what's up weekly: second verse, same as the first

I wish I had new news to share.  I wish there was some kind of change of course since last week.  But alas, there isn't.  We are still dead sick.

Luckily the barfing seems to have passed, so I suppose that is a change, and one for the better.  But the fevers, congestion and fatigue are still raging.  Now the congestion seems to be settling in their ears and we're dealing with potential ear infections.  I don't think we've ever collectively been this sick.  I know I've had to cancel a day or two of school at a time for sickness, but I've never in my entire ten years of schooling have had to take a full week off, much less two, but here we are.  Todd, for as long as I've known him, has never missed church due to illness.  But here we are.

Laurelai was so dehydrated this week that every time she would sleep her lips would crack and her mouth would fill with blood.  Rocco's entire mouth is broken out in huge canker sores.  Knox was  dehydrated and congested to the point that I contemplated taking him in to the doctor, which tells you something if you know me at all.  I do not tend to be a worrier about health conditions; I have perhaps a brazen confidence in my own ability to treat most things other than broken bones.  But here we are.

As for other unwelcome changes in course, I have completely given up on laundry and bathrooms.  Last week I was so good about bleaching the bathrooms every day, changing the towels, washing and folding the laundry.  I even stripped all the bedding off of every single one of the kids' beds when I thought they had turned a corner towards wellness - mattress covers, duvets, quilts, sheets, pillows, shams.  Throw blankets and pillows from the couch, stuffed snugglies and precious blankies, everything went in the laundry.  But before the job was even completely finished everyone was back down sick and I gave up.  I am apparently built for the battle, not the war.

So the current state of things can be succinctly summed up as "Squalor; also, Filth and Despair."  We are careening toward becoming Dickens characters.  

So I suppose there's not much to say beyond the thousand words painted by a few pictures. 

Keeping track of meds and dosages and administration times required some kind of doctoral-level mathematics degree that I don't have.  

Even while sick, Callista was so helpful with the babies.  She really has the touch.

Rocco, nursing a headache

This tiniest boy was so lethargic and cuddly.  All he has wanted for the last week is to snuggle up.

Playing Old Maid to cheer us up.

A break in the clouds!

Sleeping sitting up.

Snuggly Bean

When I say we watched a lot of TV, what I mean is that we did a lot of this in front of the TV.

One silver lining to all this has been the friends who have checked in on us.  We've had people offer meals, and folks have dropped off groceries and medicine.  I've been getting messages many days from friends asking how we're doing and telling us they're praying for us.  It honestly makes a big difference in my morale to know we're being thought of and supported.  So, thank you!

Now, here's to hoping next week holds something new and less interesting to share!

PS - In a surprising turn of events, I actually wrote and backdated a post chronicling our post-Christmas shenanigans.  Find it here.