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ravencajun

Murphys law in action.

A funeral time is never a good time but there are things that can make matters much worse.

Friday as all the family was starting to arrive from far and wide the old septic system here at the farm decided to get clogged up and just stop working completely. That leaves the only bathroom the one in my RV! Well we can't dump here because we don't have a septic connection not sure it would have worked anyway. So we could not let our tank get full. So my husband went into town and got motel rooms for everyone for 2 days. OK not great but a good plan.

Saturday the service was lovely and the weather was great for the funeral. The church made a big luncheon for the family, excellent food baked ham with tons of sides and salads and deserts, just very nice.

Every one heads back to the farm to spend time together. Miraculously the septic system has cleared! Good thing because within an HOUR or so people started getting sick, fine one minute projectile vomiting the next. Not all made it to the bathroom. One after the other they were falling like flies! We had a LOT of children here all getting hit. Stomach cramps really bad and could not keep water down.

My first thought was food poisoning. But I think we would have all been sick. It was terrible but I have not been sick yet neither has my husband or his brothers. Mostly the children.

They all left to drive home with the sick ones stocked up with big ziplock bags and trash bags. They all made it home safely and are going to the doctor today.

I woke up today with a scratchy throat and my stomach a little queasy. I AM NOT GOING TO GET SICK! I thankfully packed my Zofran!

Those have been the events of the past few days!

But it was great having the whole family together and mother in law would have been very happy to see that.

RIP MOM.

Comments (21)

  • joyfulguy
    8 years ago

    Oh, Raven ... what a horrible hangover from a funeral!

    ole joyful

  • ravencajun Zone 8b TX
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Lol that's what we said, memories!

    Weare still in Oklahoma, maybegget to go home tomorrow. Lots oflegal sstuff for my husband he is executor.

  • moonie_57 (8 NC)
    8 years ago

    Oh my!

  • User
    8 years ago

    I'm so sorry for your loss and the GI disaster that followed!

    DH and I had his parents get stuck at our house due to a snow storm. Unbeknownst to us, MIL picked up a GI virus which came into full bloom just as the storm was rolling in. We were all cooped up in the house for days, getting sick and I was praying so hard that we didn't lose electricity and plumbing.

    Our toilets and washer/dryer were in use around the clock.

    I hope you feel better and recover from everything challenging in your life recently.

  • morz8 - Washington Coast
    8 years ago

    Wow, what a weekend. I'm almost tired hearing about it. I hope you'll make sure you are both rested and feeling your best before you start back, you don't want to risk being stuck in traffic ill even if you do take your own enclosed potty along...

    What a shame about the nausea, vomiting. That does almost sound like something eaten unless all could have been exposed to a virus same time, same source....and if people were put up at a hotel, that could have happened too...

    Sounds like this will be one for the memory books....you can laugh later.

  • User
    8 years ago

    Was the ham a stuffed ham? Stuffed ham is really popular in parts of Maryland, and got hundreds of people sick at a church picnic years ago. It was really bad.

  • katlan
    8 years ago

    My sympathies for the loss of your MIL Raven. God bless her soul.

    It really is true, when it rains it pours.

    When my Dad died, I had just found out I was pregnant with my daughter. I had morning sickness to start with, then crying so hard it makes you throw up on top of that.

    The next day we have NO water, something wrong with the foot valve in the bottom of our 100 foot well. I had to meet my mom and sisters at the funeral home to make arrangements, I went out and got in the vehicle and it wouldn't start, I just sat and cried........

    Safe travels home Raven, and I really hope neither of you get sick.

  • ravencajun Zone 8b TX
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    No it was sliced bake ham and we all ate ham so I don't think it was that. Some of the sick group had breakfast at McDonald's that morning it could have been from there because not all of us ate there. There were several babies so it's possible it was a virus going around daycare or something. I don't know but goodness it was bad.

    I am feeling fine now I don't think I am going to get it, probably wwould have by now. I will be happy to get home though lol. Rocking chair memories

  • betty_lee52
    8 years ago

    You mentioned the friends and neighbors bringing food and the church feeding the family. My folks lived in Hennipen near Davis and the community was so supportive when DGF died. Those Okies are good people.

  • cynic
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Talk about good, bad and worse! Good to have the get-together, bad circumstance for the get-together and worse, so many getting sick. Every now and then do you contemplate putting out a contract on "Murphy"?

