Oh Sweet Sweet Irony, You've Found Me Again

After losing four pounds in two weeks, adding a new workout routine to the schedule and three parties planned for this past weekend, all signs were pointing to this being the best weekend on record.  Well, that optimism lasted until...Friday at about 9PM.  Here is the breakdown of how my crazy roller coaster weekend was derailed by irony.


TUESDAY

Last Tuesday, I was finally placed in a group Bible Study with childcare for Ericka.  I loved it!  It was a really great chance for both Ericka and I to get out there and not only meet some other moms and kiddos, but also gain some great information.  Ericka loved her group.  The teacher informed me that Ericka had a blast, but they could only find two socks and a shoe from her time in class.  Hmmmm.  Not surprising for my child as we own NO matching socks in the 6-12 month size.  I later found her sparkly silver shoe at the corner of 29th and Yale.  Is it gross that I just rolled up, picked it up and put it back in the diaper bag?  It didn't look like it was dirty... When we got home, I put her precious little cereal-crusted face and bare feet to bed and happily went about my house work.   

THURSDAY
On Thursday, I found my child crying in the morning in a lovely pool of her own throw up after having contracted the stomach flu.  As things affect children differently than adults, she ran no fever, and only got sick the one time.  She just didn't eat as much that day for some reason.  We had no idea she had the stomach flu...until Friday.


FRIDAY

My niece, father and I conspired to throw my mom a small surprise party on Friday night for her birthday.  We had everything planned out and all was running smoothly.  All of the food was prepared, Ericka was in a great mood and my mom was so excited.  After eating, talking to several good friends and cleaning up, Danny and I strapped our little girl in the car and headed home.  On the way, my stomach started to feel like something was wrong.  By about 9:30PM, something was VERY wrong.  I started to get sick and it just would not let up!  About an hour after my hell started, it started for Danny.

**See pumpkin carving below for visual.** [1.]

VERY VERY EARLY SATURDAY MORNING

Danny and I had been up all night long sick.  About 3AM, Danny leans over to me and says that he thinks we both need to go to the hospital...words I have never heard my very healthy husband utter.  As I was only about half conscious due to dehydration, I was not one to contest his logic.  Immediately we start calling our parents begging for someone to take us to the hospital.  (We are too cheap for an ambulance.  Those things are expensive to ride in!)  Danny's parents came to the rescue.  His mother stayed with Ericka, while his father ran us in to a hospital that shall remain nameless.

Once we arrived at the hospital, there was NOT A SINGLE PERSON AROUND!  Literally, it looked like the hosptital was closed.  After waiting a minute, I told Danny to sit while I ran back and tried to find someone.  (To those of you who know my husband...do you think he did what I said?)  Danny was really not doing well physically at this point, and just started yelling "HELLO!!!!! IS ANYONE THERE?!?!?!"  Something like ten workers came running from wherever they had been congregating, angry that someone was yelling in the hospital.  This led to a bit of a rough visit that I will not go into.

A few hours, IV bags and a ton of nausea meds later, we finally felt like we could at least walk again.  We sent Ericka to stay with my parents for a few days until we could get our house viral-free.  We then slept for 24 hours straight with one break for water.  I realized that we have pretty much slept through all of the festivities that we had planned to attend. 

Is it strange that I was both sad and relieved not to be tempted with all of the amazing food we had planned for each party?


MONDAY

I am not sure where Sunday went, but by Monday, I was ready to weigh in and see how things went.  There had to be some upside to getting the stomach flu, right?  My weight stayed exactly the same!  How fair is that?  No break!  Well, it took no time at all to realize that I was looking at this in the wrong light.  Weight will come and go, but the fact that my family being happy and healthy is priceless. 

MY WEEKLY LESSON:
1.     I want to say thank you to those who helped us out this weekend, as we would not have made it without you. 

2.     I am so sorry to ALL who I prepared food for on Friday...who might now be hugging that porcelin pony like they are experiencing the end of days. 

3.     No, this will not keep me from putting my child in her Bible Study class.  There are viruses everywhere.  It takes time to build a child's immune system.
4.     Lastly... Be careful what you wish for.  I was secretly wishing that I would have the will power to withstand the temptations of all of the wonderful weekend party foods.  Sometimes you get what you wish for in a less than pleasant way.

Thank goodness for fresh starts and good health.  Here's to a better weigh in next week!

Happy Halloween Everyone.

Works Cited

1.  Photo- Keeping up with the Jenses.  31 October 2010.. <http://trevorandchrista.blogspot.com/2010/10/halloween-parties.html>. Very cute blog and pic!