on the mend

Slowly, slowly, slowly, we are getting better.

On Monday morning, I walked into Gabe's room and was met with another horrific disaster of a mess, so I picked up the phone and called the pediatrician. By 11am, when we had to leave for our appointment, I had already gotten sick 15-20 times. As we were pulling into the doctor's office, I had resigned myself to going to the emergency room for iv fluids. I couldn't see any alternative that would work, because I couldn't keep any fluids down, and even if I could, there was no way I could keep up with the quantity of fluids I needed to drink.

From a person who thought the absolute worst part of labor was the iv, you can imagine how bad I felt.

Thankfully, the pediatrician was willing to listen to the complaints of all 3 of us and he had lots of suggestions, especially for me since I was still obviously showing the vestiges of the last 2 hours I spent sobbing as I ran to and from the bathroom. Fabulous morning, as you can imagine. Chief among his pieces of advice was for me to start drinking and eating some salt so that I could retain water. Sports drinks, chicken stock, soda, anything with salt and/or calories would help. Plus, he gave a couple more suggestions for over the counter medications that were safe while breastfeeding, although to be honest, it never even occurred to me to check on whether Pepto Bismol was safe for breastfeeding because I was so desperate to try something that would help.

I took all of your comments seriously when some of you suggested something more serious than the stomach flu, like salmonella poisoning, but the pediatrician said he doubted it because we would actually be far sicker from salmonella poisoning, and it apparently isn't as contagious. Contagious, yes, but not rampantly contagious like what we were experiencing.

I began guzzling sports drinks and chicken stock like it was my job, and miraculously, I started to feel better. I also napped for 3 hours while Gabe slept, with Josie tucked into my side on the couch. When I woke up, it was the longest I'd gone without getting sick in a very long time and the trend continued.

Yesterday, Josh went back to work and Gabe ate actual food on two separate occasions and I didn't feel like dying. I even did a load of laundry and folded some of it and played trains on the floor with Gabe and SHOWERED even- it was amazing. Maybe we'll even leave the house at some point in the next couple of days and breathe actual clean outdoor air. Or at least outdoor mall air, because Mommy needs some retail therapy with our nonexistent money after a week like this. Josie wants this overpriced shirt. Of course, it has been sunny and 40 degrees in Boston since last Wednesday, when Gabe first started throwing up, and today we are expecting a snowstorm. Because, of course we would have a snowstorm today. Of course.

As long as I don't have to clean up any more vomit, though, I'll take it and applaud. Hurray for feeling better!