over the hump, but not out of the woods

I think I can safely say we are on the mend. We have navigated ourselves into a workable "feeling sick" arrangement that includes hours of watching videos and two children fighting to sleep on top of me each night. I had three beds set up in Ivan's bedroom with them all pushed together so that I could comfort one, then the other, but they would rather be comforted by the constant feel of my body holding them. Ivan is still saying that his ears hurt and is running temperatures, but as of last night, they have come down about 3 degrees, so they are in the 100 range. I think Dominique is done with the fevers.




The worst part has been the super high temperatures and the flu medicine they were given. Ivan is taking an antibiotic once a day and both are taking poison in liquid form twice a day. The first time I gave it to them they threw it up within 45 secs. So then we tried with food and they threw up the medicine and food. I tasted it and decided to try that old cherished song- "just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down"- only it takes more than one spoonful. I have to mix it with 3 teaspoons of sugar and either chocolate milk, yogurt or ice cream- then force it into them- but at least that way they don't puke it back up.

For some nicer visuals: here are some pics from our well days...


Cute things while sick: Ivan has given us new nicknames. Dominique is Meem and I am Momeem. Yesterday Dominique threw a fit when I wouldn't let her feverish body be clothed in a jacket, but she compromised with shoes- so all day she was dressed in her shoes and a diaper. Always stylish- that one.

I now have two nurses. Dominique was feeling better first and wanted to help rub Ivan's back (only she has cold hands like mine and Ivan didn't like that at all). She likes to name whose medicine is whose (he's on children's tylenol and motrin, while she is on the infant version), hand out tissues, take out and put back the thermometers... Today, Ivan, who is feeling much better, decided he wanted to wipe up Dominique who was slimed in her choco-poison medicine. The problem with mixing it is that it makes the dose even bigger.

What I have been thankful of is that we are in a place and time when this is at worst frustrating, tiring, a drag. I have access to doctors, pharmacies, feel good foods, a comfortable home and the liberty to take off time to recuperate- what many people in the world would only think is a dream. To them and others in our past, this could have been a devastating occurrence. I'm also mindful of those who are being hit with this who are not in good health. My friend's daughter, Ale is battling leukemia and her sister just got the flu. I pray Ale will be all right.