It's called PINK eye, People!

So my lovely daycare sent Big Man home with "pink eye" yesterday. And he couldn't come back without a doctor's note. I was sure he didn't have pink eye and when we saw him - with bright white (albeit gunky) eyes - I knew he didn't have pink eye. You see, they call it "pink eye" because when you have it there is discharge and your eyes are PINK. His were not at all.

Instead, like his sister before him, Big Man's nasal passages and tear ducts are closely related. So along with a runny nose, he sometimes gets runny gross eyes. His sister did it too. What he does have is a cold. And, as it turns out after a dr's visit, a double ear infection. Poor thing. He has been in a great mood - so hard to believe. And, ANNOYING considering the poor guy has ear tubes. This would be his third bout with ear infections since getting the tubes in October. My poor Big Man.

But -- ear infections are NOT contagious you crazy day care people!

We are keeping him home today while the antibiotics take hold and he is on the mend. But seriously, they are starting to make me crazy. I am all in favor of not spreading disease, but its driving me up a wall.

Rant mode = over

Typhoid Family

So we had two parties this weekend for B's birthday (which is tomorrow). This morning I brought B and Big Man to the Dr and both were diagnosed with strep throat. In my defense - they didn't have symptoms!!! Sam just woke up this morning with a 101-degree fever. B has yet to have a fever, but did have a rash on her torso that we assumed was due to either the heat, suntan lotion, or the pool. Apparently, no. They both have strep and we exposed nearly everyone we know to them. Including two pregnant women and a 7-week old infant. Oh yea, we are that family. Can't wait til K gets it.

Big Man also has an ear infection, and apparently the constant draining of his ears (with the tubes) is not normal. He is now on drop 2x a day and has to go back to the dr every two weeks until it stops. Oh yay.

Mercury - Its Not Just a Planet

So we were bored last night and decided a visit from the local fire station and hazmat teams from two counties would spice things up.

I was home with Big Man yesterday as he has some kind of stomach bug. Late afternoon I tried to take his temperature. When I pulled the thermometer from its sleeve, the entire tip was broken off. I threw it out and didn't think more about it. That evening, after everyone was home, I was playing Mancala with K. When I stood up to get a fallen piece, I saw silver beads all over the chair I was sitting on. Immediately I realized - MERCURY!! $(%*&#(* We got the kids out of the room and worked at trying to clean it up. We were having a hard time - it kept spilling off the chair and onto the carpet. So we got a vacuum to suck it up. BIG MISTAKE.

Once we had it cleaned I went online to see how bad it was. Apparently vacuuming heats up the mercury and puts in into the air. Oh joy. So I called poison control. They said I needed to call the local fire station and have them come check it out. About 3 minutes later, lights and sirens blaring, 1 fire truck, an emergency vehicle and a hazmat truck barrel down the street and stop in front of our house. They come in, look around, and say it is very unlikely it was actually mercury. We are relieved. But I am still a bit concerned, so I offer to go trash barrel diving and find the thermometer I had put out with the trash earlier. I manage to find it at the bottom of our trash barrel, and they say "oh yeah, that's mercury alright". Then decide they need to call in a specialist who has a wand thingy to read mercury levels in our house.

After another 40 minutes or so, they show up. Meantime all the trucks with lights are sitting in front of our house and the neighbors houses. They conclude it was mercury but not in dangerous levels. They confiscate our vacuum and rug and call it a night.

Lesson learned? No more mercury thermometers (they tell me you can't buy them anymore anyway) and just scoop it up with paper or such and DO NOT VACUUM.

Ahh...we needed some excitement in our life anyway. (and the kids loved seeing the trucks!)

Memories of the King

Yesterday while we were coming out of the freezing cold into a McDonalds, K tripped and fell on her face. How do kids do that? Do they not have the reflex that makes you put your hands out??!! Seriously, she fell hard right onto her face. I almost started laughing, except she was bleeding like crazy. (that makes me a bad mommy, I know!) Her lip and nose were both bleeding all over. The other customers at this VERY crowed McD were very nice and quickly handed us piles of napkins and wipes. She was hysterical and blood was on her coat, her pants, her sneakers and the floor. Poor thing. The line was forever, so we didn't manage to get any ice. But after a few minutes the bleeding stopped, and a vanilla milk shake seemed to make things better.


But now she has a slightly red nose and a big top left lip. I think she kinda looks like Elvis. Of course, she doesn't even know what that means.

Down, but Still Fighting

The norovirus sucks. Really. My oldest, K, had it about 3 weeks ago. She had never been so sick. Luckily it only lasted about 36 hours. Then, last week, B got it. Again, lasted about 36 hours and we were all miserable. Then last night at 3am, K got it AGAIN! I cannot believe it. We washed all her bedding and stuff, but I realized this morning we forgot to throw out her toothbrush. Maybe that is it? ARGHHH. I am so sad for her. This thing really is awful - LOTS of vomiting, LOTS of cramping. I feel so bad. Tomorrow - full cleaning of everything - lots of Clorox, and throwing out anything questionable. Somehow neither the adults nor Big Man have gotten it - did I say that out loud?

