Sleep? What is that?

So, I have to document the ridiculousness that has occurred in this house in the last couple of weeks. As background, Mark and I have been looking forward to his friend John's wedding in Chicago for months since Nanny and Papa so graciously said they'd come up and watch the kids while we had fun at the rehearsal dinner and wedding. In the last few weeks, Jacob has suffered from a sinus infection (which we now think was RSV), a double ear infection and the stomach flu. Maddie was sick with RSV (very dangerous for an infant.) Mark and I don't even know what sleep is anymore. The only thing that got me through was the famous mantra "This too shall pass." If it doesn't, I will surely die. I don't think you know the true test of being a parent until both of your kids are extremely ill at the same time.

Friday, 1/15: Last day of Jacob's antibiotic for the sinus infection he's had since 1/5. At Paradise Pond that morning, I notice that Jacob is tugging at his right ear a lot.

Saturday, 1/18: Maddie develops a runny nose, lots of congestion and a very wet cough. Jacob is up all night long crying about his ears.

Sunday, 1/17: Take kids to CareNow (a weekend clinic) first thing in the morning. Since we will be flying to Chicago on Thursday, we decide to have Maddie checked as well since she seems to have a cold. Jacob is diagnosed with a double ear infection. Maddie, horribly, is diagnosed with RSV. They prescribe a new antibiotic for Jacob and also prescribe an antibiotic and steroids for Maddie. Leery about these medications for an infant, Mark calls our pediatrician's office and talks to the on-call Doctor. He says their office would never prescribe that course of treatment for Maddie and tells us we should have taken her to Cooks Childrens Hospital. So, Mark packs up Maddie again and takes her to Cooks where they confirm that it's a virus that we have to just watch closely (no medicinal treatment at this time.) We move Maddie into our room for the next few nights so we can monitor her breathing. Jacob starts sleeping a bit better but Maddie is up often due to her congestion. Given that both kids are very ill, we decide it might be best for me to stay home with kids and not take them to Chicago on Thursday.

Tuesday morning, 1/19: Take kids to Dr. Hunt (pediatrician) for follow up visit. Jacob is responding well to the new antibiotic though his ears are still infected. Maddie is clinically the same (which is a good thing). Dr. Hunt tells us it won't be a problem to take the kids to Chicago but we decide to change our flights to Friday morning at 6:30 am so that we can take the kids in for one more follow up check up on Thursday before we fly.

Tuesday night/Wednesday morning: Jacob wakes up vomiting and has diarrhea. This lasts from 3 am - 5 am. It seems to be a 24 hour stomach bug. He gets a fever later on Wednesday that comes down with Motrin. Once again, given how sick Jacob is, we think the chances of me and the kids going to Chicago on Friday is slim to none.

Thursday, 1/21: Jacob is doing much better and eating/drinking again. We take both kids back to Dr. Hunt for their follow up check up and she says she thinks they are both fine to fly on Friday morning. Jacob's ears are still infected but we believe antibiotic is working since he hasn't been complaining about his ears since Sunday and has had no more fever. Maddie's RSV is getting better each day and the worst is behind us (so we think.) We spend Thursday night packing all of our bags for our early flight on Friday morning. Mark's parents have already arrived in Chicago to help take care of the kids while we are at the wedding.

Thursday night: Jacob complains about his left ear before going to bed, then proceeds to spike a fever of 103.5 at 10 pm that night. It takes Motrin, Tylenol, ice chips and a cold rag on his body to get it down to 101. We were very close to taking him to the ER since it took so long to get it down. Once again, we are up all night long and once again, it is clear that I can't get on that plane with the kids. I ask Mark to take a flight later that day so he reschedules his flight for 1 pm on Friday and cancels the other flights for me and the kids. He also cancels the rental car and the hotel room.

Friday morning: My parents are on their way to Dallas to help me with the kids while Mark is in Chicago. Jacob wakes up at 7 am in a full on sweat. His fever has broken and apparently he feels like a million dollars b/c he's running around the house like a lunatic. I am beside myself. We missed our plane and Mark is going to Chicago alone and our sick kid looks like he could run a marathon. I call Dr. Hunt and at 10 am, they tell us to come in immediately. Mark has this crazy idea that maybe, just maybe me and the kids can get on the 1 pm flight with him (I think he's nuts). He calls and finds out that there are seats open on the plane. I rush to get Jacob back to the Doctor and I get pulled over for speeding on the way there. I think to myself "You have GOT to be kidding me". I tell the cop that I have a sick kid in the car and I'm taking him to the Doctor and if he's going to give me a ticket, please make it fast. He respects my wishes, writes the ticket and I'm back on my way in under 5 minutes (jerk.) At the Doctor's office, Jacob's left ear is much worse and is "bulging" which is what is causing him so much pain. They decide to give him antibiotic injections in both legs to knock the infection out. Dr. Hunt tells me that we can still get on that plane at 1 pm!! I thought she was crazy!! Jacob and I rush home and Mark and I decide we're going to do it. We're going to get us all on that plane. I call my Dad and tell him to go back to Houston. We rush like crazy people to get out of the house to make it in time. To save time, we decide to park directly at the airport. We get all our bags (4 to be exact), 2 kids and 2 car seats out of the car and walk into the terminal only to learn that United has changed terminals recently and is now in Terminal E. "You best get back in your car and drive to the other terminal" an agent tells us. UGH!!! Mind you, we have taken the car seats OUT and all of the luggage OUT and 2 kids OUT. Mark runs to get the car and picks us up and we load everybody back up again. We finally get to the terminal, get through security and to the gate on time. You would likely not have recognized us if you could have seen the exhaustion and emotional bruising on our faces.

Jacob's ears survived the flight thanks to an army of Benadryl, Motrin, Afrin, and EarPlanes (ear plugs for kids that equalize the pressure). Maddie was an angel on the plane. We made it to Chicago and we had a BLAST. Hallelujah!!