Saturday, November 07, 2009

Running From The Oink-Oink

Greetings from Grandma and Papa's H1N1 Refugee Camp. Carrie and I have been here for 5 1/2 days now. We arrived Monday evening under the cover of dark, sneaking inside for what we thought would be a short stay. Daniel was with us and we quickly chose up rooms and went to bed.

Back home Brenna was battling a fever of 103.5. She won, but over the rest of the week her temperature has continued to fluctuate between 98 and 102. Michael took the week off of work to care for her so I could keep Carrie away. Wednesday, Brenna took a little field trip to the pediatrician's office where she learned that H1N1 has about a four day incubation period and lasts about 4-5 days in most kids.

Sure enough, come Thursday Daniel woke up with a fever. That was his ticket out of here. (Not that anybody really wants to leave Papa's house, but the boy was missing his daddy.) Michael and Brenna came by to get him and bring us supplies. Diapers and such. Not exactly an even exchange...but we only had a few left. Brenna stayed outside on the steps and we talked through the glass. She and Carrie high-fived the window and blew sad kisses to each other.

Last night I snuck out of the compound and drove home. I needed work clothes and more diapers. Once inside the sick house, though, I didn't want to leave. My bed was calling me. No yelling for me. Sigh. But no one ever said doing what's best for your baby would be easy, so I pulled on my coat and drug myself back out to the car.

Once inside camp, I scrubbed my hands with soap and hot water while singing happy birthday three times over just to be sure I got all the germs. Then I drank a cup of tea as hot as I could stand it to wash down whatever might be attempting to hang out in my throat. Someone should really create an H1N1 germ light that you swipe over your body to see if you have anything still clinging to you. Maybe if the germs showed up neon green under the light we could get rid of them before we passed them on.

Thankfully our Peapod version of the Oink-Oink isn't too bad. A couple of high fevers and a cough. I know this virus has really knocked some people down, but ours has been light. Tylenol and Motrin had done their jobs.

And hopefully, come Sunday, Carrie and I are bustin' outa here and headin' for home. (If not, I bet you anything my husband is planning a Jack Bauer-like rescue mission... somehow I think I got the easier end of this deal.)

1 comment:

Heather said...

I'm glad you have somewhere to go, and that their virus has been a light case. Praying you get to go home soon and return to "life as usual." :D