Update - Big Man's ears, house

Big Man is fine. We talked to our Ped who assured us what was happening was normal (for a complication). DH brought big man to the ENT who was able to clear the tube. Apparently it took 2 people to hold big man down so the dr could do it, but he is fine now. So far so good. Course he has a fever for the last two days with an unknown cause, but that is just par for the course. Hopefully it was caused by the annoyance in the tube, and now that it is cleared, he'll be better. Least that's what I'm telling myself.

House is getting there..its the little things that take FOREVER. Deck is totally done (and we bought a new cap for the hot tub - builders lost it on day one), porch should be done today (maybe?), still waiting on delivery of the glass doors for the shower. I have a punch list that is about 35 items, we'll see how it compares to theirs on Sunday morning when we meet with them. Last night we went shopping and found our bed. I LOVE it. You can see it here - is that TMI? Considering this sofa as well, although not sure how it will coordinate with the existing one. Wanted a patterned one to fit better, but we'll see.

Fall is finally here!

Surgeons Suck

So, as previously reported, Big Man's ear tube surgery went great. Until he took a late afternoon nap. When he woke up there was blood all over and in his left ear. I kinda freaked out. I reread our post-surgery instructions - NOTHING about blood. The sheet says there can be some discharge -- but I thought that meant clear fluid or the like. Anyway, I call the dr's emergency line, and - to give him credit - he calls me right back. Now I have never been a big fan of this dr. The first time we met (it was only about a week ago!), he was very cold, examined my son for about 3 minutes, and declared he needed ear tubes. But, he was very highly recommended, so I was like, fine. Yesterday prior to the surgery he maybe spoke 15 words to me. "Any questions? It will be over in 10 minutes". After surgery I think there were less "you've already made your post-op appointment? Give him these ear drops 2x a day". So when he calls back and I explain the problem, there is a bit of silence, then a defense "I'm very surprised to hear that." -- I'm like, surprised in that you nicked his brain stem and he is slowing dying? or surprised because this sometime happens but you didn't expect it to? or surprised that I would call over such a little thing?. He goes on about how his ears were "bone dry" after the surgery and he is really surprised. I'm still freaking out about it and he finally says that worst case he may have to take the tube out and reinsert it if the tube is now stuck up with dried blood. The blood was not currently flowing, but had dried and after wiping it off the outside of the ear, it still looked gunky going into the ear. So, the Dr says to just call and make an appointment, and he would take a look - but, btw, he was in surgery the next 2 days, so it may have to wait until Friday. Now luckily, big man doesn't seem to be bothered at all. I am calling the Drs today to see if I can get the next available appointment - with either dr in the practice. I figure it should take 2 minutes for them to look and see if its a problem. Hopefully we don't have to do this all again.

Now, I watch ER and Grey's Anatomy - I get that surgeon's are assholes. This one fits the mold perfectly. It just really bugged me that he was more offended that something hadn't gone perfectly in his surgery then worried about the impact on my son.

UPDATE - just went in to see the Dr. The left tube is clogged with dried blood. We have new eardrops that we hope will dissolve it. We go back end of next week and see. If they have not fixed it, then the Dr will try and suction it out (something he said we would have to restrain Big Man for) or, at the extreme, he can take the tube out (also something done in the office, and I imagine involves restraints). Lets hope the drops work!

Post-op Happiness

So big man had his ear surgery this morning. He was a champ. Last night he couldn't even sleep in his room, cuz they had painted upstairs and I could still smell it, so we made him sleep in a pack n play in the den. Then I had to get him up at pre-dawn for the surgery at 7:30. We got the hospital at 6:15 (they wanted us there at 6, but I thought that was nuts)..we got checked in and by 7:25 they were taking him in. Before 8 he was back with me. The thing they don't tell you is that when kids wake up from the anesthesia, they are "inconsolable" for anywhere from 5 - 20 minutes. The dr said that it is just their brain trying to figure out what is going on and work its way out. Luckily he wasn't thrashing or anything too much -- just crying a weird cry. After about 15 minutes he calmed down and within another 5 was drinking juice and eating crackers, and smiling up at me. We are now sitting at home and he is playing with his toys - happy as a clam. So far so good -- Dr said everything went fine, but the gunk in his right ear was really thick and sticky so its a good thing we got it out. Hopefully he will be feeling better. He is such a happy baby, its amazing, really.

Back from My Trip, Breastmilk Survived/Husband Suffered!

Yayy! So I went on a 3 day trip to Chicago for work. I was all stressed about travelling with breastmilk, but it was really not that big a deal. A friend in the office came up with the brilliant idea of shipping myself my freezer packs in our office over-night package. That worked great. So I was able to carry the pump and my suitcase on the plane without checking. Then I did my meetings, going to my room to pump, using the room fridge for storage, and the hotel freezer to keep my freezer packs in. Then, when I left, I got the freezer packs, put them in a cooler in my luggage, and checked it. Then after I went through security I was able to pump and keep it in my pump at room temperature. Worked fine.

Course my poor husband had an awful time. Pretty much when I boarded the plane on Tuesday, daycare called to say our oldest has pinkeye. He picked her up and tried to keep her away from the other two. So on Wed, she was at home with him and the others went to school. By 2pm they called to say Isabelle had it. Poor hubby he had to go get her, and call the dr for more antibiotics. So he could bring #1 back to school on Thurs, and keep #2 home, and pray #3 didn't get it. Poor guy. He was really a great sport about the whole thing. Both girls are doing fine and babyboy seems to escaped (for now).

Gotta love business travel..never a dull moment.