How to survive the common cold...chicken soup and puppy love.

We've had more than two weeks of round-robin cold virus circulating through our family and I'm SICK of it, I tell you...excuse me a moment...ACHOO!! As I was saying, I'm sick...and my kids have been, too. Craig is the only one who has escaped mostly unscathed. (See? Working too many hours and being away from our germ infested nest for long periods has some advantages.) Our doctor says none of us have anything bacterial so we just have to let it run its course...HA! Easy for her to say. Despite my best efforts to medicate, hydrate, and separate us all, the cunning little germs continue to mutate, making us sick again and again. It's the viral version of the movie "Groundhog Day" around here and it goes like this:

• At some point during the night, ____ (insert any one of my kids' names here) shows up at Mom's bedside complaining of chills, fever, cough, congestion, etc.
• Mom staggers out of bed blearily to medicate said child and return him/her to bed
• Quarantine rules are placed in effect until all healthy kids are sent off to school in the morning
• Said sick child is kept in isolation for his/her own comfort and the safety of others even if he/she is feeling a bit better now that the Ibuprofen has brought the fever down
• Isolation also precludes purposeful breathing on/coughing on siblings even if this is hysterically funny according to the Gross Adolescent Boy Book of Humor.
• Sick child is then installed in Mom and Dad's big comfy bed for the day (see picture below)

  

  Aniyar's turn

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

• Therapy greyhounds are provided to comfort the sick child throughout the day

  

  There's nothing as healing as a good snuggle.

•  Lunch and more Ibuprofen are served in bed...

  

  Yes, it's a heart shaped fluffernutter sandwich with angel wings...yes, I spoil them when they're sick...so what?

• Since OTC colds meds are relieving symptoms but aren't really a cure, Mom brings out the big guns and makes Jewish Penicillin. 
• I'd like to thank Ree at http://thepioneerwoman.com/ and her friend Hyacinth for the recipe. 
• By day's end, the sick child is kicked out of Mom and Dad's bed to continue recovery elsewhere. 
• Yes, the sheets are washed...although I'm considering burning them and buying new if we can't get this epidemic under control.
• At bedtime, medication is distributed, air hugs and kisses are given (I love you but please don't breath on me/touch me!!!)
• By around 3:00AM, the cycle begins again..new face, same schtick.
• Sigh...More chicken soup, coming up.

Who says all that time I spend reading blogs is wasted?

Seriously, this is the best chicken stock ever. I'm making it by the vat these days.