The Influenza Flu

Cam started coughing last week. We kept him home from school Tues-Friday because he just couldn't seem to get enough air. We thought it was more asthma related. I took him to the Dr. on Thursday, and he did not have a fever, and his O2s were ok (thank heavens!), so we continued our regular regime when he is in a flare and went on with life.

We had the Daddy Daughter dinner here on Saturday. *gulp* I was extremely fatigued that night, but that often happens to me... so I just figured it was recourse from a very busy week + school.
We all went to church Sunday morning.
We had been up REALLY late from the party and so the aches and pains that I felt, and Jes felt, and the whiney kids, we just brushed aside.
The longer we sat in church, the worse I felt.
And I started to cough.
So did Caleb.
We decided to go back home after Sacrament Meeting, and only let Emma and Cody stay
(they both felt fine, and had no symptoms)
All our friends tried to shake our hands or hug us, but we shyed away and tried to get out of there as quick as possible!

Within hours Caleb and I were running fevers. Cam as well. Jes had the aches, was weak and pale. He would not allow me to take his temp.
And here we are... almost 4 full days later... Sick... SiCk... SICK!!

Symptoms       COLD                     FLU
Fever              Rare               * Usually
Aches            Slight              * Mod-Severe
Chills            Uncommon     * Fairly Common
Fatigue          Mild                * Mod-Severe
Coughing    Productive        * Dry, Unproductive
Sneezing       Common         * Uncommon
Stuffy Nose   Common        * Uncommon
Sore Throat     Common      * Uncommon
Chest Pain     Mild-Mod      * Often severe
Headache      Uncommon    * Common

This is a chart issued to us a couple of years back by the CDC. The ones that have stars are all the symptoms we are dealing with.

Cam just barely tried school today. He made it ok... but is pale and weak now. He still coughs, but I am sure he will for weeks. He has not had a fever since Monday.

Emma started with a "tickle in her throat" she said this morning, and refused to stay home from school. This evening she is chilling, headache, coughing etc. The fever just hasn't started yet.

I can't get my fever below 99.8, though it prefers 101-102.6 . Everything hurts. My heart protests and does funny rhythms randomly. We also have had nausea on and off and both boys threw up a couple of times... but I think it was coughing related?

The worst complaints are the aches, the chest pain, the burning cough, and the fatigue.

All in all... It has NOT been a super fun week at our house.
I have missed 3 days of class.
Caleb has missed 4 days so far.
Cam was sick for 8 days.
Jes seems to be fighting it on and off - thankfully he usually doesn't not catch stuff like this
((knock on wood!!!))
Emma will not be going tomorrow.

Cody needs a foster home!
Bwahahahaha

I went out to check on Caleb watching a movie this afternoon and this is what I found:

Caleb was on the couch, but Rexie, his beloved stuffed dinosaur, was tucked comfy in his pillow and blanket.

You see...

Rexie has the flu too.

Here's to appreciating the healthy days a little bit more...

and praying with all our hearts we did not spread this like wildfire before we realized what it really was!

Cause YIKES! It's a doozy!

(And PLEEEASE let us get warm and stop coughing til our eyes are reds and bloodshot and our chests burn! :P )