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EP 74: Surviving Sick Season
1.7k Plays1 year ago
In this week’s episode, Candace and Whitney dive into the chaos that is sick season. We’re talking runny noses, mystery fevers, and that dreaded school email that starts with "A case of [fill in the blank] has been reported..." 😷
Join us as we:
- Commiserate over the struggle of navigating one illness after another (Is there a light at the end of this germ-filled tunnel?).
- Swap horror stories about the sicknesses we’ve dealt with in the past (and the ones that send shivers down our spines—hello, stomach bug 😬).
- Share tips and tricks for surviving and thriving during sick season. From managing sick days to stocking your medicine cabinet with the essentials, we’ve got you covered.
We know sick season is tough, but we’re here to remind you—you’re not alone, mama. Grab your tissues (and hand sanitizer) and tune in for a relatable chat filled with humor, solidarity, and a few practical ideas to help you get through it.
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Keep up with the Moms and join the conversation on our socials:
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Questions/comments/need to vent? Email us at momgroupchat@gmail.com
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:07
Speaker
There's no right way to do it.
00:00:12
Speaker
Oh, we're going to get into it. What up moms? My name is Candace. I'm here with my best friend Whitney, and this is the mom group chat podcast.
The Reality of Parental Illnesses
00:00:22
Speaker
Go on and get down with the sickness.
00:00:26
Speaker
Yeah, I'm like going to be like on all in this episode. I'm just like getting over a standard cold from my kids, you know, it's been passed around. Tis the season for sickness. I mean, for me, it's kind of like year round, but this is one like the hype around six season starts and we're in it. We're in the thick of it.
00:00:50
Speaker
I am in the thick of it already, um Alice. OK, why is it that like. I don't know if this happens to you because you have, I think have more experience with sickness than I do. Like it was mild in the girls. Like it was like a day of like them not feeling well and being snotty and they still have a little bit of runny nose, but it's clear and it's like fine. It's way worse for me. And then my mom caught it and it's worse for her. I'm like, is do I have a terrible immune system? No, it's crazy. Like what resurfaces from when you were a kid, like
00:01:29
Speaker
I don't know, I wouldn't say like I was sick all the time, but I mean, you go, I mean, I like remember going to the doctor and being like scared all the time or whatever, but ze I swear my kids will have a runny nose for a long time and then Chris and I'll get it and we'll be, we'll be down and out for like three to five days for sure. Yeah. So I really started to feel bad last Thursday and it's Tuesday and I'm feeling a little,
00:01:55
Speaker
Like I was frantically looking for a cough drop before this and I don't have any.
Coughing and Candy Concerns
00:01:59
Speaker
So I'm like scared that I'm going to like have a cough attack in the middle of this episode. Well, I told Candace that it's the worst at night um whenever I do catch whatever cold. And I told her that I have been known to fall asleep with a cough drop in my mouth without meaning to. It's just I don't know, something about like laying flat and then the drainage starts to really tickle my throat. I'll just pop a one in my mouth and I will like literally wake up at midnight and it's like stuck to the roof of my mouth. I'm like, how have I not choked on this thing? And my first question was, oh my God, aren't you so scared you're gonna choke? But it's like, I don't mean to fall asleep like while I'm actively like using this thing. And then there it is just,
00:02:49
Speaker
happy as a lark sitting at the roof, like a Pearl and an oyster. I'm just like, what the fuck? And then I'll just wake up, hurry up and like chew on it. Cause I'm like, Jesus. Aren't you also nervous about your teeth? Like, what do you mean? Oh, writing yeah. Sure.
00:03:11
Speaker
I feel like I went, I don't know if you like went on this spiral, but I saw in some other like mom Facebook groups about parents talking about their kids teeth rotting and it was like all around the conversation of Halloween candy and like And it truly sparked something in me, like fearful. OK, so Alice is very good about brushing her teeth. Yeah, brush our teeth every day. But I'm going to be honest, it's like once a day. Typically it's before bedtime. Like we don't always do it in the morning. We do it sometimes, blah, blah, blah. But the candy intake has gone up significantly. It is on the rise. And I know we are entering this time of.
00:03:54
Speaker
sweets and sugar and I already have like Alice is a sugar bandit. Like that's all she wants is sweet. She's sweet girl. And the candy, she is starting to like enjoy more of that, like like she loves Starburst and like chewy candy. like For example, she got a Starburst for pooping or peeing in the potty or something the other day.
Managing Children's Health Routines
00:04:19
Speaker
but And literally an hour later, i she smiled and I could see all along her bottom teeth was just Starburst. It literally looked like a second set of gums.
00:04:28
Speaker
was on her teeth and I was like, oh my God, her teeth are gonna rot. And so I've been such a stickler recently about brushing teeth and no candy before bed and like all of that stuff. I'm just so nervous about teeth stuff for some reason.
00:04:44
Speaker
I know, it's like a ah touchy topic because you never feel like you're doing enough and yeah it kind of falls on you to do it, but I'm just like, well, it's gonna fall out at some point. yeah I don't know. I mean, we try. and Does Graydon like brushing his teeth? He like thinks it's funny, but it's like kind of not fun to do. Like he fights it a little. Okay. Margo likes it because we've started was going to do hers.
