Germs, Sickies, A Must Read!

Okay peoples. This is a must read. At least the beginning part. Not that everyone would be interested in what I have to say, but I want to tell you about is something that comes from great personal experience that should help you as it has helped me. But warning, it is very LONG. Sorry!!

For as long as I can remember, I have been a pretty clean person. (Although my sister would tell you when we were growing up, she would draw a line down the room to separate my side from hers so my stuff that was thrown everywhere and not put away would not touch her side). Anyhow, I try to keep things clean and organized. It doesn't always happen, but I try. And I cannot stand having people over unless things are very clean, so anyhow, when my kids get sick, I would say I go above and beyond the average person to keep germs from spreading.

I wash their sheets every single night. Thats right, if one of them is sick, I wash their sheets every night that they have symptoms.
They take a bath or shower every day they are sick.
I wash their towels used from said bath every night as well.
I wipe down door handles and handrails.
I wash any blankets and pillows they have used.
I literally follow them down the hallway with lysol disinfectant spray, spraying where they walk.

I also do this for my husband when he is sick, and usually for myself.

So this was not so this time. Kyler got sick last weekend with a fever. I was so exhausted from other things that have been going on with family in town, etc. that I did not wash his sheets, blankets etc. I did a little of the lysol disinfectant spray here and there, but I really was not thorough. And let me tell you, Kyler would get better, then get sick again, get better, then get sick again for several days.

Every time my kids have been sick in the past, it usually only lasts one to two days. I really honestly believe they have gotten better as quickly as they have because of my de-germing the house. And this time, it may be coincidence, maybe, but I really believe Kyler kept getting sick because I did not keep up my normal de-germing.

And, to top it all off, I got sick! I got strep throat, literally overnight and went to urgent care and got on an antiobiotic. And so today, even though I am not feeling super great, I changed the sheets, wiped down the door handles and did as much as I could to de-germ the house so we can all get better.

So why did I make you read this? because I have learned from this experience that as much work as it is to do tons of laundry and make multiple beds and clean clean clean when your kids are sick- it really does shorten the amount of time they are sick AND it is easier than dealing with them being sick for longer and YOU being sick. Blah, blah, theres my preaching at you for the day.

Now on a separate note, I have to say that since my starting synthroid, a thyroid replacement medication, I have struggled with weight gain, low energy among other things. So this last week I made myself some serious goals and decided that no matter what, I cannot let this control me for the rest of my life! I dont care what I have to do, I am going to be dedicated so I can get back to my old self again. And its not really about losing weight (although I AM trying to), its more just getting back into giving 100% in my workouts, not eating after 7 and doing feeling all around better, like I used to feel. Needless to say, getting sick really bummed me out because I had to miss working out today and although my appetite is gone (not such a bad thing), I know it is harder to get back into things once stopping. But I am determined. I am feeling better today and am hoping by Wednesday I can work out again and keep things going. Even with being sick, I have kept all my other goals besides working out. Wish me luck.

Okay, okay, on a separate, separate not just to make this post even longer and more boring, my little Brayden has struggled with his bowels (you dont really need to know more than that) for well over a year now. I have taken him in for some testing, he's been treated with antibiotics, we took him off dairy for a while and that seemed to work, but lately he's struggled again. So we got him tested for celiac disease (which would mean a glutten free diet) and thankfully that was negative, but that means a lot more testing to figure out why he is having so many problems. he is 26 pounds, and has been 25 pounds for the past two years. He is the size of an average 21 month old!! Now we haven't always been concerned about this because Brayden was a preemie, he has the geins to be small built (my full term kid is 5% height on the charts) and Brayden eats a TON and has a high metabolism. So it hasnt been until these bowels problems that we really started to think that maybe something else could be going on. Sooo, now we are off to an endocronolist to see if Brayden's preemie has caused a stunt in his growth and he might need something more to help him out. So they will do more tests and then go from there. Again, wish us luck. We shall see if our household can all get into shape and get healthy!

Peace out, live long and prosper.