I feel like all is wrong with the world when my kids get the flu. I have nightmares about it. I live in fear of it.
You know why? Because I get horrible sympathy nausea.
It’s that moment when I get up in the morning and walk out to the living room, only to find my couch wet from vomit clean-up, my daughter curled up in a ball watching “Curious George” and a look from my husband that says, “she’s sick” – and do you know what happens? I immediately feel nauseous.
Is this a thing? Is it normal? For some reason, I get so worried about my loved ones when they are sick, that I make my own self sick. I remember the first time my husband was ill after we were married; he slept on the couch so he wouldn’t wake me during the night, but I lay in bed shivering all night long feeling sick to my stomach and not sleeping a wink. Yes, I am aware of how crazy I sound because there was physically nothing wrong with me. I hate knowing it is mental and not being able to control it.
Praise God for my husband; he is a pro when my little girl gets ill (which has luckily only happened twice in her short 3-year lifespan). He’s the one that sleeps on the couch with her, grabs the bucket at 3 a.m., and lets her lay on him all day long. I – the horrific mother – gladly take care of the baby in another room so that I – ahem, I mean HE – won’t get the bug. You see, I fear myself getting sick just as much as I fear for my family. I can’t think of anything worse than vomiting. Ugh.
Anyway, all this to say that I have some weird mental nausea that I can’t seem to control and I annoy myself with it. Does anyone else experience this?
Oh, did I mention my daughter has had the flu in the last 24 hours? Inspiration has to come from somewhere…
p.s. I’m not above trying anything and everything to keep from getting sick myself, so I decided to try the grape juice method to prevent stomach flu. Ever heard of it? I remembered reading an article a couple of months back, so I looked it up again yesterday. You’re supposed to drink 3 glasses a day of 100% grape juice (no sugar added), for a few days after being exposed. According to minnesotamamasmusthaves.com (who researched it), this is how it works:
“The grape juice works by changing the pH in your intestinal tract to one that doesn’t let the virus multiply. It also harbors various strong anti-viral chemicals in it. Along with the Vitamin C and anti-oxidants in the juice, it’s supposed to flush and kill the virus and/or severely lesson the symptoms. When you get a stomach virus, it actually isn’t in your stomach, it’s all in your large and small intestines. The effects of what it’s doing to those makes you sick to your stomach (changing the acidity in your stomach). Keeping the pH of the intestines slightly more alkaline is supposed to stop the virus from taking hold.”
I started drinking it yesterday, and so far, so good. I’ll let you know if something goes horribly wrong!
*UPDATE: As far as I know, the grape juice saved the day! Both my husband and myself avoided getting sick. Who knows if it was the grape juice, or if we just didn’t pick up the virus – but who cares?! I didn’t vomit, and that’s what matters. FYI, I drank 3 small glasses a day (breakfast, afternoon, dinner) for 3-4 days.