Well, I don’t know if I can call this a relapse or simply the next phase of this particular flu, but Ray is back in bed with a terrible cough now, red runny eyes and a low-grade fever. These are the same symptoms Sarah and Lyla experienced a few weeks back and a variation of what Rachael was suffering from last week. The bottom line is that this flu is a bit more complicated than the regular kind that centers solely on body aches and a high fever. And worse yet, grandson Nico is at home today with a 103-degree temperature.  Here is a photo that Sarah sent this morning of the little guy sleeping on the couch:

Apparently, there are two different strains of flu that are out there. According to the CDC, the first flu was “the influenza B/Victoria viruses,” which did not match well with the vaccines that were given.  This second strain is “the A/H1N1 type,” for which the flu vaccine is more effective. Lucky us! Our family seems to be running through both.

So far, I am still not showing any signs of illness, but I know how quickly that can change. We have canceled travel plans we had this week in order to simply focus on getting Ray well and keeping me rested. Hopefully, I’ll squeak by if I do my best to keep the Vitamin C flowing.

I know illness is not all that interesting to read about, but this winter for our family has been marked by one bout after another of bugs. We are a healthy crowd too so this is quite unusual. I have talked to other people who are experiencing the same thing so I am feeling like we’re not alone.

Take care of yourselves out there. Make sure to do a lot of handwashing and orange juice drinking. You definitely don’t want this hacking cough that Ray has. It is no fun at all.

We’ll talk again tomorrow.