When James was four years old we were celebrating Mother's Day and he sat at the table with a frown on his face. Then he couldn't stand it any longer and he burst out, "this is the worst Mother's Day I've ever had!"Last week when Gracie turned twelve, I felt that same way and by the end of the day, I finally burst out, "this is the worst Gracie's birthday I've ever had!"
About 2 a.m. on November 5th, Daniel woke up with a fever. Having been nursing James and Margaret through their confirmed cases of H1N1, I felt safe in assuming that Daniel was coming down with the flu. Daniel's deep and persistent cough made me nervous so Gracie and I took him over to the emergency room H1N1 clinic at about 10 a.m. In the E.R. with our faces covered with masks, Gracie and I looked at each other and I could tell by her eyes what she was thinking: "great birthday, Mom".
By 8 p.m. that night I had mixed fourteen nasty, bitter powders into medications. I had stumbled through the Korean print and hoped that I had mixed the medications correctly and given them at the right time, to the correct patient. In all my years of nursing I don't think I've been so hard pressed to perform!
Aside from the delicious apple crisp that Jim made, Gracie's birthday was sub-par. I plan to re-celebrate this Saturday and the H1N1 is not invited!
6 comments:
So sorry to hear that sweet Gracie's birthday was a bust. Poor thing. Birthdays can be such a let down sometimes. I'm hoping that this Saturday makes up for it. Happy Birthday Susan. We love you!! Now about that picture. Creepy. What's all this mixing of mysterious bitter powders? I don't get it? What's it for? Meghan and Hyrum had H1N1, and yes, they were sick but the doctor said, rest, fluids, ibuprofen. He didn't send me home with some weird powder? Hyrum ended up with pneumonia from it and had to get an antibiotic a week or so later. The doctor told us that if any of the rest of us start to show signs of illness, fever, cough, to get in right away and they will give you tamiflu which shortens the severity and length of the symptoms. I don't know about that Korean medicine, Kim. But then again, what do I know? Maybe the bitter powder is the Korean version of Tamiflu. I hope that that stupid piggy flu is done with both our families. I know I don't want it showing up to claim the rest of us. Love ya! :)
Dear sweet Susan Grace, what a birthday bomb. I hope you get a chance to celebrate being 12. I hope the H1N1 is through making your family sick and I'm so glad your mom knows how to read Korean and administer strange medicine. Love you all and hope you're all feeling better. Just think, this will be one birthday you'll always remember. That's what's important!
I'll remind Kira that is it her B-day.
Hope your patients are feeling much better. Hope you didn't get it.
At work they are stopping any visitors under 18 y/o. the reason they gave is that "kids shed the flu (germs) longer than adults do"
-----we still don'thave the H1N1 vaccine avail. here for my dtr.
I feel like the only one on the block w/ the vaccine. i got it because of the patients I work with at the hospital.
I know it is hard on the mom when the kids are sick. Hang in there.
I always love your blog. :>)
yet another reason the fall B-day can be a little tricky.
--------my father gave me 1/2 b-day presents, not anything too big, but just a little boost of love later in the year. maybe you can take her for lunch in 6 mos.?
Yea that was so fun! i feel so bad for susan missing a whole week of school and she did'nt even get sick. At least we got it over with!
LOVE THE BLOG!!!!
Bummer, but great post. We had "the" flu here, too. It was not fun, but luckily came before the baby. :)
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