A Crashing Halt

We've had a nice, long stretch of things going so well, and incredible busy-ness, but this week everything came to a crashing halt. I mentioned about a week ago that I was having pain & difficulty breathing...I sort of told a white lie and said I was better (what those who couldn't see me didn't know wouldn't make them overly concerned). I was sure I was going to get better. I didn't. By Sunday I was running a fever and in serious pain again. This time a night of rest didn't solve it, and Monday was just as bad. A trip to the after-hours clinic confirmed bronchitis. My antibiotic worked wonders and by Wednesday evening I was feeling better. Better enough to use a frenzied couple of hours catching up on laundry, preparing some food for the next couple of days, and cleaning up. It was good that I did this because Thursday the twins got sick (runny noses, congestion), Thursday night Allie was up all night vomiting, and Friday the stomach bug hit me...so severely that I couldn't even walk without...well...you know. It has been a really rough week.

The bright spot has been Lucas, who not only managed to be here to help out when I couldn't manage on my own, but also put in a full week's worth of hours at work, keep the house looking decent, and put up our Christmas lights. I think he might be part Superman.

This picture pretty much sums up our week. It was taken in the middle of the day - nowhere near naptime. If you know the twinners, you know they rarely sit still long enough to fall asleep, and only will share a cuddle if they are sick. But this week us sickies had a strong desire to be together, and I found myself in this position often.

Today I was able to keep down food and liquid! The twins congestion is getting worse though, and I suspect this is only the beginning of some flu-season fun. Pray for strength & health for me and Lucas!

I am Thankful For:

Sunday:

Ryan and Allie - Sunday, being daylight savings, was a difficult day. We were able to keep the twins in bed until 6:30, but the rest of the day the schedule was off. By the end of church (noon) their stomachs told them it was way past lunch and time for a nap...this crnakiness carried over into the rest of the day. A day that I had to do by myself because Lucas had prior commitments. A day that I was feeling incredibly sick. It was a hard day, but the whole day I was so incredibly thankful for the adorable toddlers in front of me. Sure there were tantrums, but there were also some silly moments where they were making faces, or animal noises, or just falling on the floor to make me laugh. Even when the days are difficult, I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world because the days that are difficult because of cranky kiddos are still full of so much more joy than the days before they were here.

Monday:

After-Hours clinics - I didn't actually know something like this existed until we moved here, and we have one just 10 minutes away! This was my second visit, and not only are the hours convenient (I can go after the twins are asleep), but I needed chest x-rays to confirm that I didn't have pneumonia and they were able to do them right there! This clinic, and the workers there, were such a lifesaver when I was miserable.

Tuesday:

The great weather - This who week we had fabulous weather, which is great anytime we have temperatures in the 60's in November, but was especially great this week. Lucas would work from home in the morning (to provide needed backup), and leave when the twins went down for a nap. When they woke up (around 3ish) we would go outside and I would sit while they played until it was time to go in to make dinner (4:30ish). Not only was I thankful to get them out of the germy house into fresh air, but it also gave them stimulation away from the tv while still allowing me to rest. Being able to be outside this week was a lifesaver!

Wednesday:

Incredible efficiency - As I mentioned before, Wednesday evening I had a burst of energy and just enough foresight to put it to good use. Lucas had to work that evening (to make sure he got in his hours), and I spent 2 hours, and all of my energy, getting done the essentials. This ended up being the lifesaver that got us through the rest of the week.

Thursday:

The Eye of the Hurricane - Thursday was truly the calm in the midst of the storm. I was feeling well enough to keep everything going on my own (even with the twins congested and goopy), which allowed Lucas to put in a full day's work (we're talking 10ish hours), and we ended the day relatively early. This day of energy and catching up was clutch when the aformentioned stomach bug hit.

Friday:

My husband - I spent most of Thursday night with Allie sleeping (and sometimes throwing up) on me - which meant I didn't sleep much at all. Friday morning I had a doctor's appointment. I mentioned before I left that my stomach was queasy, but figured it was because I had been vomited on so many times that morning. By the time I got home from the doctor's office I had already vomited once, was shaking, and could barely walk because of the nausea. Lucas, who had been planning on going to work, immediately changed his plans. When he realized that I was going to be incapacitated for the day he took over and took care of everything. I was so grateful for such an amazing husband as I laid in bed and tried not to move.

Saturday:

The ability to move and eat - when you're healthy, you don't think about how awesome it is to be able to do something as simple as walk out of your bedroom, but Friday I literally couldn't...and I wanted to. Even though I wasn't feeling completely up to par today, just being able to get up and walk wherever I wanted was an amazing feeling. And eating was a complete joy! Even saltines (which I hadn't been able to keep down the day before) were a delight. I'm thankful for the aspects of health I don't fully appreciate when I'm healthy!