Stomach Virus - 2 days until we leave for WDW!!!

[joyfulscrapper]

Ok, it's happening just as I feared it would... it seems November is a bad month for us and getting sick. I didn't think about that until after I booked our reservations. Now November is here and a stomach bug hit DD(4) last night at 2am while I was still up searching these boards for more last minute info. She hasn't been able to keep anything down at all since then. I got little to no sleep and have tons to do before we leave. And I'm extremely worried that she won't be well enought to leave tomorrow night or worse - any one of the rest of us will get it as well. We're driving, so it won't be possible with someone vomiting every hour or so, especially if DH gets it! I wiped everything down with Lysol, now all I can do is pray and wait... Can anyone give me hope?!

 

[DisDreaminMom]

OK, here is the worst case scenario- you go on trip and everyone is sick so you take it easy driving down (more breaks, slow speed) and maybe not go to the parks the first day or so of the trip until everyone is hydrated and feeling better. Best case scenario- only one or no parents get sick. This is very likely. When my family has the stomach bug, I might get queasy for a couple of days or have a "bad belly", but rarely does the entire family get the bug. If you've never been exposed to that bug before, you have the most severe reaction (little kids). Chances are, you've been exposed and will be OK, if not completely unscathed. At least the kids will be quiet in the car (OK, not so funny...). Hope it all works out for your family. Kids bounce back so much faster than adults from this bug, so remember that, too. This is my worst fear, by the way, so I have done lots of rationalizing with myself to lessen my reaction if and when it happens on our trip in Dec. with a 14 hr car ride.

 

[daisyduck123]

Ok...I swear by this......One thing I would do is designate ONE bathroom in your house for your DD to use (if this is possible) and NOT LET anyone else in the family use it. Just try to keep the germs in one place...this has worked with my family.

(We have 4 bathrooms in my house though, so it's easy to just let the sick person have one for themselves).

Good luck!!

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Be really careful not to let the germs spread (maybe even keep DH away from her.) These things usually pass in 24 or 48 hours.

Our last trip to Disney, on our last evening I ws feeling sick. I wound up getting the stomach flu. I was up all night sick as can be. The next morning we went to Chef Mickey's (family tradition on our last morning before we leave.) Obviously, I couldn't eat. I managed to make it through. I "got sick" the entire car ride, having to stop often. We really needed to get home, but wound up stopping in Jacksonville, DH figured a good night's sleep and I'd be ok to finish the drive (to upstate NY). I woke up in the morning feeling so much better and found that someone had gotten sick in the sink. I said to DH, "Gosh, I don't even remember this, I wonder why I didn't go into the bathroom". I hear a little voice say "It was me mommy". Here we go. DD9 (then 7) had gotten it. We had already used an extra day, DH had a meeting and DD14 (then 12) had a class trip the next day. We thoguht about me staying behind with her an flying home but the thoguht of being alone in an un familiar city was scary. So, we headed home hoping for the best. Poor thing got sick from Jacksonville to Buffalo NY (about an hour from home) where she asked to get something to eat. All better. It was a miserable ride and DH was greatful I had collected the popcorn buckets (with lids!) at all the parks as they came in handy (ICK!)

It wasn't the best ride, but we would do it again to not have it interfere with our trip. Hopefully your DD will be fine, but if not she will hopefully be by the time you start the actual vacation and you will be able to look back at this thankful it didn't interfere with your trip too.

Good luck, and WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN!!!

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Ok...I swear by this......One thing I would do is designate ONE bathroom in your house for your DD to use (if this is possible) and NOT LET anyone else in the family use it. Just try to keep the germs in one place...this has worked with my family.

(We have 4 bathrooms in my house though, so it's easy to just let the sick person have one for themselves).

Good luck!!

This is a great idea if you can...
Side note, I am jealous! We have only one bathroom.

 

[TaraPA]

ROFL we have 4 bathrooms & do the SAME thing! I open the door every so often & just spray Lysol when it's the "sick" bathroom!

Anyway - this happened to us in '06 - 2 nights before we were to leave THREE of us got it - thankfully not me. DH & both sons were up vomiting every 30 min. like clockwork. It was a bad one, lasted about 18 hours. I was so panicked that I would have it, or that it wouldn't ever go away (non-rational thinking when you've had no sleep!) I scrubbed & scrubbed & scrubbed in those 2 days prior to the trip. In the end I never got it & they were all fine til it was time to go. Thank goodness! I think I'd be less worried since you're driving - there's no way to get on a plane when you're vomiting!

 

[Belle1962]

to your DD!!!!

Take her to the dr/after hours care--even if you think it is just a routine/normal bug. They may have more suggestions/even meds to help you or more importantly--keep her comfortable in the car.

