'Tis the Season for the Sniffles

This time of year always ushers in dread as cold fronts bring with them biting winds that drive everyone in doors. With the minions all going to school (the youngest in daycare), these little petri dishes manage to bring home every cold, stomach bug, and flu out there. Thank goodness they have been vaccinated against antique diseases, otherwise we probably would have lost minion Number 2 to pneumonia all Oregon Trail style after attempting to ford a river.

Recently I learned, that it is not the cold itself that makes us sick; as my grandmother told me (yours probably told you too) "You'll catch your death of cold!"

But from what I have learned the cold temperature itself does not make you sick. Germs make you sick. Cold temperatures can make things a little more difficult for your body's immune system to respond and fight off those invaders, but for the average person in decent health (not the really young, really old, or those with otherwise already compromised immune systems) the affect of colder temperatures on the body remains negligible. The more likely behavior that explains why winter heralds in as the season of sickness is that people spend more time indoors. It is too cold to go outside. There aren't as many daylight hours in the days surrounding the winter solstice. This increases our proximity to other carriers *ahem* I mean, family members which increases our changes of contracting a pathogen our bodies have not yet had.

Here is a fun and informative video from ASAP Science explaining the same concepts above in more detail.

I remember my first winter in college. I was the sickest I had ever been. I don't even remember what it was that I had. I just remember running a really high fever for several days. The fever was so high that my eyes would water and the tears would feel almost boiling hot. I was concerned with how high the fever was to the point that I would only sleep with someone in the room to watch me ( I was afraid it would get to the point that I was delirious. I would tell you the exact temperature however, my college dorm kit did not include a thermometer. I only remember when I finally went to the clinic on campus after missing a full week of classes, and they took my temperature there, the nurse exclaimed in surprise, "Oh my, you are running a fever of 102."

I looked at her and said "Oh really? That's concerning, considering this is the best I have felt all week."

I firmly believe that if a thermometer had been included in my "off to college" kit, I would have checked my temperature at least once and my room mate would have forced me to go to the campus clinic much sooner. Since I try to make sure that there is always at least one thermometer in the house, whether or not I can find it is a different story as my minions find taking their temperature amusing.

A thermometer is just a thermometer. They are all the same and just measure your body temperature.

At least I used to think so. That was before I had my first child and before he ran his first fever. I have learned the value of quick read thermometers, especially when you have a sick non-cooperative toddler who does not believe you when you say that you need to take their temperature to figure out how sick they are.

FamFave has created a quick read thermometer and one of the best features about it (other than the speed which provides results in about 10-25 seconds) is the large and well lit display. Now low light in a room you have designated as the sick bay is no longer an issue as the green back light allows you to quickly retrieve the measured temperature. FamFave had definitely won over this mom of three with this thermometer.

FamFave has created a special offer for Reviewing Whirlwind readers. 

Click on the picture to the left, add the item to your shopping cart and then enter the promotional code T53OFF4U at checkout to receive the item for the promotional price of $7.97. That is a 53% discount off the regular price of $16.97. And remember, Prime members get free shipping items shipped from Amazon. Satisfaction guaranteed - 100% money back guarantee - no-hassle refund available, just contact Amazon if you are unsatisfied for any reason.

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Disclaimer: Any product mentioned in this blog may have been received for free or at a discount in exchange for a fair and honest review. The opinions expressed above are my own regardless of how the item was acquired.

Two Out of Three Ain't Bad

Meatloaf was right with two out of three ain't bad, except when it comes to sick children.

These past few days has created a complex mixture of emotions within me. My two youngest children have been feeling under the weather with a stomach virus. My morning started out well enough. I had gotten to sleep in because the older two were out of school for Fall break.
I woke up and got Number 3 ready for day care and running errands. My plan was to run errands and then drop him off later. Number 3 was acting a little weird and that should have been my first indication, but I just chalked it up to a restless night for him. Right before we reached out second stop, he started whining in the back seat. I stop the car and look back at him just in time to watch him throw up. Well, not just trow up, but turn into a spewing fountain of curdled milk.

 (You would not believer how many pictures there are of babies projectile vomiting.)

From his car seat he projected the vomit so violently that he almost got it on the back of the seat in front of him. It took about two seconds for the shock of vomiting to register within his toddler brain. When it finally did he freaked out. Never in his 1.5 years of living could he recall his body betraying him in this manner. Then to top it all off, he was now covered in slimy milk curds. His little mind could not wrap around the events and so he sat there, too afraid to move for fear of getting the milk curds anywhere else on him and he cried. Needless to say my errand running for the day was over.

But that was only the beginning.

When I got Number 3 home, safely in the door, I started stripping him down less than two feet inside the house to contain the mess. Number 2 comes up to me before I am done stripping down Number 3 and informs me that her head hurts and that she has already thrown up this morning. Concerned with an emerging pattern I call Number 1 to interrogate him on his well-being. He reported that he felt just fine.

I cleaned up Number 3 and got him and Number 2 some Tylenol as they felt like they were running fevers and then I convinced them both that what they needed more than anything was some rest.

What then followed is what causes me to have my internal conflict. Number 2 and Number 3 slept. The got the rest their little bodies needed. Normally all three of my kids interact with each other antagonizing and fighting creating most of the noise within my whirlwind of a life. However, with Number 2 and Number 3 out of commission my house experienced a quiet peace it had not experienced since before we moved in. I watched Number 2 and Number 3 in their cute and peaceful slumber. I also got to read a book without being interrupted every other line. For the most part my day was perfect with the exception of the occasional instance of vomit in stereo as Number2 and Number 3 coordinated  stomach onslaughts. Part of me feels bad that my children were not feeling well, but the other part recognized that I do not get many breaks and rejoiced at the opportunity for quiet.