Strep and Vomit and Flooding...Oh My!

Everyone I know has been sick or is struggling with being cooped up in the house and just ready for spring. I have to admit, that's exactly where I am. I am so sick and tired of bad news and illnesses and all the CRAP (literally) that has come our way the last few weeks. I am trying to keep my chin up and stay optimistic, but I swear, there is only so much one mom can take. I keep thinking there must be something I am supposed to learn here but still haven't because it seems like the same cycle repeating itself over and over again. Grr...

Yesterday Dylan started complaining that his ear hurt. Well, a week after his cold symptoms set in, I thought for sure it was an ear infection. I had Anthony over so I scheduled an appointment that afternoon when Anthony would be gone. I've done that before....three kids at the doctor's office is OVERWHELMING when you're alone. About an hour before Anthony left, Dylan came running down the stairs, "Mom, something just happened to my ear. Something is coming out of it. It hurts, Mom. It sounds like I'm talking out of my ear instead of my mouth." I like the way he describes things. I looked and couldn't see anything, but I assumed his ear had ruptured and was glad I'd scheduled the appointment. Thankfully Marcos got home in time and was able to come with me. I was completely SHOCKED when he didn't have an ear infection but tested positive for strep. CRAP! No wonder my stupid throat hurts. I assumed I was just so worn down from so many hard days in a row and this cold that doesn't seem to go away, but that made WAY more sense. At least the timing worked out and I was able to call in before my clinic closed and get an antibiotic for me too. Wa-hoo!

After dinner, Dylan went up to the bathroom and a couple minutes later started screaming. The toilet in the boys' room has been running nonstop. I don't know how else to explain it. You know, the water keeps kind of trying to flush and you have to jiggle the handle to stop it. We've been meaning to call someone, but right now, we are trying to make due. Things are tight and we still have no idea what the tax return is going to look like. It's been a rough year! Anyway, the toilet was overflowing and water was EVERYWHERE! It took all the towels in the linen closet, some plunging (I don't know if he used too much toilet paper or if this was a disaster waiting to happen) and a bunch of messing around with the parts in the tank to get the water to stop flowing and clean that mess up. HONESTLY!

By the end of the day, I was feeling really sick. You know the feeling - tired, achy, like you swallowed a golf ball. And of course it was Thursday so Marcos had a soccer game. Timing always seems to suck. He helped with baths and then I started reading to the kids when he left for his game. I tucked them in on time and decided to ignore the talking and giggles since I couldn't send Dylan to school in the morning. As long as they didn't get out of bed, I was going to go relax and ignore it. Well, Preston's giggling soon turned into a coughing spell, which ended in his losing his entire dinner - all over the bed, sheets, and carpet. Gross! Pregnant, strep throat me did not want to deal with vomit, but what was the choice. I stripped Preston down, put both kids in my room with a movie and started the clean-up process. Seriously, it took a good 45 minutes to clean everything up and then I had to let the room air out. It was a disgusting combination of vomit, lysol and carpet cleaner - a little too strong of a smell to let linger.

Thankfully both kids eventually drifted off in my bed and I just carried them to their beds after everything was settled. I was so grateful to just rest after that. I had to wash all the towels (we literally used them all to clean up the plumbing mess) and then wash Preston's bedding an hour later. It was all I could do to get that much done. Tylenol really doesn't touch a sore throat so the only relief I could get was possibly sleeping it off. Dang it! Anyway, thanks for reading. I just wanted to document another crappy day. Some day I'm sure my kids will appreciate knowing life wasn't all dreamy and perfect. This is real life, baby!