‘Tis the Season – Part 2

Yes, ‘twas the season during my last rant but that was about the holidays approaching. Since that time that “other” season has landed at my doorstep—flu season.

Healthcare advisors were right by forecasting an early start to the flu season which usually doesn’t peak until late November/early December during the onset of winter continuing through March. While seasonal flu viruses are detected year-round, flu viruses are most common during the colder months. Each year brings a different scenario and usually a different strain of the virus, thereby requiring a different vaccine.

And over the past few years with all the media hype about flu-related deaths, I find myself getting the kids vaccinated as early as September. This year their vaccinations lagged over into October and November with varying after school schedules and negotiating timely doctor’s appointments. I think it was three years ago that we ventured into a minute clinic for vaccines and that was a fail with a wait longer than at the doctor’s office. But the bright side to that venture was that Jacob learned all about biohazard materials and why containers were necessary.

Well Jacob had his annual appointment scheduled in June for October so I decided to wait until then for their vaccines. Robyn had some after school activity that day and couldn’t join us for the appointment to get her vaccine then so it wasn’t until about three weeks ago that she was vaccinated. Well Robyn started feeling a little sluggish last weekend and by Monday there was a headache and sore throat. She also learned that her good buddy who she chums around with at school had just been diagnosed with strep and pink eye. Just great, I knew it was coming!

So looking over her weekly schedule which was packed with quizzes, tests, paper due dates, and several after school activities I was trying to keep her as healthy as possible through the week to get to the break. I kept her out Tuesday to rest and medicate so she could tough out just three more days and not have “held over” tests dangling over her head during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Back to school on Wednesday, she seemed o.k. plus Grandma was going to be at the school celebrating Thanksgiving with Jacob so if anything happened Grandma had it covered. Thursday morning brought a different day and another story—it was her head, throat and now right ear aching but no fever. I gave her some over the counter meds and sent her back to the school cesspool of sickness to face two tests she had that day but by 8:34 a.m., not even a full hour into school, the school nurse was calling. Robyn had a slight fever among her other aches and I was on my way to pick her up.

As I walked into the school’s office, I saw the parents of three other sixth graders there for sick pick-ups as the school’s registrar burst into a chord of “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen. There was definitely something going around in sixth grade and we had gotten it. That afternoon Jacob came home with a page-long notice about flu season and symptoms which basically said keep your kid at home.

So Friday we ventured to the doc to get some prescribed meds and she rested all weekend. Sunday brought marked improvement, so we changed her bedding, “Cloroxed” her bathroom, peppered the place with Lysol, and cracked open a few windows. She commented that night that all she could smell was bleach. I told her that was a good thing.

Thinking back, last year at this precise time Jacob was sick with flu which kept us from gathering with family on Thanksgiving day. It was kinda’ cool though with no driving to and fro’ and a plethora of food being dropped off. However, I am not advocating for that this year. I like healthy kids—less work and worries for me.

Have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving holiday!