Monday, December 28, 2009

KO'd on Boxing Day

So Boxing Day was probably one of the most miserable days the Hill household can remember. Both Chris and I came down with a case of either food poisoning or the 24-hour stomach flu. It's bad enough for one of us to get sick, but for both of us to get sick simultaneously is awful.

We couldn't hold down food or water and it was painful to get up off the couch, but those are things a toddler and a baby don't understand. So we did the best we could to entertain, feed and care for them while feeling like we'd been run over by a truck. Z got to enjoy more than his normal share of his "Here Come the 123's" DVD, and now I understand why people call the TV the "electronic babysitter". Things were actually pretty good for Mei-mei, because for once she wasn't being carted all around town when she'd rather be at home napping.

I've never known what "severely dehydrated" felt like until I experienced having a stomach virus, being unable to drink, and having to nurse a baby every 3 hours.  And this is coming from a former marathoner and a rock climber who was senseless enough to go climbing in the desert without bringing along any water.  Thankfully I was able to start drinking a bit of water again late Saturday night and my temporary dehydration doesn't seem to have impacted my ability to nurse.

We both felt quite a bit better on Sunday and were able to take the kids out for a walk to enjoy the sunny day.  I made some shi-fan with sweet potatoes and various pickled veggies, and we were able to eat that for dinner.  So it looks like our bout of sickness was brief, albeit incredibly painful.

I know of parents who refuse to fly on the same flight for fear of being in an accident together, thus leaving their children orphans.  I understand that fear (although I'd guess that it's probably riskier, statistically, for them to ride in a car together), but right now I'm thinking that it's more prudent that we never eat the same food again in order to avoid getting sick at the same time.  If it was food poisoning, that is.  If it was the 24-hour stomach flu that's going around, how in the world did we manage to catch it at exactly the same time?  Couldn't we have at least staggered it by 24 hours??  What are the odds of that happening?  Should we buy a lottery ticket?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've been severely dehydrated a few times. Twice it was on super-long hikes when I ran out of water at the half-way point. There was no puking involved fortunately. The other two times, it involved alcohol, lots of puking and rehydrating in the ER. I'm glad you feel better now. My guess is that you ate seafood. It's the devil.

Deborah said...

Next time call your neighbors, silly, and we will remove the toddler from your house for a few hours. Glad to hear you are feeling better.

 
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