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10 Bright Stars
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| Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 2:29pm | IP Logged
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Hi all! I was wondering if you all have some advice. We have had a bad virus in the house since mid-September. It started with my oldest daughter. She threw-up a few times, then got a really, really high fever that lasts for several days, then a bad, bad cough, horribly stiff neck and pain in her spine...made me think of meningitis, but we took her to Urgent Care, and they said she had bronchitis. (Oh, and she had TERRIBLE night sweats. I had to change her clothes twice a night, and sheets once.) They put her on a z-pack, and she eventually got over it. Three weeks passed. Then, one of my smaller daughters, who I think may have been re-exposed to the same virus at the same "venue" we'll call it that my eldest daughter did, all those weeks later, fell ill. Odd, I know, but true! Anyway, she had the same symptoms...exactly following the same timeline. We ended up taking her to the family doc, and she said it was a virus and to rotate fever meds. (her fevers were 104.5!!!!) O.k. She also gave us an order for an x-ray IF she got worse. Called back to say a few days later that they strep test they had given her came back positive for group B strep. So, she called in antibiotics. She seemed to be improving. Once her antibiotics were finished though, she seemed to fall back into illness. We took her in for the x-ray on our own then, and it showed that she had pneumonia!!!!! So, the doc actually called us that day to bring her in for a shot of antibiotics and put her on a stronger antibiotic....It has been 4 weeks of illness here now, since the second daughter became ill. My 3 year old had RSV as a baby, and he is very sensitive to lung problems and has been quite miserable. I took him in when I took in my younger daughter, as he had been coughing too, along with the 2 year old. Anyway, she put the 3 year old on strong antibiotics too as his lungs sounded rough in light of my daughters pneumonia diagnosis. So, he is STILL sick, and it has been making it's way through the family, slowly...it seems to take forever for the kids to get better, and then today, the little daughter who was the next one to catch it after my eldest daughter, the one who was diagnosed with pneumonia, has a fever AGAIN and has a bad headache, even though she has seemed fine for a week and a half now!!!!!!     This concerned me because she seemed well, and now she is not again. Perhaps the pneumonia has come back? Or, perhaps she has been re-infected somehow by siblings??? We have not taken the kids anywhere, and I won't even let them play outside due to the cold weather making them cough. So, very frustrated feeling that this may be going round and round. I have been in and out of the docs for weeks now. She is sort of treating it as a virus at this point, which means no meds really. So, what advice do you all have? Has anyone else dealt with this same plague??? It is very scary to me, and I have lost much sleep with worry! Not sure how to fight this off. I have spent $100's of dollars on "good" foods...yogurt, the best o.j.s, those fruit smoothie drinks, vitamin C tablets, a little echinacea, etc. chicken soup etc.
Thanks, and prayers for healing would be appreciated! I hate to see then suffer. 
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Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 2:57pm | IP Logged
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this is a time when I tend to think of a big cleaning spree..
using some sort of disinfecting agent I would wipe all the door knobs and light switches and anywhere else that gets dirty from many hands (edges of doors, door frames, cupboard doors, tv remotes etc)
wash all the bedding including the pillows.. using hot water/hot dryer as much as possible
I would use baths with lavender and eucalyptus essential oils.. and maybe some other ways of diffusing those oils.. especially the eucalyptus in the bedrooms.. it helps open things up and will make breathing easier for sleeping.
You might also look at lifting the heads of the beds a bit for easier breathing (put some blocks of some type under the mattress to lift the head of the bed some).
Sleeping is when the body heals so doing stuff to help with better sleep may help a lot.
I would buy special soap to encourage kids to wash hands often.
elderberry, vitamin C, pineapple (bromelain), lots of fluids, lots of soups, lots of garlic, ginger (when I'm not pregnant) if they'll tolerate it.. I use capsules but it's better fresh (not at "hot") and grated into pineapple smoothies..
