The following week (Sept 13-19)

The following Monday after Grandma Shirley and Grandpa John left, Emily came down with a horrible ear infection/pharyngitis/upper respiratory infection. Her high fever came on so suddenly that it was too late in the day to get a Doctor's appointment so we were referred to Cook's Hospital Urgent Care. Poor little thing was downright miserable.

Then on Tuesday I noticed Zach coming down with similar symptoms. I made him an appointment that morning but everything checked out ok. Ears good, throat good, lungs good. By that afternoon he was choking on drainage that had pooled in his chest while he was napping. Horrible. I was alternating the Motrin and Tylenol to control his fever, but at 10pm his fever had shot up to 104.8. I literally threw him in a lukewarm bath and tried to give him some more Motrin, but he was so upset and angry at me that he could only manage to throw it all up while he was screaming in the bathtub. So Steve loaded him up and took him to the Emergency Room. WHAT a horrible night. I had to hold Emily most of the night because every time I would put her in bed she would start choking. Plus I had to wait by the phone for any word from Steve. I was a nervous wreck. Four hours later (and three xrays later) little man was back home with the same diagnosis Emily had. The night didn't improve much. Emily and Zach only slept about 20 minutes at a time and Steve and I spent the night sleeping on the floors in their rooms or rocking them in the recliner. Wednesday was more of the same. Thank goodness that Steve was able to stay home with me to help comfort the cubs. They both wanted to be held constantly, but neither wanted to share my lap. On a good day I can hold them both, on a bad day you can forget about it. Also, it was so difficult getting them to drink anything since their throats hurt...for a while I was having to force Pedialyte down with a medicine dropper. Not to mention trying to keep track of medicine schedules on the little to no sleep I had the night before. What a horrible couple of days (and nights). We were pretty much in zombie mode. We finally started to see an improvement by Friday (THANK GOODNESS!!). The cubs were able to sleep and the fever was gone. The antibiotics did their magic.

So now you know why I am so behind on my blog posting. It wasn't because I was having fun doing other fun things. I was at home being mommy and nurse to our sick little cubbies. This was by far the worst illness they have ever had. I think even Daddy would have to agree. Neither of us wish to repeat this experience ever again. We pray for healthy days ahead!