The Black lung.

I think we've got the black lung.

On Wednesday Lucy had a little bit of a cough, but not too bad. Iris wasn't eating much and had a stuffy nose.

Thursday both little girls slept a lot. I figured it was probably just a little cough. Nothin' big. Iris had a bit of a decreased appetite, but she was sleeping all day so it sort of made sense.

Friday Lucy coughed all day and Iris had a terrible runny nose. I drove Jerry to work and ran some errands and planned to take Sam to bingo at the Old Soldier's home. We had a babysitter lined up and everything, but by the time we got home I realized the girls were feeling really terrible. Iris napped ALL day. Literally. She slept from 1pm (when we got home from errands) until we left to get Jerry, at about 7:45. I realized she had only drank about 6 oz the entire day and thinking back realized she had only had about 12 oz the day before and if I really stretched my mind she hadn't had more than 2 or 3 bottles that day either. I started feeling a little bit concerned. We put her to bed at 9 and I made sure if she woke up whoever heard her would make her a bottle, but she didn't wake up.

Saturday Iris slept until noon. NOON! That's 15 hours. When *I* went in to wake her up she refused a bottle. I changed her diaper and finally got her to drink about 2 oz. She fell back asleep at 12:30. I put her back to bed and went about my day... which was not a good day. Lucy was coughing so much that she threw up about 8 times. ALL over the house, always on the carpet. She fell asleep at about 1pm right in the middle of the floor, I carried her to bed and she slept until 7-ish. I freaked out when I realised Iris had only had 2oz and had been asleep for now 6/7hours. I went to wake her up and she was not easy to rouse. I picked her up and bounced her (I hate to say, "shook her" but that's really more what it was like) quickly to get her to wake up. That girl was so drowsy that she kept droping her head and I was FUH-REAKING OUT! I called Jerry to come home right away and gave her a bath to wake her up. She did wake up and was in a great mood, she drank 4oz of formula and was in an okay mood.
By the time Jerry got home I felt like a fool but he was awesome (as usual) and told me I should take her in anyway.

So, we loaded up and I took her to urgent care... which is about 45 minutes away. We were seen almost right away. I don't know how much she was weighing before she got sick, but she was 2oz lighter than what she had weighed two months ago. DOH! That girl cannot keep weight on!

We were there for awhile and came home with a diagnosis of upper respiratory infection (fancy for bad cold), dehydration and a double ear infection in both ears (is that - double double ear infection!?). She has had this dumb 99.5-ish fever for almost 5 days now and is SOOOO pitiful. Today she's started this nasty Gollum-ish cough and has been pitifully moaning/fussing all morning.

This morning hasn't been super fun. Molly's noses is running like crazy, Sam's nose is running like crazy, Joe is fake coughing (he wants medicine -psh) and Lucy is still cough cough -puking all over the place.

Sooo we're home. Missing church. Missing a super bowl party.

Sam is so depressed that he's missing Scout Sunday. He was all ready.

 But instead I layed sleeping bags out all over the living room, and am making popcorn and we are going to watch movies all afternoon

I'm keeping me eye on the prize - Jerry is off work for a week starting tomorrow and eventually, they will get better!