Sickos

My worst fear has come true. My boys are all sick. Isaac started getting a little boogery on Monday, which of course sent me into panic mode. He wasn't too bad until Wednesday night. (Caleb has never had a cold and even though I am a nurse, I didn't know what to do!!) I had to suction out his nose frequently so that he could breathe. After a call into our ped, they assured me that it's okay for babies to get a cold and the only time to really "worry" is if he would get a fever, be extra cranky or stop eating. Well, Mr Isaac continues to be the most content baby I know and I swear he knows the advice to "feed a cold," since he's eating more than ever these days. On Thursday, Joel came home with a terrible sore throat and a cold. Caleb was extremely whiny, was up every hour at night, and wasn't eating (not unusual) all week, but he hasn't been completely himself since Isaac was born, so I didn't think too much of it....until he started running a fever on Friday. We couldn't keep him below 103 unless he had Tylenol around the clock and was usually around 102 before we could give him another round. Panic mode once again. I took him into the ped yesterday and she told me that his throat looked a little red, but the strep test was negative. So that meant a ticket to Children's for labs to be drawn. His immunologist wanted to be "safe" since he hasn't had fevers for a long time and his only other symptom of being sick was crankiness, and not sleeping or eating (he's not boogery or congested). His "infection" labs all came back great, but the other labs point at a pretty bad virus. They said it will just have to run it's course but they'd need to see him again on Monday if the fevers continue. He had one last night, but he hasn't let check it this AM. I felt his head and he seems a little warm, but not nearly has hot has he has been. He's in a much better mood and is running around, so I am hopeful it was only a 24+ hour thing and it's done. Isaac is still boogery, but does fine after I suction out his nose. He's been sleeping in his bouncy seat since it's easier for him to breathe when he's upright. Joel is still out for the count, but thankfully my niece and mom are here to help me out with the boys.
I feel terrible that they are sick. We've let our guard down a little bit this winter with Caleb and have taken him to play dates (with healthy kids), to church a couple times and even a few quick runs to Target. Of course we are very careful with Isaac, but not as strict as we were when Caleb was a baby. But no one has been allowed to hold him unless they washed their hands and we haven't been around anyone sick. I know that it's a miracle that Caleb has never had a cold, but I still wish that Isaac wouldn't have gotten one so soon. I just pray that whatever they have doesn't turn into the dreaded "R" virus that preemie mom's are deathly afraid of. I also know that we can't keep them in a bubble forever and that this might actually be a good thing for Caleb to help build up his immune system against viruses so that when he actually does get a cold, it won't totally wipe him out. I still hate the fact that they don't feel good and that there isn't much I can do to help them get over it.