My Name is Tia and I am a Germaphobe...

I get a lot of grief over my germ-issues. I sanitize every cart with a complete rub down, then I sanitize the girls' hands upon entering and exiting a store. I will skip aisles if there is a coughing kid in one of them, I avoid large children get-togethers during the flu season. If you and your family has been sick, I won't see you for a while. This may seem over the top for some, but this week has re-affirmed my diligent germ attacking nature. Friday, Novee woke up with the brief yell "My stomach hurts!" then, before any reasonable reaction time, vomits on my bedroom floor. Oh, fun. She has no fever and is acting relatively normal so I try to convince myself throughout the day she just ate something... then the evening comes and she is back to it, not able to keep down any liquids. Saturday morning brought forth a visit to the walk-in, and then back to the house where I try to 'quarantine' my poor sick daughter from the rest of the children. I realize how futile my efforts are in reality, but in my own mind there is some hope if they are not all in the same room. Novee has a slow recovery (and each hour brings new world-ending tragedy; "My WATER is ALMOST gone!") but by Sunday evening she is back to the norm. Whew! Glad that's over! Wait.... did I just hear... NO! 4 am Monday morning Miss Mae begins her run with the dreaded virus. Poor Mae has not been sick before and I believe she has the intention of transferring all of her illness to me via me absorbing her. I am not able to put her down for 12 hours until I have to go to night school. Last night consisted of 40 minute intervals of vomit, crying, rocking, walking, etc. Today has been no different and now another trip to the doctor is on the schedule. Lets pray Durie is safe... Sick children is not something I handle with grace and ease. I am a complete stress ball, exhausted, emotional, and scared to death they will never get better (yes, I understand this is slightly irrational). So, the next time we head out to the public petri dish, I will need a sanitizing body spray to add to my arsenal of disinfectant.