17 different women, 36 crazy children, 0 babies in utero
Adventures, Advice and Questions from a group of Mormon women who met in Queens, NY and have now scattered all over the place.
 

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Sick as a Dog

We were supposed to drive home from Utah on New Years Day. My stomach did not seem to agree with the plan when it decided to keep me up all New Years Night. I'm still not quite sure if it was food poisoning or a 24 hour stomach flu, but when dh woke up to the alarm at 5am, he found me not in bed next to him, but in the bathroom, sitting on the toilet and throwing up into a trash can. It became quickly apparent that I was in no condition to be any more than 2 feet away from the nearest bathroom, let alone ready to be loaded into a car for a 12 hour drive. I don't think (and dh agrees) I have ever been that sick before.

DH asked if I wanted some of the "pink medicine". He asked if I wanted to lay on the couch. He asked if I would like a blessing. I weakly said yes to it all even though I didn't really want anything he was suggesting. None of it seemed to bring any peace to my wretching body. Call it a lack of faith if you want. I was too sick to care. But then I realized the secret truth. The only thing I really wanted was my Mom.

Growing up, she always knew what to do to ease the pain and comfort her sick children. She didn't have to ask. She just knew. When I was a sick child, her warm touch, her soft lullabys and my head resting in her lap could always calm me to sleep when nothing else would.

And when it came to feeding a sickness, she knew all the tricks. She never asked what I felt like eating, she just brought what was just right to calm a stomach, clear a nose, or soothe a throat. And everytime, it was perfect.

Sometimes it's hard for me to remember that I'm the mom now (especially when my insides feel like they want to become my outsides). I am afraid the days of my mom taking care of her sick baby have long passed. It's now my turn to step up to the plate and learn how to take care of my own babies when they are sick.

I wonder if my children have been able to find the same solace in me that I found in my own mother. I wonder how many of my mother's skills have been given to me already and how much I still have to learn. And for the future, what do you feed someone who has had diarrhea and has been throwing up for four hours?

posted by This is Carrie @ 1/03/2007 11:11:00 AM   add to kirtsy


17 Comments:

  • I remember vividly my first year away at college. . .and getting super sick. All I wanted was my mom, and all I had was 5 other roommates. They were helpful, but not like a mom.

    I also remember being in the hospital with mono in 8th grade, and all I wanted was my mom to sing me the lullabys she sang when I was a baby. It was the only thing that helped me feel better.

    As for the diar. and pukes. . .a little bit of yogurt every 45 minutes or so is about all that may work. It helps get those good bacteria back into your system.
    posted by Blogger wendysue at 1/03/2007 05:25:00 PM  



  • Forgive the long comment, but I just looked this up for a friend this morning, and I still had my Clinical Nutrition textbook open.

    Good foods to help diarrhea:
    Applesauce, bananas, barley, cheese, oat bran, oatmeal, smooth peanut butter, potatoes, boiled rice, soda crackers, tapioca, yogurt.

    Foods to avoid: Caffeine, dates, fried food, fructose-sweetened drinks, grapes, honey, milk and milk products, prunes, and sugar-free candy.

    Water down juice by half or it will pull extra water into your intestines.

    Pedialyte (sp?) is a great fluid replacement drink, and gatorade is also good, but it doesn't have enough sodium to replace what is lost in diarrhea, so have a salty snack with it.
    posted by Blogger ariel at 1/03/2007 10:05:00 PM  



  • The BRAT diet is a good way to re-introduce foods - bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. I have only been that sick once in my life - it was the time when DH used chicken that I had told him to throw out because it had been in the fridge a little too long. (He did this without telling me). What followed was about 18 hours of not being able to keep anything down or in or up. What made it worse was that he had it too and we only had one bathroom. Guess who doesn't get a say in whether something is still good or not?!?

    Sorry you were so sick! It's been about 6 years but I remember not feeling 100% for several days after...and not wanting to eat much of anything for about a week. It took me weeks to think about eating chicken again. (And who knew that bad chicken doesn't always taste bad?)
    posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 1/03/2007 11:00:00 PM  



  • Regular yogurt doesn't really have much good bacteria. There is a product called Bio-K that they sell in some health food stores that is really good for stomach flu, food poisoning, when you take antibiotics - really anytime you need to replenish that good bacteria.
    posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 1/04/2007 08:45:00 AM  



  • ew. this post is fine for those who don't know you....but I can actually visualize you on the toilet and the puking....and no thanks. Actually, I think you have seen me doing that for real once...when I was poisoned from taco bell and trying to go on a road trip to Philly! I think I needed something so Pukey went downstairs to get you? Maybe I am making that up.

    Anyway, glad you are better. Food poisoning is the worst. I am pretty sure gatorade has nothing to do with curing sickness, but for some reason, no MATTER the sickness, gatorade should always be involved....lemon-lime flavor.
    posted by Blogger Kage at 1/04/2007 09:06:00 AM  



  • oh and ps. It's true. A mommy is the best healer...and I am sure you have brought that to your kids MANY a time.
    posted by Blogger Kage at 1/04/2007 09:07:00 AM  



  • I had that exact same thing about 3 weeks ago. Must be a Utah thing. I couldn't keep anything(not even water or an otter pop) down for 12 hours and I'm pregnant so I was a little freaked out as well. I don't think I have ever been that sick in my life! Hope you feel better soon.
    posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 1/04/2007 09:26:00 AM  



  • I had food poisoning about 4 years ago (pancake patter at a restaurant that had probably been sitting out all day - I got pancakes at midnight) and it was truly the SICKEST I have ever been in my whole life. Diarreah and puking for 4 hours straight, followed by 3 days of cramping when my poor stomach muscles tried to make sense of what had happened. My parents happened to be visiting that very weekend and were staying in a hotel in midtown. I threw myself in a cab and plopped down on their bed and actually had my mom there to take care of me! How great is that? I'm so sorry, Carrie - so miserable.