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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pumpkinmom
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| Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 3:33pm | IP Logged
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I prefer natural methods and I don't even have bleach in the house, but if I was in your place I would get everyone out of the house and clean every inch of surface. Wash everything with the nasty stuff (bleach and/or some type of disinfectant) and use disinfecting spray on soft furniture and anything that can't be washed, open the windows and get the smell of cleaner out of the house before the kids return. Every night after the kids go to bed use disinfecting wipes on every surface the kids touch and change out all towels (and wash immediately). Wash sleeping stuff very often too. Be strict on enforcing handwashing and not sharing drinks and food. I've done this extreme measures twice and it has worked wonders.
Lots of prayers!
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Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
Tending the Pumpkin Patch
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wifemommy
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| Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 3:36pm | IP Logged
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Open your windows!!!Honestly this is one of my first recommendations as an advise nurse. You are not going anywhere and the kids can't go outside so your house is trapping airborne virus. Also though playing in the cold may make them worse the cool air is actually soothing to airways kind of like a cool drink. Also if your house is too warm it is like a germ incubator. Prayers-Annie
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10 Bright Stars
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| Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 3:44pm | IP Logged
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All great tips! Thank you and please keep them coming! I am exhausted from a day of bleaching and washing and ripping off couch covers, but am determined to fight this bug! As I was panting and ripping off the couch covers to launder, since they have all been hacking on that for weeks now, (coughing) I said to my 5 year old daughter, "Gabbi, I am going to find this demon and anihilate it!" She, cooly drinking cranberry juice with a spoon from a cup, said in reply, "Mommy, you are awesome."  That is the sort of encouragement I need since I am SO discouraged with lack of sleep and worry!
God bless you for your care and concern!
Kim
__________________
Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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pumpkinmom
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| Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 6:59pm | IP Logged
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I thought of something else! Get everyone a new toothbrush.
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Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
Tending the Pumpkin Patch
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 7:15pm | IP Logged
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Yeah good idea Cassie.. you might also be able to run them through a dishwasher or swish in boiling water. (I know buying everyone here a new toothbrush can be intimidating  )
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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Aagot
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| Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 9:46pm | IP Logged
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We drink ginger tea. 1 tbls grated fresh ginger, the juice of one lemon, 8 oz of hot water and honey to taste but at least one tbls. Drink as often as possible. 4 xs a day would be great.
You can also bathe in hot water and sliced lemon and ginger. This helps pull toxins out of the body. The lemon gets itchy if you don't shower it off after the bath.
Hth
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Kathryn
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| Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 9:47pm | IP Logged
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Yes new toothbrushes and wash them! This is the kind of time when I go around with Lysol and just spray knobs and faucets and light switch covers and even remote controls! Guess I never really looked at its most active ingredient so not sure how toxic it is but you don't even have to wipe it down and it's fast and quick and when you're exhausted that's what I use. The wipes are good but just more effort for me at this point.
DD 5 had a bout 2 years ago where she was on/off antibiotics for months (a 4-6 month period)!! It started easy enough with an ear infection but then it was a constant on/off illness for about 2 months and then she would go a week or 2 and then have some other virus or infection for few months after that. Sometimes they required meds and sometimes not and I know I worried that something was really wrong with her immune system to make her so sick so much for so long.
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Kathryn in TX
(dd 16, ds 15, dd 8, dd 5)
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guitarnan
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| Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 10:13pm | IP Logged
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Another vote for toothbrushes and windows...when I had my daycare business, I had to sign an agreement with the Navy that included keeping windows open at least 30 minutes per day (regardless of temperature) to allow fresh air into my house.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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ctrivette
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| Posted: Nov 01 2012 at 9:19am | IP Logged
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I'm with the toothbrush and fresh air crowd. I have bought cheapo toothbrushes at Odd Lots and rotated them while the others were in the dishwasher. Now we have a toothbrush sanitizer with UV that we use when someone is coming down with something.