Pack the lysol. When you make stops--spray down the inside of the car (and let it air out ) I would also keep two windows cracked to let "fresh" air circulate.

Spray your hotel/condo/house down (especially the stuff you know housekeeping doesn't touch--remotes, light switches, DOOR KNOBS, the rod to pull the curtain, etc).

Bring hand wipes and use faithfully---everyone.

Wash your hands. Wash your hands. Wash your hands. (everyone). SInce water is limited in the car--the need for wipes and hand sanitizer.

Be sure everyone keeps their hands away from their faces!

If you can avoid it do not eat a lot of junk on the road. Pack meals/snacks from home--some sliced oranges would be great for her if she can keep them down and bananas. If you can warm chicken broth in a thermos (even canned broth).

Pack a medical kit for the whole family (tylenol, tummy meds for adults and kids--like kids pepto, thermometer, etc) just in case.

Pack an extra bucket/garbage bag/tupperware type container with lid for any "emergencies" in the car on the road. Keep it handy to her.

Make sure extra clothes are easy to get to in the car (in case changes are needed). I would probably let her make the drive in her pjs. Bring extra pjs.

Bring extra pillowcases for her pillow and change regularly.

Keep your dd hydrated. Try Pedialyte or gatorade.

DISPOSABLE CUPS--do not re-use mugs or hotel glasses. Do not share water bottles, other drinks/cups, or "take a bite" after each other from the same fork/spoon or food item.

If you want to go extreme--have the rest of the family (and her so she feels included) wear face masks--decorate them beforehand with crayons. Looks weird, feels weird at first but hey--I see people on airplanes wearing them because of the recirculated air in them.

Take it easy at the parks until you are sure she is better.

I am sure pixie dust is already headed her way and extra snuggling with her mommy and favorite doll/toy/blankie will help a lot!!!!!!

 

[kimmylaj]

just to give you hope my pediatrician always says that it last longer the first time you get it and after that it is a shorter duration. so being you and your husband are grown ups you probably will get a mild case if you do get it, and if the kids have had it before hopefully it will pass quick. feel better soon...really soon

 

[livie1205]

we are doing the lysol thing today....it started friday with dd2 and then that night I ended up at the er and had to get IV meds and saline (helped alot)and the next morning my dh had it! we were all in bed until today....YUCK YUCK then my mom calls this morning and is taking my dad to the er after he had been up all night puking (he was with us on fri)they are giving him a IV with meds right now so he will get better soon...the nausia (sp?) meds and the demaral helps alot....after a while I was just heaving and it hurt soooo bad and that was the only way they could stop my stomach from contracting...I hope you guys feel better soon, it seems to only last about 24 hours if you can make it through lol I just feel bad that the kids had a bad halloween...after 2 houses I started puking on the road HOW EMBARASSING lol

 

[joyfulscrapper]

This is a great idea if you can...
Side note, I am jealous! We have only one bathroom.

Yep, jealous, too, we only have one, so no chance of doing that one. I do keep reminding myself that these things usually don't last real long. I'm real worried about me or other DD (6) getting it because we already have issues with motion sickness, so that could really compound the problem. But it is already looking like she may be past the worst of it. She wasn't keeping anything down (including water), but has now kept some decaf iced tea down for a couple of hours. I am out of many things since I didn't want to stock up before leaving for 2 weeks, so don't have many options for her to drink. Will have to run out to the store later, it seems.

And thanks for reminding me to bring the thermometer and other sick items! I wasn't even thinking about that, but would definitely need that if it strikes one of us while there. And the Lysol will certainly need to come with me!

This same DD broke her arm 2 days before we went to the Outer Banks this May! She really knows when it will stress me the most, huh?! And she was on pain meds when we left for that trip and that got her belly sick right away and I was cleaning up after that and I felt sick the entire rest of the way after that...

 

[blessedby3]

Good luck to you. Im afraid that my story probably wont make you feel better.
We had DD10 start throwing up a week ago Sat. and it lasted a few days. Took her to the Ped. on Mon. and they did a strep test- neg. On Monday they called back and said it was positive!! Two days later, on Tues., my DS13 woke up at 4am throwing up and then at 5:30am (same day) our DD1 woke up and threw up. My DD18 called from college about 9am the same morning saying she was throwing up (she had been in the previous weekend when DD10 started). I took her some supplies (she is 45 mins away) and by the time I got back home at about 2pm I started throwing up. That only left DH that wasnt throwing up (and DD10 had stopped by then). Well, as luck would have it , DH started throwing up the next morning.
No one wanted to come anywhere near our house!!! We had friends get things we needed at the store for us and they would drop it on the front porch and leave
Well, DD1 never seemed to get too much better and wasnt drinking either so I took her to the Ped. on Friday and she tested positive for strep throat AGAIN- she just had it in Sept. along with me. They put her on antibiotics, but she couldnt keep them down, so back to the doc on Sat. for a shot of antibiotics. They said she would have to have two so we were back in the doctors office again this morning for the second shot. Came home and surprise- DD1 throws up again!!! When will it end???????

