Viral Infestation

Playtime between viral attacks

Another reason our home life has been just left of manageable these past couple months.

Apart from being a toddler and all of the serious joy and mobility that comes with that. (Honestly, this is my favorite age so far.) Eli had been sick for what felt like 3 months. Ever since he turned 13 months old, it was virus after virus after virus. This was infuriating, exhausting, and incredibly bad timing as I was also really sick for much of the same time span. I can't explain why we had a domino effect of viruses. I guess it could be any number of things - A wacky hot/cold spring, weaning, kissing kids at Baby bookworms (he's a lover folks), a natural building up of his immune system... who knows. Probably, all of it combined.

All we know is, it was exhausting to keep his fevers down. In and out of the bath, alcohol rub downs, vinegar on his feet, rotating Tylenol and Motrin - the highest one still got up to 104.8 (remember our little one's tendency to spike temps?) and I felt so helpless to help him get well. I even asked our doctor his feelings about Homeopathy. I'm about to start reading some books on it, but I just can't make it make sense in my head. We're sticking with as many all-natural Grandma remedies for now as we can.

The picture of little boy health on Good Friday 2011

We took him off cow milk completely for about a month to decrease mucous production in his little body and that seemed to help. And, I'm not sure if it was the praying or the Willow/ Garlic Ear Oil drops that kept us from developing secondary ear infections - he had significant amounts of both. I am most thankful that all of the illnesses were viruses that he beat without antibiotics and that Rob and I developed a "plan of attack" that we immediately launch on any viral invaders - no milk, vaporizer, saline nasal spray, ear drops.... we're going to be pros by the time new baby gets here.

We've now been virus free for a longer span that I can remember in the past couple weeks. Thank you, God.