Our Almost Adventures

Every year, we plan something special to do as a family on the twins' birthday. The first year it was Cabella's. Last year it was the Hands On Museum. This year we were going to meet up with friends to do something spectacular, but as we were trying to pick a place they came down with strep and RSV. Lucas and I scaled down the birthday plans (a birthday photoshoot, a trip to a favorite local toy store, a trip to the Humane Society, and a few errands, then home for Daddy's pizza), and commented to each other that all of our friends' kids had been very sick lately (strep, RSV, bronchitis, and pneumonia was abounding), but we had all remained healthy! Go us!

Famous last words. That night Allie started coughing (she had been almost frantically active all evening. She wouldn't listen to a thing I said, and she was practically bouncing off the walls. At first I was really confused by her strange behavior...and then I remembered my brother...who always acted up when he was getting sick. I wasn't surprised when the coughing started...).

At this point Ryan didn't look bad at all. You almost wouldn't have known he was sick!

He was convinced he had to pretend to sleep for the camera...

By Friday morning I had been up all night with a very sick Allie (intense coughing, fever, sore throat), and Ryan was coughing. We decided to schedule appointments with the pediatrician and THEN have our birthday adventures. At this point they were running around the house and wrestling. I considered cancelling the appointment. I discovered later that Tylenol can produce the appearance of health, but as soon as it wears off you have miserable children on our hands once again.

A miserable little girl...

The doctor said she had "influenza eyes"

At the pediatrician's we discovered that there was a nasty strand of influenza going around that involved a lot of coughing, congestion, and 3-5 days of high fevers. Both twins had the influenza, but when the doctor listened to their lungs, she discovered that Ryan had Pneumonia! She was shocked. He looked so healthy compared to Allie. She listened to Allie's lungs again. And then Ryan's. And then said that Allie's lungs were definitely clear, and he definitely had Pneumonia. There is something scary about that word. The kids were already going downhill quickly, but with the diagnosis set, we cancelled all our adventurous plans and went home to rest. Worst birthday ever. Hopefully it will remain the worst birthday ever (since it wasn't that bad, in retrospect).

Watching Chuggingtons, and resting...the only thing they had the energy to do.

It has been a rough couple of days. 3 nights in a row I didn't get more than an hour of un-interrupted sleep (I can't even calculate the cumulative hours of sleep, but I know they are few), and spent most of the night up with one sick kid or the other. During the day they have been listless and clingy. I have enjoyed the cuddling, but it is so opposite of what they are usually like that it has felt a little scary. Last night we finally had a breakthrough with Allie - she slept for several hours without waking. Ryan got hit with the fevers Saturday night, so I was up with him while Allie slept. But I feel the end is near. Today they have had the energy to play quietly, and they have been able to talk without collapsing in coughing fits. They have their other birthday party tomorrow so I need them to at least be healthy-ish soon!