After our trip to the doctor, I was hopeful that things would improve. But I kind of figured it was going to get worse before it got better. It seems that things always happen that way.
Our sleeping quarters are in the traditional Japanese room of her parent’s apartment with sliding doors and tatami mat floors. I’ve been told that most modern houses and apartments in Japan are still equipped with this room. Our room is a little larger than a king-sized bed. We sleep on the floor on three roll out futon mattresses. Only three because the room isn’t large enough for four. The idea was to have Ellie and Chloe share a mattress so Aya and I could each have our own. But with both of them sick Chloe has been sleeping on Aya and Ellie has been sleeping with me leaving the middle mattress vacant. All I want to do is crawl my way to the middle and sleep in freedom, but right now that’s just a hope and a prayer.
Because of the jet lag, the kids have barely been making it to 6pm before passing out. With such an early bedtime it’s making an eventful middle of the night, especially since everyone is sick. It starts about midnight when Ellie wakes up to use the bathroom. I can’t help but feel like I’m catching a glimpse of my retirement years when I witness this now nightly ritual. But this night after Ellie’s bathroom break is when things got fun.
Ellie: (cough cough) “Daddy! Water!”
Me: “What?”
Aya: (hack hack, cough cough)
Chloe: (cries)
Me: “Ellie, please be quiet.”
Ellie: “But she’s bugging me!” (cough cough)
Aya: (hack hack, cough cough)
Chloe: (cries)
Ellie: “Argh! Too loud!” (cough cough)
Aya: “Ellie, Stop!”
Chloe: (cough cough, cries)
Ellie: “Water!”
Chloe: “Pet me!”
Aya: (cough cough)
Ellie: “Go to sleep Chloe”
Chloe: “NO!”
Aya: (cough hack cough)
Ellie: “AHH!”
Me: “Ellie, stop it!”
Chloe: (cough cough)
Ellie: (cough cough)
Aya: (cough cough)
And so the night went on like that until about 4:30am when everyone finally drifted back to sleep.
After sleeping in a petri dish of disease, it’s no surprise that when we took Chloe back to the doctor after a persistent fever that she was officially diagnosed with the flu. The FLU!? What!? And she needs to be on lockdown for five more days! We traveled across the world to sit on a couch and watch Frozen on repeat!? We could’ve just done that at home!
After this, things will get better… I can just feel it! They have to, right?
Even though I woke feeling achy, with what felt like a fever, and some chest congestion.
I’m not sick though. I’m just achy from sleeping on the floor, and it’s not a fever, I’m just warm. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.