The harder I try....

There's a phrase, "The harder I try, the behinder I get," that fits our life right now. Last week was my week of rest because I had sick children. After getting them on antibiotics, I thought they would get better. It's how I think....silly me!

Andrew came home last Wed. complaining he felt worse not better. Hmmm....101 fever. Oops, no school on Thursday...no school Friday...still not feeling better Saturday so we kept him home from church on Sunday. His fever was gone Saturday night, but the coughing he had was not improving. Got him an appointment Tuesday after school with our doctor and she discovered he has pneumonia. What?!?! That's not what I expected to hear. Oh, don't forget a double ear infection after a week of antibiotics. Upped his antibiotics to a super strong one. Now he's feeling stronger every day.

Then last night, I'm packing up Nathan's stuff to go to AWANAS and Andrew said something about how we weren't checking Nathan's temp even though he was coughing. Thank God Andrew said that for two reasons. First, it crystallized a thought that had been swirling in my head--I can't tell them apart when they cough. The cough itself is identical. Felt Nathan's forehead really quickly and couldn't believe how hot he was. Yup, 101 fever and same cough. Off to Urgent Care instead of AWANAS. The doctor put Nathan on the same meds as Andrew. Kept him home from school today because of last night's fever. Today, his fever is gone, but we will play it by ear for tomorrow.

I know we caught it much sooner for Nathan so I'm hoping he doesn't get as tired and run down. I now feel really bad that we were clueless with Andrew's cough. I kept thinking whooping cough, but I was obviously wrong. (We always said the first one is the test model so you can get it right the next time around.)

Tomorrow, I'm taking Rebekah in for an ear recheck (double ear infection). She's not really coughing like the boys, but I'll be pushing for a really long, hard listen to those lungs. And I thought pneumonia isn't contagious. The Urgent Care doctor was quick to point out that Andrew caught it from someone before giving it to his brother.

As a parent, I am adopting a new philosophy. I think I'm against sharing. Toys--sure. Germs--knock it off and keep them to yourselves. :-)

Please keep us in your prayers!