Schweinegrippe

That's German for swine flu, which has come knocking on our door this week.  Little Man has spent the last two days in bed, coughing and sweating and generally being miserable.  Big Man and I have spent the last two days (and nights!) cuddling, and dosing, and wiping his nose and tears.

The week started with Big Man battling the stomach flu, and he was home sick on Monday and Tuesday.  Monday night, Little Man had a mild attack of the croup.  Though not severe, it was scary watching him struggling for breath.  He seemed fully recovered by morning, but it had been a looooong night, and it was a coooooold day, and I didn't want him running around the play yard all day, chasing friends at school.  So we stayed home with Daddy on Tuesday.

Back to school and work on Wednesday, but only as a teaser, because in the wee hours of Thursday morning, Little Man woke with a soaring temperature and plunging spirits.  He slept most of the day away, and then last night, his temp hit 105.  We called the after-hours doctor, who referred us to the swine flu hotline, who assessed Little Man's symptoms and gave us an authorization number for a course of anti-viral meds to be picked up at a local 'collection point'.

It was funny, when we spoke of calling the doctor, Little Man said, 'Why don't we call Dr. Swanson?  He's my favorite doctor.'  Dr. Swanson is my PhD advisor.  Wonderful guy, really, but his superior knowledge of the Dead Sea Scrolls isn't exactly the kind of help we need to battle the swine flu.  ;)

Today, Little Man is camped out in our bed, with a box of tissues and the laptop, on which he is watching online television shows.  I am not getting any work done, but I am getting lots of cuddles!  Sigh.