Rachel/"Good", Momma/"Sick", Da-Da/"Tired" ...

Yes, that is kind of how things are going at our house this weekend. Not too good. Well, except for our sweet girl. It all started on Thursday. I was having a very good day...hair consultation with a new salon, scheduled my appointment for the next day, lunch with Rachel at Mucho Gusto, quick trip to Starbuck's, home for nap before heading out for the picnic and ballgame for Daddy's work. All good! Unfortunately, no. When we arrived at the ball field and were walking over I started feeling kind of nauseous and really hot. It was very sunny and warm, so we attributed it to needing a bite to eat, something cold to drink and some shade. Made sense, except that when I smelled the food it got worse and I just felt awful. At the same time I felt bad because we were seeing people from Frank's work that I knew and I could barely say "hi"...just hot and dizzy and so afraid I was going to get sick right in front of everyone. I am sure I did not look very friendly at all:(. Several people asked if I was okay and all I could say was "no" or shake my head. ("Wow, what a nice, friendly wife Frank has! Way to make a good impression!") We still attributed it to the sun and heat though it usually does not affect me like that. 

I put sunscreen on Rachel, said a brief hello to a few people, put some watermelon, beans and a few hotdogs on a plate and we found a place to sit. I took a sip of my diet coke and almost spit it back out. My eyes immediately started scanning the area for a place to run to if I needed to throw up. I could see no where to go. There were people everywhere and they were all eating! All I could think was "I absolutely canNOT get sick here!" My new friend, Laura, and her family showed up then and she took one look at me, grabbed a bottle of water and took me to a shady spot behind a tent. It helped a little. She started putting cold compresses on my forehead and neck. I was grateful and embarrassed at the same time. I started to feel like I could walk back to the table. A few minutes later I headed for the shade again. My skin felt so hot and it just would not cool down. I kept getting more and more dizzy. Another friend touched my cheek and said "You really are very hot." I was also very close to tears, which was even more embarrassing to me, and asked her to please tell Frank that I have to leave. I felt awful...our very first social function for his job and I am almost running out in tears. So we left.

We get in the car and all I can think about is how far it is until we get home...and I will not make it. I will spare the details and just say Frank had to stop twice for me. When we did finally get home the chills started. I could not stop shaking. Frank was amazing...contacts out, face washed, jammies on, lots of pillows and blankets, a glass of Gatorade and ice and I am in bed...moaning and groaning and being the biggest baby ever. Whatever hit me hit like a big truck...pain everywhere. He took my temp and it was 103.7. He took it again a bit later and it went up to 104.4. Um, guess I was sick. I knew the sun and heat didn't usually affect me that way. Apparently I got some kind of stomach/intestinal flu or something. I think it will be quite a while before I can ever eat Mucho Gusto again. Bummer, one of my favorite lunch places.  

So, here it is almost 48 hours later and I can finally look at the computer without getting dizzy and nauseated. I am doing very limited things...shower then rest, a load of laundry then rest, walk to the bathroom then rest etc...still very weak, lightheaded and dizzy. Temp is down around 100, so big improvement there. Food? Ughhh...cannot stand sight or smell though I have eaten some chicken broth and crackers and kept it down. My first thought during our ride home Thurday was that I had food poisoning. Rachel and I had eaten almost the same things that afternoon and I prayed I was wrong as I could not imagine my baby going through what I was experiencing...especially since I could not help take care of her. I asked Frank to please check on her several times during the night in case she got sick. I awoke in the middle of the night and actually crawled up the stairs to check on her. I just had to see that she was okay. She was...and has been since then.

So here we are...Rachel/Good, Momma/Sick, Da-Da/Tired:)...On Friday, he stayed home to care for me in the morning then took Sheena to the groomers, stopped at the store to get some items for me, took Rachel into the office with him until it was time to pick up Sheena then they all came home. He looked at me and said "I don't know how you do it." That made me smile. My husband thinks Mom's are amazing:). 

So now I sit here on the bed eying Rachel's Mickey Mouse coloring book, trying to decide if I feel up to coloring a few pictures or if I should take another little nap...coloring has always been one of my favorite things to do especially when not feeling well. Although this much computer time is making me nauseous so a nap might be next. Anyway, sharing a few pictures of my little "artist in residence". (I love that last picture of her looking at her crayons. I think I get the same look on my face whenever I see new crayons:)) Also sharing one with Gymbo...she was showing him her pinwheel and flashed me the sweetest smile. Sorry for the lack of a shirt on our girl. If I remember correctly it was super hot and she got popsicle sticky all over it:)...