I never thought it could be happen-- I had never heard of such a thing, but after "surviving" a really not so awesome week in the life of Max, I thought I should share...
It started on Sunday night (really Monday early morning around 3:30am) Max called me to his room which is really rare so I went in to settle him down and as soon as I left, he threw up everywhere-- like SO much. He had had a lot of sugar that day, so honestly I just thought that was it.
Then Tuesday (like over 24hrs after the throw up), we went to the zoo and he wasn't himself-- like real lethargic but nothing hurt and he didn't have a fever. That night at dinner time, he threw up everywhere again-- like major projectile. (AND Chad was home with the boys and had to handle it all on his own :( )
Wednesday, he was lethargic again, and I quizzed him all day, body part by body part if anything hurt, etc. And again, no fever. This kid is almost three but communicates like he's 10, so if there was something going on, he would be able to tell me that it hurt. Then last night (this morning actually) he threw up at 4am- same thing-- EVERYWHERE.
At this point, Chad and I were super frustrated-- we had changed sheets, given middle of the night baths, hosed off chunks in the yard, wiped, scrubbed, and mopped parts of our house that shouldn't be clean in that way, and there wasn't an "explanation".
So Thursday morning, I called his doctor, and they were stumped but said maybe a GI virus and to come in next week if he was still doing this or to come in earlier if he gets diarrhea. (His stools were looser than normal, but not diarrhea.) She was thinking strep or ears originally but since no pain and no fever she kind of ruled that out.
And then Thursday night, he was in bed and came out for no reason so I let him sit on the couch with me, and he wasn't there 5 minutes when he threw up all over both of us. I was COVERED, as was our leather couch, and it just kept coming. This was on the heels of a completely bland diet for 2 days, and the elimination of dairy for 3+ days.
So naturally, as I worrier, I assumed he had some horrible disease or that something was eating his insides or that his body had suddenly changed and he was now allergic to milk, and wheat, and water, and air. Literally, I am praying at this point that God would help me capture my fear- you can't parent out of fear, fear is of the devil-- and that he would give me Mommy-intuition to know what to do and when to do it.
That evening, after recovering from being covered in someone else's throw up, I contacted Laura from Moms on Call-- I've mentioned her 10000 times and I'll say it again- she is so wonderful and so encouraging and knows just what to say/ when to send you to a doctor, etc... she too thought it was just a virus, explaining that it can last about a week if he's only throwing up once a day, whereas someone who vomits 100 times in a day will be over it in 12 hours.
On Friday, he threw up one more time, while at my parents, just a small amount, and then never again. He still never complained of pain, he never had a fever, and really, besides some whiny-ness, he was himself. THEN 4 days after the end of Max's virus, my Dad and my brother got it-- only Uncle Eli was like seriously knocked on his butt for a week and couldn't move-- he did the fever, the paleness, the whole nine yards. My Dad on the other hand was traveling for business and basically just didn't eat to avoid any "incidents" from happening in the presence of his customers. THEN an entire week, 7 whole days, after Eli's last day of being sick, my mom got it. She too had a fever, major tummy pain, and the stomach virus. Hers was quicker but she still didn't have an appetite for about 5 days.
I tell you all this just to warn you that it is possible-- although we typically hear of stomach viruses thrusting themselves upon us with full force, making life hellish for a mere 24-48 hours, they can stick around, and wreak havoc slowly and steadily for a week, plus! How's that for fun?
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