    And that Zofran is great stuff isn't it?!

    Condolences on your loss. Glad you didn't get the worst of the "activities".

  • User
    8 years ago

    Norovirus has the same symptoms you described. Hope you escape the incubation period! What a trying time for everyone... :(

  • User
    8 years ago

    I could have used some Zofran when I got the virus (my working guess is that it was noro). Nausea was the worst!

  • nicole___
    8 years ago

    Great you got to see everyone....sad everyone was sick. What a time you all had!

  • jemdandy
    8 years ago

    ravencajun:

    Your experience reminded me of a story. I hope that you get a smile or two from it.

    THE BAPTIST CHURCH DINNER!

    A
    group of friends from the Cottonwood Baptist Church wanted to get
    together on a regular basis, socialize, and play games. The lady of the
    house was to prepare the meal.


    When
    it came time for Al and Janet to be the hosts, Janet wanted to outdo
    all the others. She decided to have mushroom-smothered steak. But
    mushrooms are expensive.

    She then told her husband, “No mushrooms. They are too high.”

    He said, “Why don’t you go down in the pasture and pick some of those mushrooms? There are plenty in the creek bed.”

    She said, “No, some wild mushrooms are poison.”

    He said, “Well, I see varmints eating them and they’re OK.”

    So, Janet decided to give it a try. She picked a bunch, washed, sliced, and diced them for her smothered steak.

    Then
    she went out on the back porch and gave Ol’ Spot (the yard dog) a
    double handful. Ol’ Spot ate every bite. All morning long, Janet
    watched Ol’ Spot and the wild mushrooms didn’t seem to affect him, so
    she decided to use them.

    The
    meal was a great success, and Janet even hired a helper lady from town
    to help her serve. After everyone had finished, they relaxed,
    socialized, and played ‘42’ and dominoes.

    About then, the helper lady came in and whispered in Janet’s ear. She said, “Mrs. Williams, Ol’ Spot is dead.”

    Janet went into hysterics.

    After she finally calmed down, she called the doctor and told him what had happened.

    The doctor said, “That’s
    bad, but I think we can take care of it. I will call for an ambulance
    and I will be there as quickly as possible. We’ll give everyone enemas
    and we will pump out everyone’s stomach. Everything will be fine.
    Just keep them calm.”

    Soon
    they could hear the siren as the ambulance was coming down the road.
    The EMT’s and the doctor had their suitcases, syringes, and a stomach
    pump.

    One
    by one, they took each person into the bathroom, gave them an enema,
    and pumped out their stomach. After the last one was finished, the
    doctor came out and said, “I think everything will be fine now,” and he left.

    They
    were all looking pretty weak sitting around the living room and about
    this time the helper lady came in and whispered to Janet, “You know, that fellow that run over Ol’ Spot never even stopped.”

  • ravencajun Zone 8b TX
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    We made it back home to Houston! All well and happy to be here. My recliner never felt so good!

    My wonderful neighbor had cleaned up the yard, raked the leaves and swept the driveway. Bought us a beautiful new Orchid plant and lovely card. I am blessed.

    Now what to order for delivery! Thanks everyone!

  • ravencajun Zone 8b TX
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Lol oh goodness that is hilarious! Jemdandy, good one. I needed a good laugh

  • wildchild2x2
    8 years ago

    There is a horrid stomach virus going around this time. I read somewhere it is it's second round this time. My DDs family all became sick at once last week with the symptoms you describe and I had eaten with them and did not. But I had the same thing happen to me in December. So it does seem to be viral.

  • Yayagal
    8 years ago

    Noro virus is hideous. I got it at a funeral, two of the people there had it, within a week 40 of us had it. UGH.

  • ravencajun Zone 8b TX
    Original Author
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I got updates last night, the virus is running it's course, most are about over it some have lingering effects. I feel sure that it definitely was a virus bug, no idea where it came from and why it seems to have affected the children mostly. I am glad it's about over with! I am very thankful that we were not hit.

  • User
    8 years ago

    The virus affects the young, old and not-so-healthy in between the most. When my MIL had it, she had sx for less than a day when we took her to the ER. She got IV fluids and morphine.

    I was very anxious about it spreading to FIL, DH and me. I had it about a dozen years ago and went to the ER. Nasty and so, so quick to have severe effects on the body.

    Good to hear that people are getting through it. The virus can take a toll and wipe you out even after the GI sx have resolved.