Flu Anyone?

We faithfully had influenza vaccinations back in the late fall, and yet flu has plagued us for the last two weeks.  Sophie was the first to get sick.  She starting complaining late on a Saturday afternoon of not feeling well, but by midday Tuesday was back to her old self.  Sophie's count about 3 days.  JD complained for about a week, but seemed quite fine.  He easily seemed to manage his cough and some congestion.  JD's count a week, but I'm deducting time for minor symptoms so let's call it (a generous) 2 days.  Molly had a very hearty cough, heavy congestion and a fever.  She is still congested, but seems to be on the mend now.  Molly's count a full 7 days.  All in all the flu vaccine seems to have lessened the symptoms and helped my little family to get over the flu pretty quickly.  I'm grateful for this, but what about ME?

I had the flu vaccine too and yet I've spent a miserable 14 days feeling like I was hit by a large, speeding transport truck.  I started feeling crummy the Monday after Sophie fell ill and it was all down hill from there!  Three days in bed with a fever that made me feel like I had taken heavy hallucinogenics, another three days laying around on the couch coughing and with no energy, and finally when I thought I was starting to feel better I was hit with a sinus infection that sent me back to bed for another four days.  YUCK!  All I can say is the flu shot didn't help me much!

To add insult to injury my lovely JD decided that his best course of action would be to minimize all contact with illness in order to stay healthy.  Picture this: you are lying in bed shivering and feverish at the same time, just praying that someone will take pity on you and do something remarkably creative to make you feel better when in walks your beloved husband.  For a brief, hopeful moment you think he is going to hug you and make you feel better, but NO!  Instead he stands at the end of the bed, hands shoved deep into his pockets, and grouchily asks what he can get you.  And, when you sit up to cough he takes a full two steps back!  Yes, that is how JD and I spent the bulk of my confinement - me wishing he would save me from what felt like certain death and him mentally trying to calculate the cost of a hazmat suit while avoiding even touching my baby toe on the off chance that it was a carrier of the disease.

Flu vaccine aside, the worst part is what happens when the Mommy is taken out of the game.  Two weeks worth of laundry piled up, utter chaos in every corner of the house, and don't even get me started on the food situation.  A friend said it best in an email to me last week, "It is never good when the Mom goes down!"  My fingers are crossed and the cold and flu remedies are put away, now here is to hoping the remainder of the winter is a healthy one!