Battling the Pantovirus and Keeping Your Medicine Cabinet Stocked

As a nurse I have a tendency to overstock our medicine cabinet (athletes foot spray, topical numbing agents, Chinese muscle ointments - you name it, I've got it) but even I was caught off guard this weekend when Jack got sick with a violent flu bug.

Jack has previously had little colds. There is always a snotty nosed little cousin with the newest strain of the mutated virus who wants to give "hugs"- aka- attempted strangulation. And he had his share of refluxy projectile barfs as a newborn, but nothing compared to this flu. So much barf! I didn't know that so much liquid could come out of a tiny body. It was everywhere, all over me, the floor, the couch. And then I made the rookie mistake of thinking it was over and bringing him into bed with me. The poor little guy vomited until he dry heaved and his little eyes watered.

I didn't realize how heartbreaking it would be to see him sick. I felt like someone with giant hands was squeezing my ribs in and my heart was working its way into my throat. I have taken him for his shots so I know what it's like to see him in pain but that's different because you are expecting it and you know it's only going to last a couple of seconds. AND you know that immunizations are a lot less painful and life threatening than things like measles and polio.

And then there was the diarrhea! If it smelled any worse I would have sworn he had c.diff!

So 4am rolls around and he won't keep the oral acetaminophen down and his fever is 40 degrees and the cool shower only does so much and he is basically inconsolable. So I busted my ass up to the drug store and said a little prayer of thanks to baby Jesus for living in a city that has a 24hr drug store.  I grabbed some acetaminophen suppositories and some pedialyte.

Again, as a nurse I have put my fair share of suppositories up people's butt's but the baby sups are so tiny they are adorable. And the key factor is that they are very very effective; which I am thankful for. Thankful for modern medicine, a super supportive husband, three day weekends, in-suite laundry, and the resilience of infants.



FYI: Good infant meds to always keep on hand:

• Oral Acetaminophen
• Oral Ibuprofen
• Acetaminophen Suppositories
• Gripe Water
• Pedialyte (Use the leftovers for your hangover!)