H1NWhatever

Patrick came home from school on Wednesday with a blinding headache and the need to fall asleep at five in the afternoon. By Thursday morning he was throwing up. A trip to the doctor on Thursday afternoon landed him with a flu diagnosis and me with prescriptions for Tamiflu for Caroline and Edward. We had the option to get Tamiflu for Patrick as well but I thought he would be ok without it and I would hate it if we took Tamiflu now and there winds up being a shortage of the stuff and at-risk people who really need it are unable to get it later. I don't know; it made sense to me at the time and although Patrick is sick he is not nearly as sick as he was last summer - I guess it takes more than a couple of symptoms to impress me now. By Thursday night he was feverish and starting to cough. Friday was my birthday and all I wanted to do was sleep. Saturday all I did do was sleep, feeling as I did like utter death. 

Patrick is getting better. Edward is starting to cough and I administered Tamiflu to him and Caroline tonight on the strength of it. Steve is rallying like a Kappa. I am going back to bed.

When I recover my capacity to stay upright, my ability to breathe freely and my sense of humor remind me to be amused all over again by those flu vaccine discussions, ok?

Comments

[Kate]

H(1N1)appy Birthday!

[bethany actually]

Oh man, I had that same flu (possibly H1N1, but I don't know for sure) with the coughing and the feeling like death and it sucked. I wish you speedy good health, all of you!

[bethany actually]

And I think you should get a do-over on your birthday when you're feeling better.

[Katerina]

Oh noes!!!

Have Patrick come up with a line for T-shirts that y'all should get when everyone is healthy again.

Feel better everyone!!!!!!

[Greengage]

You poor things! Happy belated birthday, and get well soon. Hope the twinkles don't get it too badly, and that Steve doesn't get it at all.

[Jacqui]

It's not nice, even when you've got in the 'mild' version! It seems to have done its dash here in New Zealand and I _think_ I had it but unless you get tested or have the classic symptoms, which you guys do, how are you to know whether you got it or not? Good to get it early though, when there's still drugs available. Feel better soon all of you! Or should I say "oink oink"?

[C.]

Oh boy. Never speak of flu vaccines again. And happy birthday.

C.

[julia]

SO...did Patrick go trick or treating or not? I wanted to know what letter he was this year!

[Stacy]

Make next Saturday your psedo-birthday and demand a do-over with less fever and less puke.

Hope the little ones stay healthy. My 22 month old is currently unvaccinated against H1N1 (he did get the seasonal vax), I, however, being pregnant and freakin' lucky was at the doctor for a sinus problem and grabbed one of the last vaccines. I am super thankful.

I wish you all a speedy recovery. Will be intersting, from a totally biological standpoint, to see if you and Steve get it. I'm not only a weather buff but also a biology buff. I have the CDC webpage bookmarked. Nerd alert!

[Priscilla]

Wishing you all a speedy recovery, and I totally second the birthday do-over. :)

[Helen]

So so very sorry to hear that you and the children are not feeling well. Happy Birthday... You definitely deserve a HAPPY birthday celebration when you feel better. Hope everyone recovers as soon as possible.

[beyond]

oh no. happy belated birthday in spite of it all.

[Meegan]

Happy Birthday! Wow does it sound like it sucks. You get a do-over, indeed. May I also suggest celebrating your half-birthday? I think you're entitled this year.

Hope everyone is on the mend. Feel better soon.

[lulu]

i hope you all feel better very soon!

[Jill]

We had it here too. Don't be surprised if you begin feeling depressed about day four or five. It's actually part of the illness. Hope you're all on the mend soon.

[Alexicographer]

Oh no! Here's hoping Casa Hippogriffs isn't too (much more) severely affected. I'm so sorry y'all are sick!

[Ashley]

That Stinks...hope you all feel better soon.
Happy Birthday!

[Aunt Becky]

BRING OUT YOUR SWINE! I have it too. Also, feel better soon, and you and I should reschedule birthday do-overs. Mine sucked royally too, but it was in July, so I think the statute of limitations has probably run out.