All of this after DD1 and I had the strep in Sept. and then Me, DH, DS13 and DD18 had it again in Oct.
Dr. says he will be testing all the kids to see if one is a strep carrier after they get off the antiobiotics!!

Good luck to you and hope no one else gets it

 

[denegate]

Get the spray Lysol also and spray everything. When I do this the stomach bug almost never gets more than one of us.

 

[Echo queen]

Wishing you the best, there is some great advise here and some stories. Good luck

 

[chloe770]

Good luck to you. Im afraid that my story probably wont make you feel better.
We had DD10 start throwing up a week ago Sat. and it lasted a few days. Took her to the Ped. on Mon. and they did a strep test- neg. On Monday they called back and said it was positive!! Two days later, on Tues., my DS13 woke up at 4am throwing up and then at 5:30am (same day) our DD1 woke up and threw up. My DD18 called from college about 9am the same morning saying she was throwing up (she had been in the previous weekend when DD10 started). I took her some supplies (she is 45 mins away) and by the time I got back home at about 2pm I started throwing up. That only left DH that wasnt throwing up (and DD10 had stopped by then). Well, as luck would have it , DH started throwing up the next morning.
No one wanted to come anywhere near our house!!! We had friends get things we needed at the store for us and they would drop it on the front porch and leave
Well, DD1 never seemed to get too much better and wasnt drinking either so I took her to the Ped. on Friday and she tested positive for strep throat AGAIN- she just had it in Sept. along with me. They put her on antibiotics, but she couldnt keep them down, so back to the doc on Sat. for a shot of antibiotics. They said she would have to have two so we were back in the doctors office again this morning for the second shot. Came home and surprise- DD1 throws up again!!! When will it end???????

All of this after DD1 and I had the strep in Sept. and then Me, DH, DS13 and DD18 had it again in Oct.
Dr. says he will be testing all the kids to see if one is a strep carrier after they get off the antiobiotics!!

Good luck to you and hope no one else gets it

WOW! No fun! Here's some pixie dust and may I suggest throwing out everyone's toothbrush and buying new ones. If you haven't already done this, your family could be reinfecting themselves with the strep and/or virus.

 

[lazydazy8]

You've gotten some wonderful advice... I just wanted to send some good thoughts and Pixie Dust your way! I've always said, I'd rather be in Disney sick than not in Disney at all!

Relax and take your time getting there. I know it will turn out okay.

 

[joyfulscrapper]

Well, this morning DS and DD (6) are off to school, one last day until we leave tonight. No one woke me up last night getting sick and even though my stomach has been in knots, I think it's nerves not the bug. So far DD (4) who was very sick early Sunday morning seems to be getting somewhat better. Her appetite returned a little last night and she kept down the stuff she ate. She's still sleeping this morning, which is late for her, but these viruses can really wipe you out. Hopefully the rest of us stay well and we'll be on our way to Disney tonight! Thanks for all the great advice and well wishes, I will let you know how it goes...

 

[Erin1700]

Well, this morning DS and DD (6) are off to school, one last day until we leave tonight. No one woke me up last night getting sick and even though my stomach has been in knots, I think it's nerves not the bug. So far DD (4) who was very sick early Sunday morning seems to be getting somewhat better. Her appetite returned a little last night and she kept down the stuff she ate. She's still sleeping this morning, which is late for her, but these viruses can really wipe you out. Hopefully the rest of us stay well and we'll be on our way to Disney tonight! Thanks for all the great advice and well wishes, I will let you know how it goes...

I will say some prayers for you and your family! I hope you have a great trip!

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I get that same nervous stomach before we leave too, a nervous, anxious stomach.
Hope all stays well and have a great trip...

 

[blessedby3]

WOW! No fun! Here's some pixie dust and may I suggest throwing out everyone's toothbrush and buying new ones. If you haven't already done this, your family could be reinfecting themselves with the strep and/or virus.

We ALWAYS get new toothbrushes after strep or any kind of sickness. We wait until we have been on antiobiotics for two full days and then get new ones. Great advice- we always do this

 

[ADisneyQueen]

My kids had that bug- one in September and the other dd in Oct. ( about 5 weeks later). No one else in the family got it when they did. So, it's possible that none of you will come down with it. Have a nice trip!