Not a Happy Birthday……..

 

Today started off pretty good. Everyone was excited! It was Jen’s 8th birthday……and Jax’s first high school lacrosse game! I had wrapped Jen’s gifts last night and they were all set to go, we bought an ice cream cake…her favorite, and planned to have some pizza and her birthday party after we came home from the lacrosse game.

But that was not to be.

We all piled into the van, Ranchman John, our friend Robin from the United Kingdom, the twinlings, Jen, and me…and Dobbie, too.

After warming up Jax was ready to play and the team looked great!

Even Ranchman John, as the Assistant Coach got in some practice time with the goalie before the game began.

And then helped get the team ready to play.

Jax plays Defense and carries a long pole, and although he may not be very fast, he is very good with his stick skills.

I was very proud of him out there, even though I was also very worried. Some of the players on the other team were 16 and 17 yrs old and very big!

But he held his own and seemed to have a great time.

Jem, Robin, Jen and I found a wonderful location to watch the game from just off the sidelines, with a large bin to block the wind. It almost felt like a summer day. Robin really seemed to enjoy himself.

In the end Sandia Prep lost 8-5, but it was still an exciting game and all the players did a terrific job.

There was one injury and I was impressed with the amount of respect shown by both teams as they all knelt down quietly until the player was able to limp off the field with some assistance.

But as we were packing up, Jen looked up at me from her chair and said she felt very hot and her tummy hurt.

Uh oh! This isn’t good.

And it wasn’t.

By the time we reached the van, she was in obvious distress and began violently throwing up several times. My poor baby!

And on her birthday, no less!

Thankfully we were parked across the street from a Walmart and Ranchman John, Robin, Jax and Jem headed over to get some children’s Immodium (for the horrible diarrhea I know is coming) and Emetrol to help with her nausea.

Then they drove back to the mountains, dropped us off, because by that time I was feeling exhausted and nauseous and Jen and I both needed to rest at home. Afterwards, they drove back into Albuquerque to go out to dinner.

I felt so torn. Jax was so excited and proud of his first game, and I was, too, but I was also so worried about my daughter. I wish I could be in two places at once. And I hope Jax knows how proud I am of him and how much I really enjoyed seeing him shine and do his best……..

Right after we got home, Jen vomited again. I gave Jen a bath, shampooed her sticky hair, washed her soiled clothes and tucked her into bed. Made myself something to eat and drink, because by that time I was feeling dehydrated and had a headache.

Soon after she was in bed, Jen threw up again. Thankfully she had the bowl I gave her. I’m still so worried about her because, unlike me, who only threw up twice when this virus worked it’s evil spell on me, she’s thrown up 5 times already and she’s very thirsty and keeps trying to drink water and ginger ale. I’m so worried about dehydration. I may be taking her to the emergency room later tonight if she isn’t able to keep anything down.

Ranchman John just got back home and brought a package of Depends for tonight’s expected diarrhea, along with some Pedialyte. I’m a worried mess, because she’s never thrown up this much before. In fact she’s always been my healthy child, while my twinlings had everything from RSV to multiple ear infections, but Jen has rarely ever been sick her entire 8 years of life, besides a few minor colds.

I feel so bad for her. She got this nasty, evil bug from me and now she has to suffer, but she’s just my little baby girl. Not fair! And on on her 8th birthday, too!

She not only missed out on having her birthday party on Thursday with her best friends because her Mama was sick, but now she’s missing out on her birthday cake, presents and celebration with her family, too.

This just breaks my heart.