A Timely Visit From The Puke Bug

I had scheduled a vacation week this week, months ago, before we knew Hubby’s work/ travel schedule. When it became apparent that a vacation wasn’t in the cards, I put myself back on the schedule– for SOME of the days. I left two “Personal Days” on there.

Why? Well, who doesn’t need a Personal Day? PLUS I was just on call last week and knew I may need a break.

THEN the Sunday before my Monday Personal Day, we spent the entire day in the Pedi ER (see previous post!) So Monday ended up being a bit of a catch-up day. All the usual Sunday things, like laundry and bill-pay, went to Monday, as well as re-dressing the baby’s bandages multiple times. So, no shopping, no socializing.

So I had my sights set on Wednesday. I had plans to get the tax paperwork in order in the morning, then meet a friend for manicures in the afternoon.

Tuesday evening, Babyboy was out of sorts. Clingy, whiney, really tough to get down to sleep. He seemed to have a stomachache or something…. Wednesday morning was worse. He was super-clingy when the Babysitter arrived.

But I figured he just wanted to hang with mommy. It was a beautiful day, and I was off, so I decided to leave Babygirl with the sitter, and take Babyboy to the park in the jogger stroller. Exercise for me, outdoor time for Babyboy, and bonding time for both of us.

Off we went. He seemed so happy to climb into the jogger, and as we jogged (slowly) along the main road, he leaned forward to point out the trucks. “Tuck! Tuck!”

At the park, he ran around some.  I let him run and run. Then, he fell down on the grass. “Up, up!” I called.

He tried to get up and then, seemed to lose his balance, and fell. He tried to get up and then fell again, and sat whining on the cold ground, reaching out for me. I thought, Geez, he must be tired, he went to bed too late last night. I pulled him up and set him on his feet. He toppled over again. Huh. I thought. That’s odd. I picked him up and set him in the stroller.

I started back; we were about 2 miles from home. Suddenly Babyboy howled and tried to turn around to face me. “What’s the matter?” I asked, thinking he was just needing a nap.

Then, BARF. All over himself and the stroller. Ugh.

Poor, poor little guy, he barfed over and over again all the way home. There was an extra winter hat in the bottom of the stroller, and I used it to wipe his dripping face. He cried and cried.

The babysitter met me at the door with a towel. I wrapped him all up and carried him directly into the bathroom. He must have puked ten times in that first hour. Then, he fell asleep on the changing table. I got him into dry loose PJs and gently laid him down in his crib. I made sure to get a towel down there first!

He slept for two hours, waking a few times to cry out and then dry-heave… I mostly did laundry, all the soiled clothes (mine and his) and towels and bath rug, and cleaned off the stroller, until the babysitter left.

My mom came to the rescue (again) and spent some time with us in the afternoon. Babyboy woke up, only to curl up on a blanket on the couch, listlessly watching whatever cartoon we put on. We took turns managing his q 1 hour vomiting episodes. He (and the blankets) (and us) needed to be changed multiple times. We fed him ice chips from a teaspoon. He took sips of flat Gingerale (mix in a teaspoon of sugar to get the bubbles out). I wondered throughout the afternoon if we were going to have to go to the Pedi ER again this week, for IV fluids…

Finally mom took Babygirl home with her, as it seemed like it was going to be a long night. My dad stopped by later with Coca-cola, swearing it was better for rehydration. Babyboy loved the flat Coke, and did seem to revive a bit. Maybe the higher Potassium content? He even asked for “toast wif butta and jell-lee” and ate it, though he puked a few more times still after that.

I got him into the bath one last time, pretty late, around 9 pm, and then to bed fairly easily. He didn’t puke again, though he did wake up and need a drink, and to be rocked and soothed.

This morning he awoke perky and happy. I could hear him in his crib talking to his stuffed animals. “Kitt-ee. Hii, Kitt-tee Cat!” Today we were supposed to go to his behavioral group session, but I cancelled. Who knows how infectious this is?

So, I’m going to try to get the tax stuff together now. Manicures… Time with friends… maybe another day.  Maybe.