00:05:14
Speaker
Yeah, Alice likes it a lot like she and she's so great about like she does her job and then she'll hand it to me and I really get in there and like brush for real. And she's pretty good about it. But she still hasn't been to the dentist. Oh, my God. Don't come after me. I'm sorry. I know. It's all made to do list. OK. Great acts like he is choking when we do it. He's.
00:05:40
Speaker
yeah Oh, well, he has a dozen great and have like a sensitive gag reflex. I don't know. I mean, he did. He was little boy whenever. Well, I remember when we were in Tahoe and he was little, he like puked up eggs just because he like did he.
00:05:59
Speaker
how you don't remember that? No, we had that clip on high chair we brought with us to sit on a table. And I remember, because I remember Alice still to this day has never thrown up, not once. So like, that's my claim to fame. And I should knock on some wood right now because my luck she'll puke later today. But I remember you guys being so casual about it. You're like greg Chris was like, oh, he threw up. And I was like to to me, that's like, oh, my God, like I'm scared, you know, and it was so casual. And you were like, and you were like, yeah, he just kind of does that. He's just kind of puking. He like throws up. And I was like, what? But I mean, very, very puking, like every single time he got a fever and it got to a certain point, bomb like it didn't matter.
00:06:51
Speaker
Margot's, she went through like a, I think she had a stomach bug. And you know, normally that is like a 24 hour thing, but hers was like at night after bottle. She was puking every time we put her in that fricking bed and we were changing the sheets. It was like, she'd roll over. She'd be so full and she'd be like, but all over the bed for probably five nights in a row. And then it was done.
00:07:19
Speaker
Oh, wait. OK, hold on. I have so many logistical questions here. Do you have a waterproof cover on their mattress? Yes. OK, I need one of those. I don't think. Well, I mean, we don't have a crib mattress right now. Like we're just at my mom's. But even like I'm already clocking like the things I need for whenever we do move. I'm like, oh, I need something waterproof on there.
00:07:43
Speaker
Yeah, we had it for Graydon, mostly like for pee and stuff. Like I never thought about doing it for puke, but ah yeah, once Margo was born, we just switched her to having it. And yeah, all good there, but they both have been known to so bomb, so.
00:08:06
Speaker
Well, I witnessed remember Graydon Vom when I visited you that day. And that was, I think, just because he had a fever. Right. That was like it. I think that was the last. No, that wasn't the last time he did it. It's it was like maybe he did it on me one time. And I think that was the last one. Like he laid on me and it was just like but on my chest. And I was like, OK, we're done here.
00:08:31
Speaker
Oh, my God. I'm so sorry. It's not. I know that day is coming for me. I like that hasn't happened for us yet. And I'm low key. So scared. It's so sad. They like puke and then they can't breathe.
Sickness Cycles in the Family
00:08:44
Speaker
And then I'm like, are you and he's always like, yeah, but it's just so sad because, you know, I feel i feel like it probably scares them. Yeah. More than anything.
00:08:53
Speaker
because they will once he gets going, it's just like boom. And then he's like, oh, you can't stop. It's crazy. Oh, God. Oh, sicknesses. It really fucks up your day like it a week. And now that you add another kid to the household, it's never all at once. It is. a It's like a wave. Yeah. It's like two weeks of hell. Uh huh. Truly, truly.
00:09:24
Speaker
so that's exactly how is That's exactly how this whole cold started. So Alice had it first. She woke up last Saturday. like and unwell. She slept horribly that night. And I remember like as she was waking up at the middle of the night, I could hear her getting stuffier and stuffier. And I was like, oh, something's happening here. And ah she you know woke up the next day was not well. She was fine, but she like I could tell she didn't feel well. And then that nap time
00:09:56
Speaker
she woke up from that nap that day with a fever, a low fever. and But then after we gave her Tylenol and honestly she was fine and the next day she was totally fine back to normal. yeah And then Evie, it hit Evie like a day and a half later.
00:10:10
Speaker
yeah and then it hit my mom a day and a half after Evie and then now it's me and Vinnie is some first until as far as I know he's fine so I don't know but he's around the least like he's gone all day every day for work and you know Well, you know what's funny? It switches off with me and Chris. like There was a time when Graydon was getting sick a lot, and I was getting sick a ton. And this year, I'd say like Chris was way more sick than I was. like they both i mean Margot started daycare in May, and so Chris was like sick all summer, for real. And I got stuff like here and there, but it hit him way worse than it hit me this year. Okay.
00:10:54
Speaker
Do you and Chris fight over who gets sick more? No, I think I mean, I think I do. I just think since he's in the hospital, like he is around germs a lot. So I feel like I definitely do. But I think when he gets sick, it's like he's down and out. OK, he's super one of the like biggest fights Vinny and I had like recently was in therapy. We were fighting about And again, when I say biggest fight, i this is like a funny petty fight. This is not like a serious fight, but it was over who gets sick more because I said it was him and he said it was me and he like could not drop it. He was like, I cannot believe that you think I get sick more than you. He's like, that's ludicrous. And I was like, you definitely are more so are sick more than I am. And it was like a whole thing. And now we joke about it, like laughing.
