COUGH, COUGH, COUGH!!!!!

Well this past week has been full of coughing, kleenex, Doctor's visits, medicines, disinfecting and many sleepless nights!!!

It all started last Saturday with a trip to the ER...Abby had fallen two days earlier in the snow and was complaining of her arm hurting, well on Friday night, ALL night she didn't sleep crying that her arm hurt and was running a fever. So...I googled it (because Google knows everything!) and it said that she may have an infection in her arm and should see a Dr., well since it was the weekend the office was closed the ER was our only option, Sergio had to work, so I had to take all three kiddos to the ER during cold/flu season.  What was I thinking!!!!  Well 5 hours later, and about 7 xrays, Abby has an ear infection (even though her ear didn't even hurt and she hadn't had a cold--I didn't like the Dr. very much)  and a sprained arm, so we got her all wrapped up and out the door we went. At this time NONE of my kids were sick.  The next day Emma starts coughing, a nasty cough followed by a very stuffy nose, they Abby starts coughing, ALL week I did nothing but give medicine and blow noses!!! And sense I am a bit of a germaphobe I followed them around with Lysol to make sure Noah and the rest of us didn't get sick, because everyone with kids knwos being sick yourself while taking care of kids is not fun at all, well that didn't work...

Thursday night I awoke at 2 am to the sound of Noah crying and something that sounded like barking...it was Noah coughing and he had a fever, needless to say Sergio and I took turns that night and no one slept.  He was also holding the right side of his head near his ear and saying "owe, hurt"  so another dr's visit was in order. 

First I have to explain the whole Dr. thing here in German, there are about 50,000 americans here and 2 SMALL clinics, so if your child is sick, you have to call for an apt the morning that your child is sick, if you want an apt you better call right at 7:00 am when they open otherwise you will probably have to go to the ER.

 So Friday morning, at 6:59 am Sergio dials the clinic, he is on hold for over 20 mins, finally he gets through, ALL the appts for the day are GONE!!! and there is NO WAY I am goingback to the ER, however they were able to get us in to see a German doctor, Dr. Schmidt whom we have been to before and we like, only problem we have to be there in an hour and Sergio couldn't help watch the kids, so....off to the Dr. again with all 3 kids!!!!  Turns out Noah has the Croup, tonsilitis, and an infection in his gland under his right ear, so...off to the pharmacy to get German Antibiotics and Steriods for his cough!!!  So for the next two days Emma and Abby are feeling better however Noah is feeling worse!!! UGH, it is neverending, more nose wiping and trying to get Noah to cover his mouth when coughing, and of course more disinfecting. 

                                           This is how Noah looked for two days, he had this
                                               look on his face like he was going to sneeze!!!

Well it is Monday and everyone is starting to feel a whole lot better!!! Thank GOODNESS! We are all ready for spring or maybe a vacation somewhere warm.

On another note, still no word on where we are going we are playing the waiting game, for now it looks like it could either be, Omaha, Las Vegas, Miami or Dover, Delaware.  This time around it is a little different because Sergio is having to apply for jobs rather than just being assigned a job, so that is why it is taking a little longer to find out.  But when we do find out I will let everyone know!!!

We hope everyone is staying healthy!!!

--Darcy