The never ending flu, bathroom phobias, and other things.

Well, apparently the flu that's been going around here was the "flu that never ends" or so it seemed. Thankfully, Kaelyn seemed to be over hers (except for a cough and runny nose) in 4 or 5 days. I wasn't so lucky. I had heard reports of how long this bug lasted but I was sure I would get over it sooner because we all take our vitamins so faithfully. When I went into CVS the third day I was sick to get some medicine, the manager said, "I think I'm getting that too" (when he heard me talk). He was like, "My wife has had it for about 10 days". I wanted to look at him and burst into tears. :) That's not typically my personality but I had been sitting huddled in a chair back by the pharmacy shaking because I had the chills so badly and I felt so awful while I waited for them to fill my prescription. It was very distressing to think of it lasting for that long! (By the time I got home from the dr. and pharmacy my fever was back up in the 103s so I'm sure that explained my "emotionalness".) It took 5 days before the fever, chills, and achyness went away. I would get up and do stuff thinking I was over the worst of it and then I would end up back on the couch or in bed huddled under blankets. It was really annoying 'cause I couldn't get up and get anything done without getting a fever. After that part was over, I still had the cough and congestion. Then I had issues with the antibiotic. I always do but I thought if I ate LOTS of yogurt and took a probiotic I might be able to handle this one. By the fourth day of the five day prescription, I could not eat anymore because my digestive system was so messed up. So thus began trying to build my digestive system up as well as everything else. All last week, I would get up early, take Kaelyn to school, then come home and sleep till about time to pick her up. Then sometimes after she got home, I would doze on the couch (in between Kaelyn flopping down on me or needing attention) until I needed to get up and fix dinner and give her a bath. It was awful but I just couldn't seem to get my energy and strength back. By last Friday (10 days after I got the flu) I finally felt much better. I actually was able to eat all 3 meals for the first time in days and when I got home that day I cleaned the kitchen good rather than sleeping. I still have a cough and my taste/smell is still kind of messed up but at least everything doesn't taste terrible like it did for days. Don't feel bad for me though - it really didn't hurt me to not enjoy eating anything for 10 days! :)
Meanwhile, we have a perplexing issue with Kaelyn at school. About 2 weeks ago, she decided she didn't want to go to the bathroom at school anymore. We have all wracked our brains endlessly. She acts terrified and flips out even at the mention of going NEAR the bathroom in her classroom. No one can figure out what happened and she doesn't tell us anything. She has no problem going at home or anywhere else. I've tried to take her myself thinking surely she would go for me but she bolts for the door if she sees me walking toward the bathroom in the classroom. It might sound funny but we're quite concerned because she holds it all day long from 7:50 till 2:00 and I know that can't be good for her. We've tried all kinds of "tricks" all to no avail. I have kind of narrowed it down to something with soap or washing her hands because the last couple times she has gone to the bathroom in a public restroom, when I put her hand under the soap dispenser, she cringes like she can hardly stand it. It's the strangest thing but if I am holding her and I walk over toward that bathroom, she grabs onto my neck and gets this look of panic about her. Some days, her teacher has gotten her to walk in and just sit on her lap on the step stool and they read a story that Kaelyn likes, then other days, they can't even get her to walk over there. We've tried to think of any noise that would set her off because she seems to be getting even more sensitive to noises lately but we can't find anything. Anyway, if you could say a prayer (or if you have any creative ideas that we haven't tried) I would be happy to hear them. I even sat [forced] her to sit on the toilet one day. I had to hold her on and she was so traumatized that I just let her get off. The thing is, it could be something really simple but we just don't know. Other than that, she still loves school and all the kids and teachers! Well, now that you have read probably the oddest thing you've read on a blog recently... :) Tonight Kaelyn wanted a band-aid (which still just cracks me up since she never would have anything to do with them until the "doctor lesson" and role playing at school). Her boo-boo this time was a bruise on her knee and I'm pretty sure she discovered it AFTER she asked for the band-aid and I was asking her where she wanted it. I really don't care if she has them, it's just amusing to me. So I put the band-aid on her and she walked away saying, "Thanks Mommy! That's very all better!"
The pictures I'm including are from a few weeks ago but I thought you might enjoy a couple random shots.


Kaelyn and Kevin playing with her princesses. (He
was providing the voice of Sebastian the Crab I believe)
I thought it was cute.