00:11:53
Speaker
in a way of like oh well this is one tally in your you know like that we're keeping track yeah that's why i don't know i just ah it just sucks like when you are exposing them to like all the either daycare or school
Family Gatherings and Illness Fears
00:12:10
Speaker
stuff. And I mean, it's something like you just can't avoid. Even if you are a stay-at-home mom, even if you have a nanny that is just with your one kid, like it's unavoidable at some point. And yeah like I just remember when Graydon was really little. Obviously, he was born in October, and Christmas was approaching, and family wanted to see him, but he was still like
00:12:31
Speaker
just two months old and I remember being like super anal because I was so terrified of like him getting sick at such a young age and I remember my brother being like oh just he's like don't worry about it like they'll get sick that one time and then you won't like care anymore and I remember being appalled and I was like He is so fucking little, like, are you kidding me? Like, how dare you say that? And then literally agree that COVID in January, that was his very first time being sick. And, um, that was obviously scary, but he barely, it's kind of like you said. He was like sick for a day. Meanwhile, that was the first time like it hit our whole family. I felt like shoo dooby. Oh my gosh. That first go around with COVID and then.
00:13:20
Speaker
Lo and behold, that was my future. Graydon was sick forever and ever and ever. um Until the end of time, Graydon was sick until we got his adenoids out. We got tubes. like Oh my gosh, we did everything. and He's honestly been, he'll have the occasional runny nose and I'm like, I'm sure. like You know, like the winter illnesses that are pretty common are like strep, flu, the common cold, um COVID still around and... um i um Yeah, all of the moms in my group, like my QN moms, I think like more than one of them have pneumonia right now. Like apparently pneumonia is going around. It is walking pneumonia is going around. I have a friend in my group whose daughter has it.
00:14:08
Speaker
um But they caught it super early and i um I think she was better within two days because they caught it early. That's crazy. And i don't know but yeah, all of it's really scary, especially like when they're super young, like you don't want to see your kid go through any of that.
00:14:25
Speaker
Yeah. Um, and I remember our, our good friend Taylor, who's in our sorority. Um, her daughter got RSV like when she was 14 months old and she was in the hospital and you don't really think, I mean, I personally don't think about like Margo's age, like going in the hospital. Like it's kind of, it scares me more when they're like super little, like below six yeah months or something, but like.
00:14:50
Speaker
Even the thought now of it getting that bad is so scary. and I don't know why I like didn't think of it being a possibility even at... this age to be hospitalized. like yeah It's just a scary season, but like as long as you know you do all the like precautions that you can and yeah all the steps to get them better as quick as possible, like what else can you do? it's yeah Do you take any, so do does Graydon or Margot take any sort of multivitamin?
00:15:24
Speaker
They used to and we haven't in a while. Yeah, we don't either. But it's definitely something I've been curious about, especially especially Alice, because she's just such a picky like she just not even I mean, she is picky, but she just doesn't eat a lot in general. So I'm just so nervous about her like getting enough nutrients and stuff. Yeah. But whenever green was sick a lot like he like I'd say he was sick from like nine months to 16 months. like It was like a constant thing. We used to do vitamin C drops in his water. Okay. Did it help? I don't i don't know. Yeah. um that's I think that's my hesitancy with multivitamins and just like vitamins in general is
00:16:16
Speaker
like the efficacy of them like I just don't know if they're working and and I just for everyone listening like my father-in-law is in your nose and throat doctor like surgeon you know whatever so I'm lucky that I are kind of always have someone on call to like ask questions to and I have asked about vitamins and he's like, you know they he's like they'll never hurt you. you know like you If what gives you peace of mind and you're worried about it and vitamin C, like basically he was like, listen, they're probably getting enough of the nutrients from their food as long as they're eating.
00:16:58
Speaker
and if If not, like and you want to give them stuff, like it's never going to hurt them. And whatever excess is like they take in, your body basically just pees it out. like That's it. yeah so Yeah, I think for me, it's like the consistency isn't there. And then I think about using all this when it's too late and they already have the cold and I'm like, oh, it's not working. I'm giving them vitamin C. It's like, well, bitch, it's too late. The virus in there. The bacterial infection is in there. You got to be consistent. And so we're just not. And honestly, I like.
00:17:35
Speaker
I've just gotten to the point where I'm like, I'm going to let daycare do its thing and build their immunity, which sucks a
Struggles with Chronic Ear Infections
00:17:44
Speaker
while. And I mean, like I said, Graydon was sick for so long. Margo gets sick probably once a month. Not as bad as Graydon. Graydon.
00:17:55
Speaker
never could clear anything. Like we'd get antibiotics and it just never went away. I was so desperate to get him tubes. I like balled my eyes out knowing I remember so clearly how desperately bad he needs. He needed him. And I was like, please get me in sooner. Please. Like he is so miserable. And he was like, I feel completely different about Margo. Like, yes, she will likely get tubes because she's had an ear infection every month for the past three months. And she'll probably get another one.