    As far as my own kids, I'm learnign as they get older what they need from me. For my son its lullabys and a little Sprite, lots of holding and discussing his sickness in great detail. For the little girl, she wants to be wrapped up in her favorite blanket, thumb in mouth and held by my 24-7. I'm glad that we have a routine now while they're young; we'll add to it as they get bigger.

    When my son had stomach flu last Christmas and became violently ill (he was almost 3), he looked up at me from his puke bucket and said: "Thank mom for taking care of me. Love you". And I knew that he felt like I was doing a good job. That's all I needed.
    posted by Blogger chloe at 1/04/2007 12:34:00 PM  



  • For what it's worth, I work in an emergency room and for the past six weeks, we have been inundated with patients with a serious gastro-intestinal virus. Many patients are coming in totally dehydrated and are here for hours receiving IV fluids. We have heard reports that this is fairly widespread throughout the country. Patients are told to drink lots of fluids, and the BRAT diet is recommended as well. Stay away from dairy until your symptoms subside. Unfortunately, the virus is hitting the healthcare workers as well. And we are still waiting for the flu to arrive.
    posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 1/04/2007 02:44:00 PM  



  • I also recommend pedialyte though it is kind of pricey- frequently stores will have the cheaper adult version "Electrolyte Replacement Drink" (that tastes and is exactly the same) with the other medicines (pedialyte is normally found in the baby section with formula and diapers).
    One thing that I'm able to eat when sick is Lipton noodle soup, it's just broth with some smallish noodles. And saltines, gotta have the saltines.
    posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 1/04/2007 03:18:00 PM  



  • ugh. Being sick is no fun at all. My last night of a vaca in Brazil was just like that. I spent the entire night exploding. I pretty much passed out on the bathroom floor and slept until we had to get on the plane. I felt horrible when I woke up and realized it was 3.30pm Easter Sunday and everyone (Krista and her hubby, my DH and our friends) had been sitting around waiting for me to come to.
    Also, a few Christmas' ago my husband got the stomach flu and we HAD to drive to SLC from Idaho Falls to make a flight back to NYC so we drove with garbage sacks in case we couldn't pull over in time. It was horrible (for both of us).
    I have the same thoughts of my mom (although Krista did a very good job in Brazil) taking care of me when I am sick. I am sure you have provided that same comfort to your kids Carrie.
    posted by Blogger Melissa at 1/04/2007 07:29:00 PM  



  • I always remember my Mom standing beside me holding my hair back when I was little and throwing up. I hate throwing up and having her beside me when I shed a tear or two was so comforting. Now all I have is rubber bands. Yup, I have to call her to get reminded of what foods should be introduced when. I second the BRAT diet for the runs, but since puke is involved you just have to keep liquid down first. Go for clear liquids (apple juice and 7-up) but gatorade/pedialite replenish better for more severe cases--like you had. Glad it's over and hope it doesn't happen again!
    posted by Blogger Katie at 1/05/2007 08:53:00 AM  



  • PS - are you feeling better Carrie? Are you stranded in UT?
    posted by Blogger Melissa at 1/05/2007 10:54:00 AM  



  • Thanks everyone for your thoughts and suggestions. I actually did think of the BRAT diet, but when I was puking, I wasn't sure it was the right thing to calm a stomach. I was really afraid that it was some sort of flu that my kids would catch the next day, but so far so good. We are all back home and I am feeling so much better, though surprised at how long it is taking for my body to get back to feeling completely normal. The muscle strain from throwing up so much was incredible to me.
    posted by Blogger This is Carrie at 1/05/2007 10:57:00 AM  



  • I am now super sick, I have had the stomach flu for 24 hours. On and off I had to summon enough energy to lift my head to puke in the toilet. Thats right I slept in the bathroom for 24 hours. My back was killing me and all I could think of is wish Mom or my Wife were here to help me out. Once I woke up with this flu I told the wife and 2 year old baby to retreat to my Moms house till I get feeling better.

    All I could do is drink bottled water inbetween pukes so I don't get the really really painful dry heaves. I have not eaten a thing cause I have not the energy to get up and make anything. I started to feel a little better now looking forward to the flu coming out the other end. When will this stop?! And where is my Mommy? :)
    posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 1/16/2007 07:03:00 PM  



  • I am now super sick, I have had the stomach flu for 24 hours. On and off I had to summon enough energy to lift my head to puke in the toilet. Thats right I slept in the bathroom for 24 hours. My back was killing me and all I could think of is wish Mom or my Wife were here to help me out. Once I woke up with this flu I told the wife and 2 year old baby to retreat to my Moms house till I get feeling better.

    All I could do is drink bottled water inbetween pukes so I don't get the really really painful dry heaves. I have not eaten a thing cause I have not the energy to get up and make anything. I started to feel a little better now looking forward to the flu coming out the other end. When will this stop?! And where is my Mommy? :)
    posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 1/16/2007 07:03:00 PM  



  • This comment has been removed by the author.
    posted by Blogger Sarah at 11/02/2011 08:35:00 PM  



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