Thursday, February 19, 2009

Ummm, that's my duvet...

I thought we made it past the hurdle.

But perhaps I should've known better when the daycare provider (I NEED a nickname for this lady - DP?) told me the other little tot in her care was still experiencing symptoms. That was this morning. He's been sick for a week and a half now - on and off. What the 'eff do these kids have?

So Maddie had a few great days and then this morning - wanted nothing to do with breakfast. Apparently was pretty tired and crappy all day - but was totally cheery when I picked her up. Ate dinner no probs. Not a normal appetite - but enough to make me not even consider something was up. No pun intended...

Fast-forward to post-bath cuddle time. She's sleepy. We've read her stories. Now we're honing in the homestretch - bottle time. She took the majority of a bottle the past couple of nights - had to be coaxed a bit, but ended up taking it fine.

Tonight? I bring the bottle to her sightline and she vomits. Oh, I mean PROJECTILE. All over me. All over the duvet. And cried and cried and cried, while I just held her and rocked her and wondered if that slimy feeling on my neck was vomit - oh-yes-it-was.

I felt so bad for the little button. And all she wanted to do was go to bed (so you know she'll be up at 3am hungry and annoyed because she's just puked everything she could have possibly eaten all day long, and now her stomach is as empty as... whatever - too tired for metaphors...).

So she went to bed - happily. Snuggled down immediately and if I know her breathing - she was asleep by the time we watched the opening credits of Survivor.

But seriously - what the heck is this superbug? I thought it was maybe Rotavirus - but doesn't a fever go with that? And does it last for 10 days?!?

And also - not important, and I feel bad asking. But actually kinda important to me, even if it makes me a bad mom ... how do you wash a goose down duvet? Can you even? Cuz - gross. It's. A. Mess.

xxoo.S

PS - for anyone wondering - Seth is still sick too. Not puking sick - but still not eating more than one meal a day. Damn - either I've had this before (don't think so - would've remembered this gong show) or I have the immune system of Wonder Woman...

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

awwwwwww my poor little darling !!!
do you need grama for a couple days

M said...

Hey Sare -
Sometimes with little ones, even once the bug is gone the GI tract is still irritated for a week or so after. Kinda like what Seth is experiencing now. They just have a lower "vomit threshold"
take care!
PS sorry no martha stewart tips for your duvet!

Anonymous said...

Poor Maddy. I hope she feels better soon. Caitlyn seems to be over whatever it was she had earlier this week and Liam hasn't picked it up (knock on wood). It's probably a virus, so it's entirely possible the little guy at your daycare has been reinfected rather than it just hanging on. All I can say is disinfectant wipes for everyone! You could always take a package over to your DP...

And about the duvet...I have no idea. Drycleaning?

Carly Foster said...

Oh, yik. Lucy threw up all over me last week, and I was only wearing my nursing bra. So yes -- warm vomit all over my neck, arms, belly and feet.

As for the duvet, we wash ours regularly. Unfortunately I'm a sweater, so it can get pretty grungy. Especially after Lucy was born, and I sweated out all the retained fluid. So. gross.

ANYWAYS, just toss it in the wash as usual. The most important part is to make sure it fully dries, or the feathers go moldy. The secret? Toss tennis balls into the dryer with the duvet -- they hit the fabric and feathers to make sure they don't clump together and stay wet.

Makes a racket, but worth it. Plus cheaper and healthier than drowning the blanket in dry cleaning chemicals.

Sara said...

Cool - thanks Carly for the tip!

Vone said...

Lilo has had her share of flus and they often last 10 days - the doctor says that's normal. She once had vomit every day for 2 weeks but was totally normal in between. She ended up being constipated and the back up was coming up (totally gross). She got over it before the x-ray came back.

Aren't kids fun :)

Anonymous said...

I would just wash the spot generously with dish soap then toss
in dryer for along time with dryer sheets tennis balls for sure.
Goose feathers do not like water!!!

Carly Foster said...

Debbie, have you had a bad experience with washing your duvet?

We don't use dryer sheets, as again, it's more chemicals (especially worrisome when said fabric is in your face all night sleeping...let alone your kids'). I worry they would just mask the smell?

You'll have to let us know what you end up doing!

Sara said...

I took your advice Carly and just threw it in the washer. I have a front-loader, so I felt pretty comfortable that it would be okay - it was just the drying that I was worried about. And I would have taken your advice on the tennis balls, except we are a tennis-ball-lacking household. So I just put in on the dry cycle about 5 times. Generously shaking the duvet out in between. Worked fine and the smell of vomit has disappeared - fabulous!