Six More Weeks of Sniffles

I should have known when January swept by without so much has a sneeze, that something (or things) ominous were waiting for February.  And sure as that rotten little groundhog predicted six more weeks of winter, the antibacterial bubble we were thriving in popped, flooding the house with germs.

It always starts so innocently, a little cough, a sniffle, a little throat tickle. If you’re lucky, it ends there. But, I've never been lucky.  So when I saw the shadow of my youngest whimpering in the glow of the nightlight a week ago I knew there’d be six more weeks of sniffles.

The little one’s whimpers signaled a sore throat and fever that ended up being Strep, which was promptly shared with his brother… as I waited for the oldest two to follow suit, something strange happened.  They felt fine and I started to cough. 

I’m not one to get “stick a fork in me I’m done” sick.  A little cough/sniffle/throat thing one or two times a year, sure, but nothing that isn’t gone in a day or two.   I actually felt perfectly fine the morning of “the cough”.  I thought it was just a little dry throat, but by that afternoon I was wearing two sweaters and a robe, debating burial or cremation… leaning toward cremation because it sounded like the only way I may ever be warm again.

As my fever rose, I thought, at least the antibiotics worked on the younger two, they were feeling better.  Until I remembered the only thing worse than worrying about your sick kids is trying to take care of your healthy kids when you’re sick.  They still want to eat and play and be loud.   I just wanted to sit and shiver in my blanket igloo.   When I woke for the 3^rd day with a fever I thought I better go in, my throat was irritated, maybe I have Strep too.

My go-to place for this stuff is the Qcare at Cub Foods, when I got there it was closed. The staff all had strep.  The boys were diagnosed there earlier that week, so that was probably our fault (and the half dozen other people we waited with who were all there for strep tests too).   This made me feel even more confident that I must be suffering the same thing.  I followed the instructions on the door and headed to the nearest Urgent Care where I waited 2 hours to take a 6 minute test to find out from a doctor who’s shoes sound like bubble wrap popping with each step, and who smelled like a fart (I could still smell at this point, unfortunately), that I did not have Strep.   He didn't offer any other thoughts on a diagnosis, just told me to “Treat my symptoms.”, and bubble wrap-popped his way out the door.

When I was emailed my lab result later I found the dictation for the visit in the Patient Portal, imagine my surprise to learn that “Treat my symptoms” means: “She is encouraged to take vitamin C and zinc supplements in combination with increased water consumption to alleviate her discomfort. She may also take Acetaminophen 500mg 2 tabs p.o. q.i.d. p.r.n.; or Ibuprofen 200mg 4 tabs p.o. t.i.d. p.r.n. discomfort. Use of lozenges is also encouraged.”.  Fabulous advice I never heard.

The dictation also said “It is not necessary for her to remain home from work or school at this time.”  The “all-clear” to spread my fevery germs far and wide.  Not so fabulous advice.

Two more days of fever later, as I’m serving up roast beef, taters and gravy for the kids, my temp’s running about 102 and I’m feeling a little wobbly, but I’m not supposed to take anymore medicine for another hour.  I’m pouring gravy on a plate while holding it, not realizing its tipped ever so slightly until the scalding hot gravy starts pouring through my fingers.   The jolt of pain transports me back to the last time I felt this sick. I was 17, so sick I could barely move, I really wanted a cup of tea, so I put some water in the microwave that hung over the range.  My mom had just taken dinner off the stove, and as I waited for the microwave everything went black. I passed out and when I came to I had this strange burn on my hand, apparently from trying to catch myself on the hot stove.   It was the flu then, and I realized, even though my brain has been slow-cooking for the better part of a week, that it’s the flu now.

Hours later three of the four kids are coughing, two with a fever.  Another trip to the Urgent Care and luckily a visit with a much (so much) better doctor, and now our fridge has more medicine in it than food. But this morning, while the horrible cough is lingering, no one’s temp is above 100, a small victory.  The next week will probably be a long one.  I was too far in for Tamiflu, so I’ll just have to wait this out, on the bright side, I could almost smell my coffee this morning.   So I’ll leave you with this advice Nyquil Severe Cold and Flu pills actually let you feel almost normal when you’re trying to fall asleep, and if you’re at Urgent Care and hear bubble-wrapped footsteps coming your way, plug your nose and get a second opinion.