the week the fever came

Friday

It started Friday morning with a 5am cough/gag wake-up call from Ry. You mammas know.  That sound right there will wake you from a dead-sleep and send you running for beach towels and Lysol.  The gagging ceased, thankfully, and Ry was parked on the couch with movies and a blanket. She slept most of the morning and was decent by nightfall.

Saturday

Saturday morning, Ry’s fever was back with a vengeance. We cancelled her ride at the Holiday Horse Show (with many tears) as well as Abby’s family birthday party. By Saturday night, my back was sore and my neck was… weird… and I knew it was coming for me.

Sunday

By Sunday morning, I was sure I was near death. Every muscle hurt and the heat radiating through my body rivaled a Texas August. Curt took Abby and Gus Man to church and left Ry and I to sleep it off.  My fever broker by noon, but I was left utterly defeated and desperate for my mother.

Monday

Bright and early Monday morning, Ry was ready for the bus. I agreed to pick her up at half-day to ease her back in to the real world of the living. Gideon slept through the night and until 11am when we left to pick Ry up. I doubt he remembers the trip. He never left his pjs all day and said only two words: “hold hand.” And so, I did.

Curt came home to frozen subs for dinner and mentioned he wasn’t feeling so hot.  Ry put herself to bed at 6pm.

Tuesday

This is the day Ridiculous moves in.

Tuesday morning greeted us with a re-run fever for Rylie Girl, full-blown fever for Curt, recovery gross-ness for me. When Curt emerged from the bedroom for crackers, I bolted outside to the fresh air and stole 15 minutes to feed the Abe, the cows, and chickens.  My effort was rewarded with puke near Abe’s bowl and a peacefully deceased (I swear, it was the fever) chicken in the coop.

I began to think someone was out to get me.

Ry: spent the day watching movies on my pillow in my bed with her dad

Gus Man: whirling at 75% of regular tornado speed, fell asleep 5pm- for the entire night

Abby: absolutely fine… until she puked at 9am. Then, not so fine. At all.

Wednesday

Ry: really decent. Ready for school Thursday.

Gideon: above average; attitude leaves much to be desired

Abby: puke, fever, puke, then no puke and no fever; successfully feeds herself noodles for lunch, chatting at kitties by dinner

Curt: awesome cough but otherwise ok besides feeling like he’d been hit by a truck

Me? I’m ok.  I’m really ok.  I can’t breathe super great and nothing sounds good to eat, but I’m ok.  I just need all these people to get out of my house.  There is not enough blessed room or couch or bathroom for us all to be sick at the same time. There is not. I will not do it again. 

*runs to room, slams door*

I hope, dear friends, that your family is well in both body and spirit.

May you ever be on the mend.