Swine Flu and the Waiting Game

So, I had a brief freak-out moment this week. Megan came home from school on Wednesday afternoon with a killer headache and a low-grade fever. She came home and went to bed, hoping that she would feel better by the time YM/YW Activities rolled around so she could go. She got up declaring that she felt better, so we all headed out the door for church. Barry was working late, so I decided to just kill some time in town and run some dinner over to him at work. While I was in Michael's, one of the cashiers mentioned that there were now 2 probable cases of swine flu in Huntsville. I didn't think much of it, until she said that the kids who were sick just happened to attend my daughter's elementary school! I immediately thought back to her feeling awful, and the fever, and tried NOT to panic. I said a quick prayer, felt at peace, but decided that if she was still running a fever the next morning that I would call the doctor. So, sure enough, she woke up Thursday morning still running a fever, and it was a bit higher than it had been, so I called the doctor. They got us right in that morning. As a funny side note, I should tell you that it was the first time EVER in the history of doctor's visits that we have been able to skip the waiting room entirely! We walked through the door, and they took us straight back to the room. The nurses came in our room, gloved up, took her vitals, and headed back out. Thankfully, she was given a clean bill of health... just a mild cold. I felt that she was fine, but I felt like I should go ahead and get her checked, and I was glad that I did. A third child from her school was reported as sick with probable swine flu yesterday, and now children from 3 other elementary schools in the district are also sick. Her school had been shut down for 7 days, but now with the other new cases, all elementary schools will be closed until May 14th. We are waiting until tomorrow to hear what decision has been made for secondary schools. Those were shut down for 2 days, and were scheduled to go back on Monday, but we will wait to see if that will still be the case or not.

Thus brings me to the "waiting game" portion of this post. We are waiting to see if we will go back to school... we are waiting to see how the missed days will be made up, or if they will be made up. I am NOT a very patient person. I HATE waiting around for stuff. We have plans to leave for Idaho on May 22. Barry is driving us out there, then flying home on the 25th. We have a non-refundable ticket for him, and it would cost us almost as much to change it as it did to purchase it. Plus, one of the reasons we are going out in the first place is for my nephew's wedding on the 25th. I have been asked to decorate for it, and so I HAVE to be there... we HAVE to leave on the 22nd. If only 2 days have to be made up, that is still doable. I can just use my personal days to cover being gone (as long as my principal will ok it), and the kids (hopefully) can take exams early. If Megan has to make up 14 days of school, I don't know what we will do. I know that there are a lot of families in the same boat. School is supposed to be out in 3 weeks, and lots of people have already made vacation plans. UHG... I HATE all this waiting around! Like I said... I am not a very patient person! 

We are taking Megan up to the farm to spend some time with her grandparents while she is out of school. This was actually all her idea, and we think it is a brilliant one! She is old enough to stay home by herself, but we were really worried about her being bored out of her mind. She had asked if she could go to school with me, but no children from her school are being allowed in any of the other schools right now. So, now she can be grandpa's shadow, and both of them will be happy as can be!