Labor Day 2008 (a weekend that I never want to relive again!)

This weekend was supposed to a weekend of some relaxation, some sight-seeing, some shopping, and probably some good eatin' -- and doing all that sans kids! Our plan included spending the weekend nights at Michael's brother's house in North Georgia, and driving into Helen during the days -- http://www.helengeorgia.com/, a beautiful mountainous city just 15 miles from his brother's home. But those plans all went out the window last Saturday morning around 4:00.

It all went down like this...

The boys were scheduled to go on a church youth whitewater rafting trip, leaving this past Saturday morning at 8:00. Michael and I were planning on pulling out of the parking lot right behind the church bus to our own destination. Friday night came, and we finished packing -- each of the boys with separate bags because of the middle schoolers and the high schoolers, although going together, were not going to be spending any time together once they got to their destination. We all went to bed, anticipating what our weekend was holding for us.

I woke up at 4:00 to the sound of Zack wretching in his bathroom down the hall. I should have prefaced this all by saying Aaron had been sick just 36 hours before with the same virus. I helped Zack back to bed after giving him some tylenol for his fever, which was 103, and some medication for nausea. Then I woke Michael up telling him our plans for the weekend were now null and void. We all three went back to sleep and Mike woke up in time to get Aaron up and to the church in time for his departure.

After getting up, I decided to get weighed in at Weight Watchers -- down 11.5 lbs in 10 weeks, thankyouverymuch!, have my eyebrows waxed, and head to the gym -- in that order. I knew that I would probably be spend the rest of the day de-funking the house thinking that the virus was probably thriving, in our home. And I was sure that I didn't want it. When I came out of the salon for the waxing appt., I realized that I had a flat tire. I called Michael, who in turn came and took care of changing to the spare. We both drove to a place down the road that would repair the tire for us. It was at this stop where I realized that I was not feeling so well. I had a headache coming on, my body was beginning to ache, and I was suddenly feeling very fatigued. I told Michael as much, and told him I would see him at home when he got through.

By the time I got home, I couldn't get in the door and under the covers fast enough. Michael was home just 30 minutes later. I was covered up head to toe, joints hurting so badly I could hardly move, burning up with fever, and had chills. I had tears rolling down my cheeks when he came into check on me. After getting me the meds and the fluids I desperately needed, I slept til 4:00 that afternoon. (I had gotten home around 11:30).

When I woke later, Zack was already beginning to feel like himself again. I still could hardly move, nor did I want to try. My first trip to the restroom post virus-attack, my legs were like jello. Michael had to help me walk. I was so sick, ya'll. Sicker than I have been in a very, very long time. Michael heated me up some chicken noodle soup and brought me a bowl in hopes that it would help build my strength back up. I ate it, and ate it heartily. I was hungry, and still very, very weak.

After eating the soup and drinking ginger-ale, I also ate a popsicle. I did begin to feel like I was going to pull out of it. We all watched tv, the guys played cards, while I was still lying around on the sofa. I went back to bed around 9:30, woke up at 1:30 shivering so badly that I couldn't stop my teeth from chattering. My temp had spiked once again - 102.5. I woke Michael up, begging him to pile more covers on me. The shivering would not stop. My back was spasming -- I was in so much pain, I didn't know what to do. He finally brought me a heating pad, and started placing it in different places on my body intermittently. The chills finally stopped about 30 minutes later - no lie. I thought I was dying!

Believe it or not, just 7 hours later, I felt like that the virus had finally run its course, and I was feeling alive once again. I still was weak, but was beginning to feel good again. We were all waiting for Michael to catch up. Thank God that he did not!

A Labor Day weekend that I don't ever want to repeat! No thanks!!!