I try to open windows everyday or so...its easier here in Texas than it was in Illinois;). We also keep the heat around 60, our first pediatrician suggested that during cold season.
I give elderberry stuff to the kids and my husband takes oregano (i think?) to fight viruses. Washing and not sharing as well.
Hope you kick this super soon...fall is my favorite season for weather and foods, but least favorite as far as illness:(
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: Nov 01 2012 at 5:23pm | IP Logged
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I'm with everyone else (though I can't have bleach in the house period - it's nasty for me). De-cluttering helps too - oddly enough - less stuff to clean, getting rid of stuff that is just "collecting" (dust, germs, etc).
Also for the immune system - I add ecinachea tea or rose hips tea to whatever they are drinking - just a general immune system support. I know that is spelled wrong, but I can't get up to check it right now ;)
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Garden of Francis
HS Elementary Montessori Training
Montessori Nuggets
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knowloveserve
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| Posted: Nov 14 2012 at 11:03am | IP Logged
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Pure, therapeutic grade essential oils can kill viruses. They are able to penetrate the cell walls when traditional medications can't. So the idea that nothing can be done for a virus situation is not true.
Melaleuca is an excellent infection fighter. All essential oils (of quality grade. Impure oils aren't worth anything.) have disinfectant properties and are safer to use than chemical cleaners. I keep a spritzer bottle of White Fir and Lemon mixed with water for a surface disinfectant. Smells amazing! And when someone starts getting sick I diffuse an immunity blend of oils and am able to soothe coughs/colds with peppermint, rosemary, eucalyptus, frankincense oils and more.
Natural herbs and teas are great but the potency and effectiveness of oils can't be matched because of the way they get into viral cell walls.
A potency example: a single drop of pure, therapeutic grade peppermint oil is equivalent to 28 cups of peppermint tea.
Essential oils are are primary form of healthcare in our home... Safe, effective, natural. We use them every day for all sorts of things. Just be sure if you buy some that you invest in certified pure therapeutic grade oils. The industry isn't regulated so cheaper oils can be more than ineffective, they can be harmful.
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Ellie
The Bleeding Pelican
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Aagot
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| Posted: Nov 14 2012 at 11:41am | IP Logged
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Ellie,
Do you have a source for oils that you like?
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knowloveserve
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| Posted: Nov 14 2012 at 2:50pm | IP Logged
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DoTerra is the only company on the market I know of that has their oils certified pure through a third party lab. They source from the purest, original places to get optimal chemical constituents in their oils. E.g lavender from France, Frankincense from Oman, etc. I was at first shell shocked by the price difference in these oils than those for other companies, but the guaranteed purity is so, so important to me. Who knows the quality of other oils or what fillers they use?!
DoTerra is an MLM company and DOES have a pyramid structure which was a turnoff to me at first. But I have since realized that not all pyramids are "schemes" and I, love, love being part of this company (I don't do parties or shows and I don't earn any regular income from DoTerra, but I do enjoy other benefits from spreading the word)You can buy from them at retail prices. Or buy a wholesale membership $35/year. There's a link in my signature to my retail store but the prices are so high it's almost always better to pay for your own membership to get the 25% discount. Mine paid for itself in the first order.
Because oils have been so transformative I our lives, and we've been able to avoid going to the doctor so many times because of them, I think of the yearly fee like I do a Costco membership... and it's so worth it to me. (plus you get a free bottle of peppermint upon renewing each year so the actual price of membership is about $10-$15.)
You can pm me for more info if you want or click on the "www" under this!
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Ellie
The Bleeding Pelican
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10 Bright Stars
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| Posted: Nov 14 2012 at 8:50pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for all the great ideas, ladies! The children ALL seem to be healthy and well, praise the Lord! I appreciate your advice and prayers and really took all of the suggetions to heart, and acted on a lot of them!
God bless,
Kim
__________________
Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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4Real Forums : Our Lady of Good Remedy and Care
Topic: how to kick a virus out of our lives!
