SICK of 2014 already

This is Gracie on December 28th, buried under blankets and hooked up to her Vest machine. 
She was miserable... for three days.

Gavin on December 29th. 
We literally fell like dominoes.

We rang in the new year with the violent, three day stomach flu... ALL FIVE OF US.  Happy Puke Year.  It was awful.  The I-don't-know-how-anyone-got-taken-care-of kind of awful.  It started with Gracie, but, with her, we never know if it's "just Gracie" or if there is something going on.  She couldn't eat without retching, she had a low-grade fever, she wanted to be under blankets... she was miserable.  Gavin and Preston had colds and, with that, Gavin always gets the croup.  So, I didn't really think Gracie had the stomach flu.  But, then Gavin projectiled all across the kitchen two days later (and then everywhere else), I knew for sure.  Then I got it on the 30th and John and Preston later that same night.  On New Year's Eve, I vaguely remember crawling to the fridge for fluids, handing stuff to Gavin in a sippy cup and literally falling asleep next to him halfway on our tile and family room rug.  It was brutal.  BRUTAL.

Then Gracie's fractured ankle.

Now... everyone except Gavin has the flu.  Influenza Type A.  Also BRUTAL.  Preston was the first to fall victim (along with several kids from his class).  His fever hung around 101.4, even with meds, and climbed fast with the slightest window in between.  Despite wiping every surface in the house multiple times, a nasty form of "ick" invaded our home again... perhaps because this boy cannot keep his hands out of his mouth trying to wiggle teeth!?  Ha!

My poor little man.

Then I got it, then John, and despite my most valiant efforts, Gracie.  And that, I am sad to say, landed her in the hospital - - mostly for observation and the need for oxygen at night.  That was our first experience inpatient at Children's Oakland and, though the staff was nice and our wonderful pulmonologist even stopped by (after a meeting, he wasn't even on call), the "accommodations" are less than desirable.  Eeek.  She has a long road of healing before she can get back to school, but at least they let me take her home where she is comfiest.

Gracie's aide, Kaitlyn, dropped this by before we got home from the hospital. 
She is still so sick, but at least she is home in our little make-shift hospital.

Gracie's awesome team made this for her from her entire class!