vomit

*WARNING* This post is not for people with a weak stomach. :)

There is nothing like the first time you get completely covered in your child's vomit. Every Mom remembers the first time. It is priceless, but not in a good way.

My poor Eli threw up for the first time (besides baby spit up) yesterday. It started with a fever and no other symptoms. As the day went on, I was bracing myself for what may come with the fever: a cold, strep throat, roseola virus, etc.

But then, the symptoms came spilling out of Eli's mouth in the form of previously ingested chocolate whole milk, curdled in chunks, accompanied with stomach acid. Then I knew we had a stomach virus on our hands.

The first incident: Eli was so scared about what was going on, screaming and crying. I tried to hold a bucket up to his mouth, a towel, I even tried to gently direct his head into the potty, but he was so freaked out by what happened, he shoved everything away from him but me. I then decided I would take one for the team and let him vomit on me.

The second incident: He threw up again within a few minutes of the first time and again, I sacrificed my body, my clean smelling clothes and my hair. I tried to get him in the bath, but he was still too traumatized. So I stripped us both down and used a wipe for him and I. Then I dressed him in PJ's, put on my robe and went downstairs, praying that the worst was over.

The third and fourth incident: It was 6:30 and we decided to put him to bed early. He was in good spirits for a sick little guy, but still weak. He had kept down some apple juice which was all he ate or drank all day. Chad brought him upstairs and I followed. Just as Chad passed Eli off to me so he could get the bath ready, it happens again. This time, the hallway rug was splattered and I pulled him against me so the rest of the vomit would fall on me and not him or the rug.

When I thought he was finished, I walked into Evie's room to put him on the changing table and before I let go, it happened again.

Poor Eli, sitting in the bathtub crying and scared, is severely traumatized again and sweet Chad tries to explain to him what is going on in kid terms. "Eli, you are not feeling well. Sometimes when we don't feel well, we throw up. That is what came out of your mouth. It is ok because it is over now." He seems to get it, but it is still horrified. He did not want either of us to touch him, poor child. It broke my heart.

I slept in his bed and in the middle of the night, he woke up wanting to drink apple juice. I brought him downstairs and gave him some. He also wanted goldfish.....I was a little reluctant for fear he would explode from the mouth again, but I gave in because I didn't want him to starve.

Today, he has not thrown up since last night before bed. He still has a low fever, but seems to be in better spirits than his listless, lethargic self yesterday. Hopefully this is just a 24 hour thing and he is over it now. We'll see what tonight brings.

When your child is sick, it brings out this protective, lioness instinct in you to do anything and everything to help your child. I wish I had a magic wand to make the symptoms disappear and have my crazy, active child back. It is when he is sick that I realize how wonderful that healthy activity really is. But I am not magic and the only things I can do is comfort him and pray for him. I may not have the power to make my son feel better, but luckily I know Someone who does. :)

P.S. Anybody know how to get curdled chocolate milk stains out of carpeting? I tried Resolve stain cleaner, but it did not work. :(