00:18:25
Speaker
but hers is nothing compared to what he was. Like if they're like, Hey, we'll put you on the books in February. I'd be like, okay, that's fine. Cause the antibiotics work for her, his, yeah it would just bounce right back three days after like we were done with the prescription and it was bad.
00:18:42
Speaker
Yeah. I remember but that was when we were planning our trip to Tahoe together. And I remember there was talk about his surgery scheduling and you were like, dude, I don't know if we're like they, yeah I remember you calling me and being like, listen, I want to go so bad and I want to go on this trip. But if they call me and they can only get him in the week that we're supposed to be in Tahoe, like I'm taking that surgery. And I was like, I get it.
00:19:09
Speaker
And we um we we flew back on Saturday, and he had surgery Monday from top. Yeah. Yeah. And I get it because it's like you were desperate for some sort of relief and yeah. And guess what? It didn't help. It did not help. Well, that was what i my next question was tell us everything that he's had done, like the tubes, all the surgeries and then like how it went. Like I think our our listeners would be interested in like how the recovery was. Like what was it like? buth bla blah Okay.
00:19:40
Speaker
Yeah. So, I mean, you know, Graydon started daycare and he was getting, he probably had four infections within the first four months and we scheduled with the ENT and, um, Oh my gosh, it was so hard to even like get in for surgery. Like I remember calling them in September and, um, they're like, we can't get them in until, you know, it was like February legit. Yeah.
00:20:06
Speaker
And I called like every frickin day like I was like, please, like if anyone cancels and so they finally like someone canceled and we got in in December. He was just so freaking
Surgery and Recovery Experiences
00:20:19
Speaker
sick all the time. Like I think I blacked out in that time of my life. I felt so bad for him. He always felt terrible. um But he got the tubes and I was like waiting for the relief and it never came. Like it turned out that he needed his adenoids out and he was too young to get his tonsils out because I mean he got his tubes when he was like 14 months old and I don't think they do tonsils until three.
00:20:46
Speaker
Like he probably could get them out now. But we had the adenoid surgery like by February. So I can't even act. Like, am I crazy? Like, what is an adenoid?
00:21:01
Speaker
um It's like ah above. I'm going to Google it mouth. I know that like for for both surgeries, I will say like the tubes, he went back to daycare the next day. It was like, it never happened. He was like groggy from the anesthesia. It was a 15 minute surgery, so super, super quick. It went great. But like I said, it just like didn't work for him. He was still getting super sick and his adenoids were so swollen. Honestly, his tonsils were swollen too, but.
00:21:32
Speaker
They took them out. He also had a great recovery with that and went back to daycare the next day like he was totally fine. um If anything, he like the one thing that was shocking to me was he had horrible breath from them like burning it off.
00:21:49
Speaker
And so so stinky. um But his throat like it's so high up, like it doesn't give them a sore throat like it does. Yeah, I just looked up a ah diagram and it's like up. Yes. Like, ah yeah, like above. Yeah, it was like um she said it was 70 percent blocking his nose. Like it was so swollen. So.
00:22:12
Speaker
Number one, he like wasn't getting great sleep. And number two, like obviously his infections were so bad because there it was getting blocked pretty bad. But ever since then, like he's had like one ear infection since then. It's been night and day. And that was like almost two years ago. So yeah crazy. Yeah.
00:22:36
Speaker
Oh, OK. Well, you've been on a journey and you are definitely the person I go to still.
Advice and Intuition in Childcare
00:22:43
Speaker
Like if something's happening with the girls and one of them is like not feeling well or getting sick, I'm always like, what would you do? You tell me. I know I honestly you were the one who like taught me to like rotate Motrin and Tylenol and like, I don't know. You like you really have taught me a lot about sickness stuff.
00:23:05
Speaker
Well, I mean, my brother was right. Like once you get over that hump of that first one, you're not as like taboo to like them getting sick. And like, I just remember like you kind of wait and you wait and you're like, I'm so scared for them to get sick. Like, what do you do? no It's such a scary feeling. But then once they do it, like.
00:23:25
Speaker
one time and then it's kinda the same the second you kinda start to recognize the signals of what it could possibly be like. Margo recently just got an ear infection and she wasn't even like complaining about it but she i could see on the nana that she was waking up a lot at night and that was like my tell-tale sign of her ears hurt. I took her the next day and she had one, you know? So it's like you start to recognize the symptoms um and you get better. i also I was going to say I also think that the sickness thing is like for real where mom intuition thrives because there are just things
00:24:04
Speaker
Like as a mom, I noticed that Vinny doesn't like, I don't know. Okay. So like last weekend when, when Alice like started to come down with this cold, like I could, I could just tell by the way. Okay. And also we were sleeping in the same bed because we, that was when we were in Orlando for the weekend. So I was sleeping directly next to her and all night long she was doing this thing where she like kicked her legs. Like she couldn't get comfortable, which is like not like her.