[Jen]

Oh Julia, I'm sorry it was a punky birthday. I agree with other commenters -- get a do-over for next weekend. I hope you all feel better soonest!

[FlippyO]

Yuk. This definitely calls for a birth month celebration. It's against all the life rules to get sick on your birthday. I hope you're all feeling better soon and that both Steve & Caroline manage to avoid the plague.

This is the first year that I've ever thought, "Hey, maybe that flu vaccine isn't such a bad idea.". Usually, I don't know a single person who has gotten sick. This year? Seems like it's hit almost every family. Nasty!

[Kristin]

You definitely get a do over on the birthday. Hope y'all feel better soon.

[haitian american family of three]

Hey-my birthday was also on the 30th! Happy birthday. We just got a call from our neighbor who said her twin boys age 1.5 have it and we played together on Thursday...I've been taking my kids temperature ever hour since then, which she oddly loves. Hope you feel better soon.

[Fidi]

Wishing a speedy recovery to Patrick and you and hopefully no one else will get it. And Happy Birthday!

[Hetty Fauxvert]

Yuck, yuck, yuck! I'm sorry you and Patrick are slogging through this; I so hope the babies don't get it too. (I have BEEN through sick twin toddlers and it is no fun! To say the least!) Yes, birthday do-over is definitely in order. Give yourself two or three weeks before you attempt it, though, (1) so you feel good enough to enjoy it, and (2) to come up with something REALLy terrific!

[peeks]

Happy Birthday!

The lady in your current book ad has dreadful goosepimples, hope she isn't spreading it around.

[Crystal]

Oh dear.

I have nothing useful to add, whatsoever. Maybe a lame "here's hoping you're clear for the season"?

Wow, lame doesn't even do that justice, does it?

Hope you're all hale and hearty again soon.

How did it escape my notice you were a nearly Halloween baby? Michael you might remember (if unlike me, you have brain cells that actually function, I'm betting you do. Have brain cells, though perhaps not remember. Ahem... right.) is an October 13th baby. Er, boy, not baby (he would hunt me down if he knew I called him a baby in public). Actually, Drew is Nov 2, so just the other side.

I've become a bit over-obsessed with Halloween since Michael's birth. Seemed like it would be an important holiday, particularly when a certain young man had a Friday birthday.

Certainly my almost Christmas boy hates it. I always figured almost Halloween had a certain cool factor about it, but being a bland September, I can only guess.

Any insights? Always seemed to me a grand excuse for one hell of a party.

Damn Martha Stewart to the very depths of hell for making Halloween such an event. As if I needed a reason to go over the top on yet ANOTHER holiday.

But it is ever so much more.... wicked and fun than Christmas, where I feel compelled to (try to) be all kindly and saintly. Courrier and Ives must be given their due.

Ah, well...

Perhaps next year I'll remember to get pictures of my actual *children* to put on FB, and not just the overblown graveyard on the front lawn...

*sigh*

The origin of the aforementioned lameness is becoming painfully apparent here. The lengths one goes in order to sleep through the alarm and miss a boring meeting.... Shameless.

Be well.... soon. And celebrate. Tempus does fugit.

[grace]

Wishing you all a speedy recovery and a belated happy birthday to you.

[Cathy]

Make sure you give the Tamiflu with food to the little kids. (We have a new rule at our house called, "Don't puke on mommy at the dinner table.") My 22 month old is almost through with her course of it.

[Kristin]

Oh that sounds awful. Wishing you all a speedy recovery. And I second the birthday do-over idea. As the mother of a three month old, I managed to snag both the seasonal and H1N1 vaccines in October, for me and for my three year old. However, my husband (who works with the public daily) can't get the H1N1, so I'm pretty sure he'll bring it in the house at some point. It seems like the majority of people I know with children have it right now. Yuck.

[Barbara]

Happy belated Birthday. You do deserve a "do over" for the celebrating. I'm sorry you and Patrick have to suffer through the H1N1. I'm keeping my fingers crossed the Edward does not have it and that Caroline does not get it. And may Steve stay healthy to nurse the rest of you! Get well soon.

