Sunday, February 14, 2010

Norovirus

I have so many things to post, but instead am writing about my disappointing Valentine's weekend. Wednesday I received the okay from my Oral Surgeon to eat a mushy diet. Thursday morning I woke up dizzy and nauseous. I dragged myself to work. I didn't have much an appetiate, but forced some Boost and dry soft cereal on myself. Friday I had a really early meeting and didn't feel much better. Around 1:00 p.m. I ate a few spoonfuls of beans, chicken salad, and potato salad. When I arrived home around 4:30 P had brough home all sorts of Indian things I could eat and a beautiful flower arrangement for Valentine's Day. I just wanted to lay on the couch. My stomach hurt. Around 6:30 p.m. I announced that I had to vomit and experienced the most terrible vomiting I've ever had in my life. THen my stomach hurt and the diarrhea started. I couldn't stop vomiting. The worst part is that my lower jaw is still full of stitches and my chin is still healing. The vomiting pain was horrendous. Finally at 10:00 p.m. I told P I needed to go to the Urgent Care. Thankfully my neighbor was able to come because V was sleeping and thankfully her son was at his Dad's.

The Urgent Care is just down the road and we were taken right in. When I got back in the room, there was a long wait even though it wasn't that full. I finally got an IV, a shot of Bentyl, Zofran, and Dilaudid for Pain. They were pretty sure it was Norovirus (aka the stomach flu). As a microbiologist, it bugs me to no end that people don't realize that flu is a respiratory illness, but anyway.... They gave me two IV bags of fluid and I just kept dry heaving. THey finally let me home at 3:30 a.m. The bad part was that VI was up the night before starting at 4:30 a.m. and would be up at 7:00 a.m. or so. We promptly went to bed. P got up with V at 7:30 a.m. and I slept until 9:30 a.m. I was very grateful for him. I got up and drank two cups of chicken broth and then took a nap from 11:30 -3:30 p.m. I felt better after that. Drank some chicken broth and juice.

We had arranged a babysitter for Saturday so we go visit the Mummy exhibit at a museum and eat (well, not for me) at a new restaurant. So I was diappointed to say the least. We went to bed at 8:30 p.m. and I slept until 7:30 a.m. when V got up.

I'm terrified of Vi and Daddy getting this. I think V may have had a mild case because she threw up on Wednesday night and had one episode of diarrhea coupled with no appetiate.

I made a quick trip to the store today and I.am.spent.

Happy Valentine's Day to me.

4 comments:

KELLY said...

Oh Jen, I'm so sorry you had to go through this so soon after your surgery. It sounded awful! Glad you on your way to a full recovery.

MrsSpock said...

Wow, right after surgery too. That timing stinks! We had a norovirus last Thanksgiving and I don't think I ever felt worse in my life. That can leave you feeling as weak as a kitten for a week.

Anonymous said...

Oh ack, that sounds sooooo awful.

It bugs me, too, that people think "flu" is barfing. My OWN MOTHER didn't believe me when I told her that actual flu is respiratory. She said "Why do they call it stomach flu, then?" I said I didn't know but that FLU IS RESPIRATORY and that STOMACH FLU IS DIFFERENT.

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