00:24:33
Speaker
And then I could tell even by the way, like she was starting to breathe out of her mouth instead of her nose. I was like, oh, something's like something's wrong. And then he was like, damn, that was a weird night. And I was like, yeah, she's getting sick. And he was like, what? And I was like, yeah, like I know. And lo and behold, that day, like she had a fever after nap time. And I do think feel that way about mom intuition of like. I don't know, I feel like my something in me knows when it's serious or not or when to like take action. Like there are definitely parts of me
00:25:13
Speaker
that I'm like, okay, I'm going to go ahead and give Tylenol. And Vinny will be like, are you know are you sure? like And I'm like, no, I know where this is going. And you know you remember that voice note I sent you about when I took Margot to get ah checked for the ear infection? And Chris, I like went back home because I had tried to make Chris take her earlier in that day. And he's like, I'm just not convinced it's an ear infection. Remember that?
00:25:41
Speaker
ya And then i I got home and I was like, it was a fricking ear infection, Chris. Like, hello, you're the medical one. And then, yeah but then it was like, well, you don't have to rub it in my face. And I said, why? Because I'm a doctor and you're not like ah like, I can diagnose a child and you cannot, but That's how it feels. You're just like you just know. And, you know, you've seen the symptoms and the signs and you're around them the most. So I definitely know like the common cold and the ear infection. It's like, I think I'm going to be nervous when it's something like abnormal. Like I was just with my neighbors this past weekend and they're like, yeah, my kid just got over strep last week. And I was like,
00:26:29
Speaker
Yeah. my god i think I'm like, don't, I don't want that. Like, yeah, it's so true. I feel like there are things, there are certain things that I'm like scared of. Like I'm not scared of the common cold anymore. Like I, there are certain sicknesses that like I'm scared of still. And those are the ones that I'm like, eek. I like if you have that, I don't want to be around. Do you type thing? I have PTSD from hand, foot, mouth. Like I was going to say hand, foot, mouth is really rough. That's high up there for me. That was not not good. And um and usually like that's a summary sickness, but great. And Alice got that in November slash December. So, yeah, it can happen to anybody, but
00:27:17
Speaker
Yeah, that's that's up there for me. Obviously, that's rough. That's scary. Strep is up there because Strep is like really painful. Like and I feel like they don't eat anything. They don't drink anything because it's so painful. That would be rough. And then it so scary I was going to say RSV is so scary. And I that's something I'm on the lookout for all the time. Like we had friends who have twin boys and they had RSV recently and they were like,
00:27:46
Speaker
They should be done with it by Friday. Y'all can come over this weekend." And I was like, no. like you know what You're like, I love you, but like that's how I am. If the school ever sends out a note like, hey, RSV is going around her hand, foot, mouth, you best believe I am keeping my kid out for at least three days. like I'm scared. And I don't mean to be fear mongering, but that's just a personal choice where I'm like, I really don't want to... I'd rather keep my kid out for three days versus 10 and then feel like shit.
Daycare Dilemmas with Sick Children
00:28:16
Speaker
Totally. I think one of the most delicate like balance things with being with sickness dealing with sickness as a mom is the balance of like being lenient to the point, ah and or how do I say this? like Being understanding that your kid may be sick and they still need to go to daycare. like Everyone has things going on. yeah like We're still going to send while also being respectful of like other kids that are well and don't have this going on. It's like this push and pull of like, oh, what do I do? like What do I have going on? it's like There has to be like a conscious
00:28:54
Speaker
Yes. I don't know. You know what I mean? Yeah, for sure. And like, I don't blame anyone for sending their kid with a nose or a cough, like whatever. Like I remember dropping Margo off on a Monday and like I saw three or four of them with like super green noses coughing and I thought,
00:29:11
Speaker
ah She's going to get that later turned into the ear infection. like It just is what it is, and I'm not going to keep her home because I saw other kids with green snotty noses. like it's just like It is what it is, but yeah, I think I definitely, me personally, draw the line like when it's something very serious and scary. like I don't want to pass that on to anyone else. like Yeah, but all that other the other one, whatever. Well, the other one I'm petrified of is the stomach flu. Like, I'm very scared. I've like succumbed to that already. I hate throwing up. I don't like i my kids have never thrown up. I feel like the whole like bucket like situation with all the time. I just I'm so scared. And that one is one that like it runs through the whole family. I think I.
00:30:02
Speaker
dead serious what scares me the most about it is I've had the stomach flu before obviously I know how awful I feel the thought of having to feel that like if I catch it also I have I'm going to feel that awful and also have to take care of someone who feels awful too like how how how how do you do that it's not great I will say like whenever the kids have gotten it, it's not like crazy. um It's mostly like they throw up once and then diarrhea. And then it'll hit me and Chris and it's mostly like throw up. um This past time that we got it, um I maybe was sick for 12 hours. It wasn't like a full 24, but that first time that rocked my world because I didn't know what was coming. And I was in denial. I was like,
00:30:56
Speaker
I don't I don't have this. You're like in bridesmaids. You're like, I am hu great actually hungry, No, I was in denial. And then it was like, oh, my God, horrible. The second time I got it, which Chris and I bought both got it over the summer ah again.
00:31:14
Speaker
um I threw up once and I was like, yeah, this is it. But it was, it was into the night. So I didn't have to take care of the kids. Like it was just me. oh and i would room And I was the first puker. Chris got it by like the next morning.
00:31:31
Speaker
Two separate rooms doing our thing. Like I was kind of better by the morning. I was up probably till midnight and then I was done. It wasn't too terrible. It's the worst feeling. But I knew and I let myself feel that and I was like, well.
