This bronchial infection still isn't March 2000

Vicki and I are in Day 8 of a bronchial, sinus, upper respiratory thing.
The coughing gets so bad in the evenings that we end up in separate rooms. When we are together it sounds like a hacking-up version of Dueling Banjos.

We've both crawled back to work this week propped up by Robitussin, Hall's, and Nasonex.
Before you say, "Go to the doctor," we already have been to our doctor. It's not the flu. It's just the crud. There's little that can be done. Ride the storm out. Get rest. Drink lots of fluids. Spread it around to everyone you know.

"At least we're not puking," Vicki said from somewhere in the dark of the living room, and from somewhere under two different electric blankets. Her voice reminded me of Linda Blair in the Exorcist during the height of the demonic possession.

"At least it's not March 2000," I said. We both chuckled in a delirious, insane kind of way until that launched more convulsive coughing.

You see March 2000 is the standard against which we hold all household illnesses. Today, we are empty-nesters, but in March 2000 we had four boys ages 3, 6, 9 and 12. When something jumped on one of us, well, it jumped on all of us. There were two weeks in March 2000, March 1-15, that were so insane I documented it day-by-day so we would never forget it.

First, a little back story. Vicki and I have both worked since we got married. So, logistically, these two weeks in March 2000 involved one home, two workplaces, one day care center, and multiple public schools. Here's what I wrote and saved:

March 2000
Dear Scott: The next time you think you are sick and having a bad time, please pull this out and read it. It should make you feel a lot better.

  • Wednesday, March 1: Richard pukes on his desk at school – comes home early with the stomach virus. Scott stays home with him during church.
  • Friday, March 3: Scott leaves work at noon with the stomach virus. Sick until Saturday evening.
  • Sunday, March 5: William runs fever, lethargic.
  • Monday, March 6: Scott reports for routine jury duty – selected to serve on wrongful death jury. Vicki takes William to doctor – strep throat.
  • Tuesday, March 7: Scott in court, Vicki home with sick William.
  • Wednesday, March 8: William okay to return to school. Andrew throws up at 5 a.m. – has stomach virus. Scott off jury duty, but stays home with Andrew.
  • Thursday, March 9: Everyone at school or work. At 11 p.m., Vicki throws up – stomach virus.
  • Friday, March 10: Vicki out with stomach virus. Scott substitutes for Vicki and takes Andrew for district drama tryout. Scott misses work.
  • Saturday, March 11: Vicki still sick. Matthew begins fever.
  • Sunday, March 12: Matthew goes to doctor – strep throat. Doctor prescribes Amoxil – Matthew allergic to Amoxil – breaks out in itching rash.
  • Monday, March 13: Scott misses work – takes Matthew back to doctor. Scott learns mother-in-law coming for two weeks.
  • Tuesday, March 14: Vicki misses work – Matthew can’t go back to school until Wednesday, March 15.
  • Wednesday, March 15: Everyone back at school or work. Mother-in-law still coming.




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