[kara]

Happy natal anniversary! And may you all vanquish the plague very soon...

[Shawna]

Happy birthday and I'm sorry it sucked. Does this mean there was no trick-or-treating? I was looking forward to finding out what your crew was dressing as. I assumed a letter for Patrick. Or as something else dressed as a letter.

I hope that when Patrick gets better he'll at least have the solace of some leftover candy. Did you get a lot of trick-or-treaters or did the H1N1 mean a lot of people stayed home?

[A]

Hope you are feeling better soon!

[beep]

i never responded to the vaccine discussion because people hate what i have to say.

having and recovering from the flu pretty much sux in process, however, recovering sans chemicals in your body creates amazing antibodies against viruses for the future.

you get ill less quickly and get better much easier and faster.

i'm sorry your sick. more sorrier that the kids are taking tamiflu....(please don't hate on me!)

[Linda Sleichter]

We had our run of it, too, and it took about 5 days for the initial flu to end, plus another week to cope with the secondary infection. Then, another 3-5 days of not being sick but just being WORE OUT. Like Steve, my Jay stayed health, which was a blessing like no other.

And, like your household, we had a birthday in the middle of it. We just had to tell our now 6-year-old, "sorry this birthday sucks; we'll make it up to you when I'm not feeling so horrid."

So, sorry this birthday sucks. I'm sure Steve will make it up to you when you aren't feeling so horrid.

[chantale]

We've all had it here. The only one with lasting problems is my 11 month old, who developed a double ear infection.

Hope your family is feeling normal again soon. It took us (minus the baby) about 5 days to get back on our feet.

[chantale]

Also, I've never heard of tamiflu before... off to google it.

[gretchen from lifenut]

Happy Birthday! Sending wishes for a happy recovery, too.

I tortured myself over the vaccinate or not question. Then we got IT. Just like that, no decision necessary.

It's a strange little virus. My most robust, never-gets-sick kid had the worst time with it---7 solid days of high fever.

I took Tamiflu twice a day for 5 days. I really think it helped.

[Jenny Eagle]

Happy (belated) birthday!

My daughter and I had H1N1 (maybe? They're not testing, but my doctor told me - over the phone - that we had it), but my husband never got it. It was the same with our neighbors and brother/sister-in-law. We're telling everyone that daddies have immunity.

Hope everyone is feeling better soon!

[Diane]

Well, I guess you can take your names off the waiting list for the vaccine!

Can I take your place on that list? Cuz here in Toronto, people are lining up for 6+ hours to get the shot at one of just a few government run clinics. Apparently they can't trust the doctors to administer it as most of the doctors' offices have not received their requested allotment!

[Libby]

Happy belated birthday! I hope you all feel better soon.

[llcsis]

I think you should have given yourself a Tamiflu for your birthday.

[Maria]

Oh my. This is certainly time to delete a comment from the appropriately named poster a few above mine.

I hope for everyone to feel better soon and/or to stay healthy. May the girls at the MN get-together buy you many a glass of belated birhday wine.

[tgsdmom]

Wishes for a swift recovery for you all.

Happy belated birthday - whenever you decide to celebrate it. (You can use the Mayan calendar, for example. Or the Jewish one. You'll get other dates that way. Patrick might like the idea of different calendars...)

[Christine]

Feel better.

And there is no justice in the flu world. Both kids here got kind of sick, I was destroyed, and Paul got a little sniffle. Yes, Paul, who brought it into the house, sniffled for a few days.

[Monica C.]

Oh no!!! So scary and awful. Happy, happy belated birthday! I hope everyone is 100% soon.

[Tine]

Aaarrgghh. I hope you find your way out of this fresh hell QUICKLY.

[suz]

Feel better soon! All of you. :-)

[Meany]

Wuss. (not your kids, you).

[Audrey]

Aw, man, that sucks! Best of healing wishes to you and the kiddos.