Home sick

We're dealing with illness again, only this time it's the kids. Last Sunday we all went swimming at the East Boulder Rec Center and I thought we all had a good time, but after we got home Baby B said he didn't feel well. Within the hour he'd developed a very hoarse voice and a bad cough, quite dramatic.

Monday was a school holiday, Veteran's Day. We'd planned to go for a hike, and of course Rocket Boy could have just taken Baby A, but in the end we all stayed home and rested.

On Tuesday, I sent Baby A to school, but kept Baby B home. I had been planning to get a lot of editing done this week, so in the morning Baby B played with Legos while I sat at the computer. In the afternoon we made a puzzle and watched TV.

By the time I picked Baby A up in the afternoon, he had a dreadful cough.

Wednesday we all stayed home, and I didn't even try to get any work done. Their teacher sent an email that day saying that 7 out of 20 kids were out sick with various illnesses.

Baby B's fever was gone by Wednesday morning, so I was planning to send him back to school today. But he didn't want to get out of bed this morning and didn't want to go to school and looked so miserable that we let him stay home another day. It was NOT a good day. Neither boy had a fever, just a cough, and they were really antsy. Rocket Boy suggested that he take them to the park but I objected. "If they think they can go to the park when they're sick, I'll never get them to go to school again!" So we all stayed home.

Tomorrow they are going back to school, if I have to carry them. Meanwhile, tonight Rocket Boy has developed a fever and body aches. I suppose I'll be next, or maybe the two viruses I've had already this fall will have a protective effect.

I need to find some sort of philosophical way to approach illness, since we are so obviously in for it this year. The Tao of Viruses. Accept that we are going to be sick, because we need to build up our Colorado immunity again. Treat our bodies kindly and do not get frustrated when we are beset by virus after virus. Get lots of sleep, walk, eat healthy foods, take vitamins, wash our hands a lot... but don't consider it failure when we get sick anyway. In the past week I made a chicken and sweet potato casserole, a pumpkin corn chowder, and a pan of roasted garlic butternut squash... but we got sick anyway. Tomorrow I am planning to make split pea soup... but I also bought a couple of frozen pizzas at the grocery store in case I come down with "it."

Accept it. Breathe. Try not to cough.