Thankfully, I am healthy. I got the vaccine early in the school year and, although it is not 100% effective, the medical community is saying that 92% of the flu cases they have seen are strains that are included in the current vaccine. I live in Minnesota and we currently have the highest national death count for flu victims this season. Twenty-seven in all. Of those, 23 have been in the last 12 days.
The hospital where Ponyo is supposed to be born was featured on the news tonight because they are maximum capacity due to flu patients. The hospital is so full that they have flu patients sharing rooms, which they normally don't do. I know the maternity ward is separate from the flu area, but I am also concerned about visitors. Hopefully our friends and family will be responsible and thoughtful enough to wait to meet Ponyo if they have any symptoms. I am sad that most of our nieces and nephews may need to wait to meet her...several hospitals in Minnesota are not currently allowing visitors who are under the age of five. Of our 4 nephews and 4 nieces, only 2 of them are over the age of five.
Also weighing on me is the fact that The Bee has not been vaccinated. I don't want him to 1. get sick or 2. get Ponyo sick. I am sure his immune system is compromised thanks to his lack of sleep and terrible diet (he has been eating out for lunch and dinner for the last 2 weeks or so...today was the first day in 2 weeks that I had time to pack his lunch and he is still not home at 11:15pm, which means his company ordered dinner for any employees who are still there).
Blah.
Oh, and to add to the fun...it has been raining all day, has turned to freezing rain as the night has gone on and is supposed to do the same for the next two days. On Ponyo's due date, it is supposed to rain until about 9am and then the temperature is supposed to drop to 12 degrees and everything will be covered in ice! Not ideal for driving to the hospital when in labor!
Thank God that I have tomorrow off of work. Hopefully I can get a lot accomplished and feel less stressed!
Prayers for a healthy mommy, daddy, baby, and delivery!
ReplyDeleteHopefully a few weeks from now, you will be able to look back and say that everything went smoothly, despite all the potential it had to not go smoothly! These will be good stories to tell your baby girl about the days surrounding her birth :) I'm sorry for the added stress though - like my sis said, prayers for everyone to be healthy!
ReplyDeleteYikes!! The flu situation there is so scary!! I will pray that Bee stays healthy and gets some sleep before Ponyo comes...and that the flu germs stay far, far away from your room at the hospital.
ReplyDelete(Incidentally, is it too late to start looking into home birth?? Haha)
ReplyDeleteThe flu is scary and I hear you on the visitors it makes me a bit nervous about taking her places. I just hope Bee can slow down before Ponyo gets here!
ReplyDeleteAh! The flu is so scary for babies! I keep trying to get my husband to get the vaccine but he hasn't done it, and every time I remember to tell him it's too late in the day and he has to try again another day, etc etc. I hope you all stay healthy!!!
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