And then there were 12.

While we were waiting for tests results, the doctors thought that Drew had some kind of cold sores on his head. I wasn't convinced. My mom and dad have been by Drew's side for a week and neither of them have any sores. I thought it made a little more sense when the results came back as Shingles. I was a little surprised that my mom or dad didn't get any, but figured it was because Shingles mostly affects the elderly. I'm starting to think that the sores on Owen's face are similar to Shingles. They have lasted much longer than Hand Foot Mouth should and he hasn't had the Chicken Pox shot yet. My dad has Shingles now. He had Chicken Pox as a kid, so he never got the shot that protects against Chicken Pox and Shingles. Owen has been on antibiotics and my dad got some today, so we should be fine for Thanksgiving. The Marsden's are still going to come over, but no one else is. Shingles can be dangerous for pregnant women and 2 of my cousins are pregnant. My grandpa was required to get the Shingles shot for work, but my grandma never had it. Even though we shouldn't be contagious anymore, everyone decided it wasn't worth the risk. This will be one of the smallest Thanksgivings we've had, but I think it will work out well. Instead of having 30 people over, we will have 12. That means we will all fit at our dining room table!

Strep and Shingles

Test results for Drew came back. He was Shingles and an ear infection. Because his ear was already compromised, the Shingles settled in his ear. Sam and I got the Chicken Pox shot, which protects against Shingles, when we were little. Drew was too young to get the shot, so he ended up getting a mild case of Chicken Pox as a baby because Sam and I were contagious from the shot. Because he got the Chicken Pox, he didn't ever get the shot, but that meant he wasn't protected against Shingles. Usually older people get Shingles, so it's weird that Drew has them at 13. We've never been normal medically though. We have weird genetic appendicitis that doesn't show up on any of the normal tests and I was the 15-year-old that no one believed really had blood clots.

the one where drew comes home

I'm feeling a bit better, but Sam is getting worse. We stayed home from church today and got to bring Drew home. We are still waiting on test results, but some of them won't be back until Wednesday. Depending on those results, Drew might have to go back to Primary Chidren's to get IV medications. We are somewhat quarantined until we know what he has. If he can't stay hydrated, he'll have to go back on IV fluids. We have to keep blankets under Drew and then wash them every few hours. No one is allowed to be right where he is so we can hopefully keep anyone else from getting sick. We have 2 super soft blankets from Costco. I brought one up for Drew. When Owen saw me about to cover Drew with it, he lunged for Drew's couch, crying, "Noooooooo!" He burst into tears the second it touched Drew because that meant it was contaminated and he couldn't use it. My mom and I ended up running to Costco for super soft princess and Spiderman blankets so everyone could have their own.

awesome neighbors

I've been feeling kind of sick for about a week, but I've gotten so much worse. I was bone-cold last night. I laid in bed with 3 comforters and a sleeping bag over me, but I could not stop shivering. I woke up once an hour all throughout the night. My throat feels like it's about the diameter of a pencil. My dad headed up to the hospital and my mom came home. A blessing and a Lortab later, I was feeling human again. My grandma and grandpa brought the kiddos back home and now Sam is feeling sick.

I've posted about the Marsden's a few times. They have gone to Goblin Valley and Capitol Reef with us a couple of times. Today Dave took Owen to his house so my mom and I could each have a nap. Later Owen came downstairs and told us Kimberly was going to stop by later. My mom and I came upstairs and heard the clicking of the stove starting. Thinking it was Sam trying to roast a marshmallow or something equally as messy, she called out "What are you doing?" Before we turn the corner into the kitchen, Kimberly responds, "I've come to make you dinner!" We have awesome friends who take rambunctious, contagious 4-year-olds who can't play with friends and then make us yummy dinner. The Marsden clan is planning on coming to our house for Thanksgiving. We'll see if we can get everyone healthy by then.

the one where I learned my lesson

Let's say you are feeling a little under-the-weather. Let's say you went to the grocery store and bought 3 items: cold medicine, cough drops, and Vick's Vapo-rub. And let's say that you sniffle probably close to 50 million bajillion times while checking out. Let's say that you look like you haven't slept for a week. And for fun, let's say that the cashier insightfully asks you, "Are you sick?" Let's say your brain is a little cloudy from The Cold From Hell, and you can think of no brighter response than, "Ya," before taking your 3 items and leaving the store. Let's say that, a couple of hours after taking cold medicine, you are feeling slightly human again. And you are getting ready for bed. Even if you are feeling slightly better, even if you think the medicine is working, if you feel even a tiny tickle in your nose, DO NOT PROCEED TO BRUSH YOUR TEETH. If you do, that tiny tickle in your nose will likely grow. And you will get a look of terror. Because there is nothing you can do. Because your mouth is full of foamy toothpaste. You will fight back that sneeze with all the force your sick body can muster. But you will fail, because cold medicine never works completely, and you will suddenly find yourself in a bathroom full of foamy toothpaste. And cleaning it all up will not be awesome. Lesson learned.

I sense prescriptions in the near future

We in the Smith household live by the phrase "go big or go home." We don't get sick super often, but we like to make a show of it. Drew had an ear infection last week and now his eardrum has burst. Instead of feeling better, as is usually the case, he is still in pain and his ear is dripping. He went to an ENT and had a nasty amount of fluid suctioned. He got a really bad bloody nose, so he had to have his nose cauterized. Everyone has been feeling kind of icky and missed at least one day of school last week. I fear that this is the beginning of the "Smith Sick Show: Winter Edition."