Sickness & Selfishness

Well, we are at home now for week two with Baby Blake. He is still doing really well which is great. I wish I could say the same for the other two kids. Luke started with a fever on Sunday and finally stopped today, however Ruby started with her fever today. I have felt pretty guilty the last few days (like I made him sick) for Luke because he looked miserable and I could tell he felt miserable and there wasn't anything I could do. Nothing but sit around with him and try to rock him when he would let me and get him something to eat or drink when he was hungry. Otherwise I just had to sit and watch. And now it is starting again with Ruby. Poor kid started with a fever this afternoon and has done nothing but sleep since. She is usually my chipper, go getter who refuses to rest and now she can barely keep her eyes open for a minute before she falls back asleep. So, it looks like we will start again and I can continue to feel guilty for something I may or may not have had control over, hoping that I can keep Blake from getting the same thing.

And then there is the BIG DECISION that I need to make, to get the flu & H1N1 shot or not? This shouldn't be a big deal right. Should be an easy decision, right? Well it isn't for me. I hate to put vaccines into our bodies and not know any long term effects, however I also do not want for everyone to be sick all winter long either, especially with the new baby in the house. We have not really been a sick family, rarely in the past has either of my other kids been sick and when they were it was fairly short lived. However, since it is only the beginning of November and we are already starting with sickness I am more inclined to consider the shots. Call me selfish, but I really don't want to spend all of my sick or vacation days at home with children and I really want to avoid putting the youngest in the hospital. I have started going stir crazy already at home and that is just for the few days I have been home with the new baby. Don't think I could stay at home all the time.

So, I guess that tomorrow we will be going to the Health Department to try and get an H1N1 shot for the family and Friday we will be getting the family flu shots. Then we will see how the winter goes and hope that it is not a sick one. Keep your fingers crossed for us, I know that the shots are not 100% and will not keep you from getting sick at all. Hopefully everyone else will have a healthy winter also!