The week from heck

Because it wasn't quite the week from hell, I've definitely experienced worse, but it is a close second.
We started off last weekend with the kids' dad visiting, but only being able to stay for a couple of hours so they went to lunch and were home pretty quickly. It was a very short break and I really needed a longer one. (Not knowing anyone who can babysit for date nights really sucks.) Mike took the weekend off and it was nice having the extra help. Except for that we got virtually nothing done. Monday was a holiday so thank goodness for no school, but that's when it all started...

The cold from heck that is plaguing my family!

First Katie spends nights screaming over the weekend and we don't know why. Then Mike gets a sore throat... then Audrey has a stuffed up nose... and it all starts to make sense. Maybe Katie had the cold first? Who knows, but she doesn't have sinus problems that I can see. Just screaming and refusal to eat. She got much better for a couple of days, but then the all night screaming started again. It has been nothing short of exhausting. I've been pumping Sudafed into Mike and he's doing much better. Audrey has been on a healthy dose of Triaminic and seems to feel okay, but is extremely stuffy.

Tuesday I had my IUD appointment and was also able to get a flu shot for the first time ever. I finally qualified to get one because I have an infant!

Today is my turn. I went to bed with the worst sore throat and a baby who refused to sleep. It's killing me today. My ears are completely plugged and continually popping and my nose is running. I really, really hope that flu shot works because if I feel this crappy with a cold I can only imagine trying to care for 3 needy children with the flu. So you want to know the worst part of all of this?

I can't take medicine.

I am a notorious pill popper when it comes to illnesses. I know exactly what to take for every symptom of every virus that comes around and we're fully stocked with several types of Sudafed for every occasion. Normally I don't take meds at all, but it helps SO much to get through colds while avoiding ear infections and relieving the sinus pressure, stomach cramps, whathaveyou. But I am not allowed to take it! I would be cleaning the house right now if I could just have a little Sudafed to get through the day. Unfortunately, that miraculous drug dries up milk supply and since my child refuses the bottle still, I'm stuck. I am just going to hope the few good deeds I've done in my life get me through this without an ear infection. That's the last thing I need right now.

Now for the bad mommy part... I kept Hayley home from school today and canceled Katie's doctor appointment. She was supposed to get her two month shots today. Nooooo freaking way can I deal with her being in pain today of all days! Especially since I know from experience this will end up with her having a fever and me freaking out over it. We'll just wait on that.

In the midst of all this, I have the worst power company in the history of electricity. If there is a company worse than Entergy, please regail me with tales of how horrible they are because I would find it a stretch to find anything worse than them. Every day this week we have had rain. Not the infamous Texas thunderstorms with tons of lightning and downpours like Niagara Falls. No, just rain. Seattle type rain. Boring, but wet. Along with each rain has come blackouts in my city. Not all of the city... just my area. I'm used to the summertime brownouts from A/C being cranked, but those last up to 10 minutes. This is HOURS of power outages. Finally after three days in a row of power loss between 1 PM and 7 PM they were able to tell us there was a short somewhere causing fuses to pop at the station.

Great.

So find it and fix it. (Easier said than done, I know.) They blamed it on peak hours of usage. I believed them until today. Fifth day of outages in a row and I woke up at 7 AM to find the power was out. And had been for at least an hour. So I called.. and the message says it will be back on by 10 AM. WHAT?! What is going on there??? It was pitch black and I had no flash light so I just told Hayley to go back to bed. School would have to wait today (if they even had power.) I fully expect another outage this evening. Probably another one tomorrow. And each time my air conditioning shuts off while it's 92 degrees outside, I am going to take note of it and give them hell when I call. If for no reason other than it makes me feel better to get it out of my system and not direct my frustration toward my family. FIX THE DAMN POWER. That is all.