Sick Stats

Ah, yes, it's that time of year again. To which I say, "HA!!! WE DIDN"T HAVE A STOMACH BUG ON CHRISTMAS!!!"

Current stats: 4 out of 8 Zoomlians have it with 3 of 8 already feeling fine, thank you.

It started with Oob on Monday and I hoped against hope that it was just a batch of bad bologna.
It wasn't.

Which eventually brings me to today when the kids came racing up the stairs shouting that Klenda was throwing up (in the only carpeted space in the house) and I was delighted.

No, not the Klenda was throwing up, but that she definitely had it and would be over it in a few hours. This is a pretty fast moving bug.

I've tried keeping kids quarantined and sanitizing every surface in the house. I had enough microbiology to know that wouldn't work. Working in the lab, I understand what aseptic technique is and how fruitless it would be to try to replicate it under actual home conditions. But then I had kids and I hated to see them sick, so I just had to try.

It didn't work. And it spread out the agony over a solid month with each kid falling victim 5 days after the last kid got better (and renewing the viral load...).

So now, when the first kid gets it, they stay in bed and watch videos and read comics all day with their brothers and sisters. They get sick quickly and we can decontaminate the house and move on!

Ironically, one of the main reasons I would like to get this one over with is to get the house decontaminated so my folks and sister can come visit in mid February...and have the Christmas we postponed due to other health problems.

Arrgh! We delayed Christmas and got a delayed stomach bug!