Happy Sunday! Whew, it has been quite a crazy week for the Zottola Household. We somehow caught the stomach flu for the second time this year π
Jimmy started feeling nauseous mid-week and had some GI symptoms that kept him out of work and then led him to the hospital for fluids by Friday. Sadie had a lot of the same symptoms and wasn’t eating much throughout the week.
I made sure to try and keep Sadie out of Jimmy’s hair, so we had a little back-of-the-car popsicle date on Friday. Bonus: it got something in her belly and she didn’t even realize my trick π Though she didn’t finish the popsicle it was at least something for our already light eater!

We thought we were at the tail end of things on Friday night, but I started vomiting around midnight and ended up in the emergency room by morning because I was feeling faint and couldn’t keep even keep gatorade down.
Looking back, it was comical trying to get to the hospital: Sadie was wailing because she didn’t want me to leave, Niva escaped, I was laying in the car trying not to get sick while Jimmy chased Niva down.
I made it to the emergency room and walked past the nurses station to my room and saw the nurse had an iced coffee and I had to stop and heave over a garbage can. It’s always a sad day when the sight of coffee makes you sick π

I had a really wonderful nurse who was patient with me as I got sick and tried to answer questions about my date of birth, insurance, symptoms, etc.
I got hooked up with an IV and received fluids, zofran (for the nausea), and pain medication (for the killer headache I had) and left the hospital within a few hours feeling run down but worlds better than I did when I went in! So thankful for medical care, hospitals, doctors, and nurses. They’re the real MVPs π
We spent a lot of the day alternating between napping, getting fluids in all of us, and sanitizing the house. I think the hardest thing about being sick as a parent is taking care of an active child and pets.
It’s hard work when you don’t feel 100% and we obviously didn’t want to ask anyone to come over and help us, lol. Thankfully Jimmy and I were sick in shifts so we could pick up each other’s slack with Sadie and the animals β₯οΈ

It’s Sunday morning as I type up this post and we’re all tired, but I think we are on the upswing! I even managed to have coffee this morning, so that’s a huge win βοΈ
Praying for a normal, boring, no-hospital-visit week for us this week!!
Wow you guys really all were so sick! I feel so bad!
Hope everyone feels better quick!
Love π You
Dad
π
So glad you guys didn’t catch it! Love you!! β€
Urgh! What a lousy weekend for you. Hope you’re feeling back to normal soon. My weekend? Beautiful weather but we’re in a seemingly perpetual lockdown, alas!
It was a wild ride for the weekend, haha! Sorry you’re in lockdown… I feel like I’ve been hearing of protests about it too? I’m glad the weather was nice though!
Ohmygoodness. That not good that you all were sick. And in the hospital on top of that. Glad you are on the upswing feeling better
It was not a fun experience, ha! It was nice to see you and Ed and Norell once I was feeling better!
Hope you all feel better very soon!π
Thank you so much! We are doing a lot better now, thankfully! β€
Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!! Twice in one year is so unfair!
I have emetophobia (a fear of vomit), so ironically I have some random knowledge on this topic that I think might help?
1) no household product will kill norovirus (aka the virus that you guys have) except bleach. The stomach bug lives on surfaces for up to 2 weeks unless you bleach it.
2) hand sanitizer also won’t kill it; only hand washing with soap works. 3) it’s not contagious by air particles. You’d have to actually touch an object that they were sick in or touch a surface that they touched that wasn’t properly sanitized. Make sure the person with a stomach bug washes their hands after they use the bathroom and after they are sick to avoid spreading it. And don’t share food if possible!
I know this is very random knowledge but I hope it helps you guys somehow? I wish you all the best in recovering and hope your sweet family feels better soon!
That is a good way to put it… it felt pretty unfair haha! Have you ever thrown up? My cousin had a fear of vomiting, too, and it was so hard to see her struggle with that.
So crazy that only bleach will kill norovirus and that it can live for so long on surfaces! Thanks for all the helpful hints and tips!!
Your poor cousin π¦
I think my fear actually makes me more compassionate for people going through bugs because I know how horrible it can be!
You’re welcome for the tips π glad they are useful
Oh goodness, how awful!! It is soooooo rough being sick as parents. π¦ I’m SO glad you ended up in the ER, but thankful that they helped you to feel better quicky. Praying for continued healing so that you are feeling 100% soon!!
YES! It’s so hard being sick when you have little ones who depend on you! I am happy to report we’re all back to normal!
I’m glad you’re feeling better honey! I know how difficult it is – as I’m sure you clearly remember how you and your siblings basically took care of each other and yourselves when I struggled with excruciating migraines through the years… I’m so happy that neither you or your sister have inherited them!! I’ll continue to pray for all of you, and I’m looking forward to some fun times ahead! L O V E Y O U!!!
Madre
I’m so sorry for all those migraines you suffered through! I love you mama!
Glad you are all feeling better!
Thank you so much, Nina!
Oh my goodness!! I’m so sorry you all were dealing with this! I hope you are all the way back to 100% now! So glad you were able to get help at the ER!
Sooo thankful for the hospital staff at the ER! I don’t know how they do it all and aren’t sick 24/7! I’m happy to report I’m feeling a million times better π