I spent the weekend lying around feeling like death on a cracker. And most of my mental thought other than, “Please, please go away, bug” was consumed by the question, “Which is it?”
Food poisoning and a bad weekend for me
or
Gastroenteritis and a bad week for me, my O, my F, the husband, and my friend visiting from San Francisco
Let me explain. Food poisoning is not likely to be contagious, gastroenteritis (or stomach flu) is. This phenomenon of stressing on my exact diagnosis has occurred only since having kids. See, I had the “stomach flu” all weekend. I visited the porcelain bowl more than 30 times on Saturday. I felt like utter crum-dog. You’ll have to endure no more details than that, but lemme tell you, it was awful.
As a mom now, what worries me the most when this happens is ensuring the kids don’t get it. Because then it would be a total nut-house-disaster-ness-gross-vomitorium-diarrhea-pit. You know what I mean. Nausea and “not being able to control my secretions” is something okay for me, but nothing I want my kids to endure. Let alone have to clean up after.
So I spent a lot of time in bed toiling over the little germs inside me. Was it one of the 27 patients I saw Thursday? Was it one of those little germs crawling from my stethoscope in my mouth? Was it the juice smoothie I had Friday morning with O, the pho noodle lunch Friday afternoon I had across the table from my sick friend? The buffalo wings during basketball on Friday night? What was it? It was a weird food day for sure.
We call this the differential diagnosis in medicine. The list of possibilities of what can be causing a child’s illness. Even as I recover this AM, I am focusing more on the differential than the discomfort.
Mama bear instinct runs strong. Have to keep this away from the kids. Hand-washing every 23 seconds. Lysol wipes and bleach water cleaner.
Five years ago this would have been just an interesting tidbit to figure out, something to talk about at the virtual water cooler… but now, it’s essential for normal survival in our home. Come on, food poisoning, let it be you.
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Katie says
Oh, Dr. Swanson, I am SO sorry to hear you are sick. Mike had something a couple of weeks ago, and the whole time, I was PRAYING it was food poisoning. How terrible is that?! I just didn’t think I could deal with Will getting it next. Fortunately, we stayed (away from him) and healthy. Hope you are feeling better soon! (Oh, and crum dog is one of my favorite “medical” terms I have learned from you!)
Julia Pequlia says
I hate to say I hope you have food poisoning, but I hope you do! I had something like that a couple of weeks ago, but it was a bug that my son passed on to me and his daycare mom via diarrhea in our laps. By then I didn’t have to worry about passing it to him, because he had it first! The Husband here didn’t get it, though, so it’s maybe not virulent. Feel better!
Joelle says
Oh goodness. I hope you are feeling better and that your kids escaped the rath. Aiden is *almost* back to normal, but my goodness the diapers and laundry that have had to be done this past week – and my hands (and his) could not have been washed any more. Sadly for us we all got it here… but finally on the mend.
Nicole says
Oh you poor thing. I so hope for all your sakes it was a case of food poisoning. I know exactly the feeling of being sick and just hoping and praying that it’s isolated to just me. Sending positive thoughts your way.
Tina says
Any updates? I wonder… seems like you have been unusually unlucky to have this twice in one year- and sorry that it ruined your weekend in any case. Hope the babes are ok.
Wendy Sue Swanson, MD says
Food poisoning it is. Yahoooo! Thanks for the well wishes, all. Good to be on the other side…
Paul says
Oh man, Sorry to hear that, and glad you are better. I remember going through a stomach bug as a single parent – mom was at a business meeting – and I learned you can get the kids ready for bed while throwing up a third of the time. The good thing is my kids bounced back from their bug within hours – I was down for the count most of the weekend. Love the blog. Paul, https://birthtothrive.thrivebyfivewa.org