, hit my nose and have bruises on my bum and ribs.

I am grateful that it was when Brian was home. I am grateful that it was me and not my kids. I am grateful that I have such good friends that offered to help. I am grateful that Nichole was able to watch my kids. I am grateful that I wasn't hurt worse when I fell.

I am not able to run my race this weekend. I was SOOO disappointed, but the ER doc said that with the training I have been doing, the lack of sleep from caring for a sick family and the flu - my body just can't handle anymore. I still have my Mud Race coming up, so I have that to look forward to. Alison is the most upset about not being able to go to California. She really wanted to go to the beach and see her grandparents.