00:31:47
Speaker
Here we go. And I think what do you your mindset? Yeah. What do you do as far as like disinfecting after sicknesses? I feel like that's you have to Lysol fucking everything. Yeah. That's how Alice got sick. And I learned that from.
00:32:03
Speaker
that situation and was we brought toys to your house or to to that he had played with while he was sick it was like two and a half weeks prior that he had had it and Alice was playing with it and that's at that age where you put everything in your mouth and That's how she got it. We didn't like solid. it I didn't know, like, yeah, it was a thing. um And so now, especially like since having Margo, oh, my God, you got a last saw everything. And that'll help. Yeah. You know, so.
Post-Illness Cleaning Rituals
00:32:37
Speaker
Yeah, it's who I after hand, foot and mouth. I remember I did. Well, i I took it as an opportunity to purge a lot of toys. I was like, OK, if we don't touch something like it's gone. um And I remember I also like gathered everything and I like put it in a big tub of like hot, soapy antibacterial like water and God, it's just like the, I don't know. It's just so much mental capacity when your kid is sick. Like, cause it's not only dealing with someone who doesn't feel well, who needs extra, who needs extra things. They're clingier. They're more whiny. Yeah. And then you possibly get sick. So you're not feeling your best also.
00:33:31
Speaker
And then it's like all the fringe stuff of like disinfecting everything, making sure the laundry is clean. If they've if you've dirtied extra laundry, like coordinating doctor's visits, like all that stuff, I don't know about in your household, it falls on me. like yeah And so it's just a lot like it's a lot to deal with. And it's like you need a vacation after you deal with the sickness.
00:33:56
Speaker
I feel like one thing that makes me feel better in these situations. It's like when you say you have that mom intuition, don't second guess yourself, go to the doctor, just set it up because, and I'm lucky here. I think you have this too, where we're a part of Vanderbilt health and we have like walking clinics all over here and my kids every frickin time are sick by the weekend so the pediatrician office is closed but luckily we have a walk-in clinic super close they probably know us by name by now um and we'll just we go every other Saturday morning it seems like and we're in and out and
00:34:40
Speaker
Even if it is nothing, I'm so relieved I went and I can treat the symptoms in a different way than it is an ear infection or whatever. like totally It could be teething. It could just be like a growth spurt. So we're just going to do Tylenol, Motrin, whatever.
00:34:56
Speaker
I will say, like if that is your gut instinct, just take them. It makes everyone feel better. You feel so much more accomplished. um Peace of mind yes it is worth it. We always go first thing in the morning. I'm like, let's get this over with. Let's start treating it, you know um and it's less crowded.
00:35:17
Speaker
but that to say like I like when you're a baby baby um and you guys might already know this but if for any new moms out there like when they are getting that stuffy nose like obviously they can't clear it on their own is having that humidifier in the room um where it makes it a little more moist and easier for their nose and then Obviously, we're big advocates for the nose bot because that is a God. I i have used that. I like it's I have used it almost every day. Like it's yeah crazy. Yeah. I use it constantly. I've used it every day for the past week while we're all dealing with this. It is so helpful. Oh my my God. It is. It's so nice. And I will say like for Graydon, we don't use it anymore. Yeah, I don't really use it for Alice either. He's at that age where he can blow his own nose. So he hasn't really done that yet, but she won't let me use that. If I do that, it's like.
00:36:23
Speaker
Oh, yeah. I mean, he he can blow his own nose. um So we're not. That's not really an issue for him. But um yeah, the nose bought any saline. Like we like the spray versus the drops that like will just shoot straight up in their nose. um All that is very helpful. And then rotating the talent, all the motrin, like I said, every four hours is going to help them. And I'm also an advocate for just like I react quick like Chris is also like, well, she doesn't have a fever. She doesn't need talent. I'm like, she clearly feels like shit. Like, yeah, giving her title and all. Sorry. Yeah. I'm not listening to you. Sorry. So just be um use your mom intuition on that stuff. And um yeah, that's just staying ahead of it makes you feel
00:37:14
Speaker
better about what's happening. And so coming, you just know it's coming. Have you ever been curious about like homeopathic remedies at all? Do you ever fall down that? Okay. I fell down a- Like the onions in your socks type? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Type thing.
00:37:35
Speaker
I fell down a TikTok rabbit hole of like homeopathic sick remedy TikToks.
Exploring Alternative Remedies
00:37:44
Speaker
And now I get fed them from time to time. And I'm always like so curious about these... like i I see these women who like create this... like I don't even know what what you would call it. like A potion. It looks like a potion.
00:38:00
Speaker
in a jar and like at the beginning of six season every year, like their kids have to drink a shot. Basically, they're taking a shot of something. I have no idea. It looked like it had garlic. I'm like, how are you getting your kids to drink this? I don't know. But she like swears that her kids never get sick, but blah, blah, blah.
00:38:19
Speaker
And I'm not going to lie, like there is a part of me that's curious about that, about like Eastern medicine. yeah And like, I'm curious, curious. Well, now that you like bring it up, I will say there was like a point of desperation that I got to with Graydon. And I can't remember like if I did any.
