- To kick off the festive season, I made sure my son was absolutely thrilled about our journey from the snowy peaks of Colorado to the sunny shores of California just a day before Christmas, where we would visit his grandparents alongside his dad and baby sister.
- During the flight, I noticed he seemed a bit off. I began to regret canceling his flu shot appointment a couple of weeks earlier, but I reassured myself, “He’ll be just fine!”
- We arrived on Christmas Eve, and the kids had a blast playing at the beach. His great aunt and uncle joined us, and he enjoyed making Christmas cookies with his Nana. Admittedly, he may have licked his fingers and touched everything in sight, but that detail becomes crucial later. After opening some presents, I sipped on eggnog, tucked the kids in, and settled in for what I thought would be a peaceful night.
- However, I was abruptly awakened on Christmas night by the unmistakable sounds of vomiting. Both my son and husband were burning up with fever, and they were utterly miserable. I spent the night fretting, changing sheets, and giving ibuprofen, while I, thankfully, remained healthy due to my flu shot.
- Christmas Day arrived, but the one child who should have been excited about Santa was too sick to care. Nana and Granddad were okay at first, but soon they succumbed to the illness as well. Texts from family members revealed that my aunt and uncle were also feeling under the weather. My son had inadvertently spread his illness to at least five others, and news reports indicated that California was grappling with a flu outbreak. I started to panic, fearing they might trace the origin of the virus back to our flight from Colorado. Meanwhile, the baby and I were left alone amidst a sea of sick relatives, feeling claustrophobic in a germ-infested house, which naturally prompted me to start cleaning.
- My initial cleaning efforts were innocent, but soon I became obsessed, scrubbing every surface with bleach. I also prepared pot after pot of chicken soup. It felt as though we were trapped in a petri dish of the flu, with nowhere to escape and no help in sight. We were the last two standing.
- On the third day, my sister called cheerfully from Minnesota, “Oh wow. So sorry we didn’t make it this year!” She quickly hung up, perhaps fearing the flu germs would jump through the phone lines.
- Days turned into a blur of soup, crackers, forehead checks, and endless laundry. It was an all-consuming effort. IT. WAS. ALL. ME.
- Gradually, my family began to recover. My son continued to struggle with high fevers, prompting a visit to urgent care. We spent hours there, and he was diagnosed with a ruptured eardrum and given antibiotics.
- The following day, my mother developed a nasty cough that kept her awake at night. I took her to urgent care where, after another lengthy wait, she was diagnosed with bronchitis and prescribed antibiotics.
- Unfortunately, my son had a reaction to the antibiotics, leading to more vomiting and severe skin irritation. Concerned, I placed him in the shower to clean him up and was alarmed at how frail he appeared. Back to urgent care we went.
- At urgent care, a nurse informed me that I would need to help hold my son down for a particularly painful antibiotic shot. His cries were heart-wrenching, and he ended up with a bloody nose. I felt so overwhelmed that I might have promised him a pony in that moment.
- After what felt like an eternity, everyone started to bounce back. Finally, ten days later (with just three days left of vacation), my son was able to eat solid food and venture outside. We took him to the zoo and the park, and he finally saw some palm trees!
- When he returned to kindergarten, his assignment was to write about his Christmas vacation. His poignant summary read: “This Christmas, I got sick and had to get a needle in my butt. It was this big————–. And I had a lady lay on me.”
In hindsight, while it may not have been the Christmas we envisioned, it certainly turned into a unique family experience filled with unexpected challenges and some memorable stories. For more on navigating parenting and all its ups and downs, check out our other blog posts, including this insightful piece on home insemination.
Summary
This humorous recounting of a chaotic Christmas details a family’s struggle with illness during the holiday season, offering a blend of relatable parenting challenges and unexpected moments. Despite the chaos, the experience ultimately highlights the resilience and love that binds families together.