00:38:40
Speaker
thing different But um yeah, it got to a point of desperation that I was willing to try anything like before he had his surgery. And um I know that my friend Erica and you know them, they had a son.
00:38:56
Speaker
who got ah RSV at an early age. And like from then on, he had like some breathing issues and she kind of took like a homeopathic um route because medicine just wasn't helping. And so they like took him to a salt bath. Oh yeah. People do that here in Tampa. That helped him so much. Like they had a membership where they took him until he was like better. It was crazy. okay Wow, you are really sparking this. So they have that here in Tampa. It's called the Salt Room. And they have like toys in there. And it's literally a room filled with salt that you can sign up to play for an hour, basically. And it supposedly like clears up stuffiness and breathing issues. OK. It helped him so much. I'm about to book a time for today, honestly. I'm so sick of this.
00:39:51
Speaker
I feel like not that I'm a doctor, but if you have if your kid had like pneumonia or anything like chest related that's lingering like RSV, like that probably is a good like remedy to take or path to like follow if if they aren't feeling a hundred progressing. Yeah. um But yeah, it really worked for them and. So happy for them, because I know that people swear by it.
00:40:19
Speaker
Yeah, people swear by that salt stuff like the salt room and the salt stuff like for real. Dude, I'm looking to that. Yeah, for sure. But um yeah, if anything, just know that.
00:40:36
Speaker
I don't know. It, it happens. It's coming. Yeah, I know. The other thing I was going to talk about of like other sicknesses that I'm scared of that are less serious. Okay. That really are not life altering, but can we talk about lice for a second? what I thought about that recently.
00:40:54
Speaker
OK, all of my friends who have kids that are like a tad older, like Zach and Joanna, who have Penelope, she's had lice. I remember them talking about it. It seems like lice runs rampant in schools. I personally, as a kid, never had lice ever. That's where my fear is. It's it's lice. And I've never had. um Not a yeast infection, was it? Oh, back BV.
00:41:25
Speaker
Whatever you used to get all the time. Oh, a UTI. Yes, God. Oh, sorry. Oh, my God. Oh, OK. I was talking about bacterial vaginosis. That's what I was talking about. Because that shit sucks. Oh, I'm saying like for.
00:41:40
Speaker
like to watch out for in a girl, like a UTI. I'm like, oh my God, I'm so terrified because. Oh, I'm so as someone as a UTI survivor for real of no, like you all I there was a time in my life where I had a UTI at all times. Like I'm not kidding. So this is like super TMI information, but I am an open book. um I had a cyst on my urethra when I was in high school that I had to have surgically removed. So I had surgery on my privates when I was fun. It was so fun. It was literally like spring break of my senior year of high school, I remember. but um So I have scar tissue or that
00:42:30
Speaker
That this is what they've told me was the reason for my consistent her chronic. Yeah, literally chronic. I um so I have scar tissue along my urethra a little bit, which is more susceptible to like bacteria, I guess. I don't know. So I'm not joking. If I wore a bathing suit ever, UTI, if I got freaky with a boy,
00:42:55
Speaker
I had UTI. If I literally breathed differently that day, I had a UTI. Like I'm not kidding. Like Whitney in college, like did I not have a UTI at all times? You are always going to like the campus doctor. Always.
00:43:11
Speaker
Always. We always had cranberry juice. Cranberry, that Eucora stuff didn't exist back in the day, but if it what if it did, I would have taken it. like i was I tried everything. You opened opened my eyes to... um like peeing after sex. Like you taught me that. And and i that that's the other thing I need to overstate here is I tried to do everything right. I would pee before, I would pee after, I would go, I would shower, I would like, I never stayed in a wet bathing suit ever, ever, ever. Like I was a stickler about all those things and still they haunted me constantly. So I- Until what happened? You got- Yeah.
00:43:56
Speaker
it it It hit a point where I was like, I can't do this anymore. Like it was ruining. And actually it was like when Vinny and I started dating and I was like, this is ruining my life. And like, I need to take charge of this. yeah So I went to my like doctor. I think I went to my OBGYN and I was like, listen, I've been dealing with this for years. And she was like, you need to see a urologist. So she referred me.
00:44:25
Speaker
to a urologist where they did more testing, more than just a P test. Like I had to do all these like swab tests of everything. And they ended up putting me on a long term antibiotic. And I swear to you, it was a year to where I was, it was basically like taking a daily, it was like a daily low dose of antibiotics. um And they basically said that because of the scar tissue is like softer,
00:44:54
Speaker
Again, I don't really remember. But I remember that the normal course of antibiotics wasn't killing the bacteria all the way. So if anything irritated it, it would just start back up again. It was never fully dead. So they put me on antibiotics for over, I think it was like six months to a year, for sure. And I took it every morning and I have never had a UTI since. Not once. That is so crazy.
00:45:21
Speaker
Isn't that crazy? Like I went from suffering to like never having one again, which is so crazy. So if you suffer from UTIs, please like seek help because there is options for you. Um, but it's just also so funny, like when you advocate for yourself, kind of like when you went to the Durham and you got eczema cream, it's like, yeah, if only I just talk to you. Yeah, it's crazy. Crazy. Crazy. So, um,
00:45:50
Speaker
Anyways, all of that all of that to say, like ah like the scent of UTIP is drilled into, like I can spot the scent for from a mile away. I know exactly what UTIP smells like. It smells the same every time. And there have been a couple diapers I have changed where, i i I'm not kidding, Whitney, I smell it. in like I'm like, oh my God, i I feel like she might have a UTI. No, like it has a scent to it. Oh, yeah. Yeah. it When Kim Kardashian could smell a cavity. Literally, that's me, but with you guys. So I if I ever like smell that they've never had an issue. So they've never had a UTI, thank God. But I am.
00:46:35
Speaker
I change their diapers way more frequently. I try to drill water into them or more liquids. If like they're not drinking water yet, I'll add a bottle just to like because you got to flush it out. Yeah. um and Again, that that's probably me just being like overly... They've never had a UTI that I know of, but if I have smelt it in their diapers at all, i'm like I just try to take action.
00:47:01
Speaker
but Yeah. No, that one is scary because that's like, it's painful. I know what it's like. It's hard. Well, and a lot of girls in our cul-de-sac have had them. So I'm like, Oh my God. I didn't even fricking think of that.
Fears of Serious Illnesses
00:47:15
Speaker
So yeah, good to know, especially like when they're this little and if they're in pain and you're like, what is it? Yeah. You know, so just keeping a lookout for that, that and lice are scary.
00:47:28
Speaker
What else? I mean, chicken pox like aren't really an issue anymore, right? As long as if they get their shot, vaccinated. Yeah. So no where I And I guess the other thing that's always scary for me is like broken broken bones. z Like I know that that's probably coming for us at some point.
00:47:50
Speaker
yeah you know But I just feel like the the the scariest part of that is not that like like broken bones, like they can be fixed and like whatever. I think it's just that moment of it happening and the pain and the panic and like getting to the hospital. like i have My heart is like thinking about that.
00:48:12
Speaker
But yeah, we've had two yeah ER visits already with Graydon and. Not fun. Has he had stitches? He got glue on his head. He like ah fell. Fucking freak accident. He fell backwards on a sliding door like um whatever like like like a rat like a track.
00:48:37
Speaker
Like, yeah, the track. he Yeah. And hit his head and busted it open. um And so they were like, look, we're not going to make him suffer new stitches. So we just did glue and like left it open. um It was like in his hairline. So the scar doesn't matter. And I've tried looking for it, but that dude has a mop. I cannot find it. And then he has always had a lot of hair, huh?
00:49:02
Speaker
Yes. And what else? Oh, just the ear thing when that lady shoved the otoscope and the dude's leading. Oh, God. Oh, yeah ah Good times. Oh, my God. Yeah. Anyway. Scary, scary for any. I mean, well, anyway, the l LOL us.
00:49:24
Speaker
being scared of everything but like I mean as a mom it's like it is scary it's like it's your job to like protect them from uncomfortable things or pain or but the reality is ah We are going to have to face. Yeah, like it's unavoidable. And the only thing we can do is to be a source of comfort for our children and to, you know, give them a little bit extra love and comfort during those times. Like let go of your mom guilt. If they need a show, they need a show. If they need a. We bought those. um Throat laws and your lollipops. Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes.
00:50:07
Speaker
amazing. They helped Alice so much the last time she had a sore throat. like Let go of the mom guilt when they're sick. like truly The only thing you can do is comfort your child and like be there for them and then advocate for them at the doctor. If you feel like something is not right and your doctor isn't like doing enough or or taking you seriously, like seek seek another opinion. like Yep. And also being as just prepared as possible, like already have that Tylenol and Motrin or like the saline, all that stuff on hand because then you feel just better prepared and ready to act. And also like with Christmas coming up, that's such a good present for like new moms with like little kids. So true. um especially like when they're already nervous about like their kid ever getting sick.
Preparing for Parenting Challenges
00:50:55
Speaker
like If you just give them a basket of all those things, like they're're they're not even gonna know like how grateful they are to you until that moment.
00:51:03
Speaker
Totally. That is such a good point. We should put our like sickness kit together and like, you know, cause like even, like I said, those throat, lozender, lollipops, like the, uh, we could even do like the, um, vitamin C drops you're talking about, like some stuff that we think, you know, is helpful. So stay safe out there y'all. Yeah.
00:51:31
Speaker
Love you guys. We're here with you. um And like tell us any like crazy stories that you might have because it might help, you know, or I want to hear your crazy homeopathic recipes for all you like organic girlies out there. I want to hear that. I'm i'm like curious about it. I don't think I'm ever i'm I will never be the type to like give up Tylenol and Motrin.
00:51:56
Speaker
But I am, I'm not above like trying some weird onion shit, you know? For real. I'm down. Yeah. Love it. Yeah. Let us know friends. We're all on this together. Love you guys. Love you. Bye. Bye. Thank you so much for being a part of our mom group chat. New episodes drop every Tuesday. And don't forget, the group chat is blowing up on our Instagram page. So make sure you're following along over there. All right. Got to go. My toddler just put something in her mouth.