Stomach Bug Epidemic

I come to you from a Lysol scented room typing with raw over-washed hands... our house has experienced something that I could have never imagined.  I feel like I'm being a drama queen, but read on.  I think you'll concur.  We have yet another stomach bug. Another. Like not our 3rd for the year but the 

SEVENTH. Seven. S.e.v.e.n. SEVEN!  

Here is our run down, just for kicks: 

1. May 2010 - June - 24 hours

2. June 2010 - Josh - 3 weeks - June - 5 days - Jim - 3 days

3. July 2010 - Josh - 24 hours

4. August 2010 - June - 24 hours

5. October 2010 - Josh - 24 hours

6. December 2010 - June - 3 days - Josh - 24 hours - Jim - 48 hours

7. January 2011 - Josh - ??  (there could be more casualties... it's early still...)

We've gotten anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months of a break, no longer. 

Now if you know me at all, you'll know that I grew up with a fear of puke.  Severe fear.  Apparently there is a name for it and all: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emetophobia Cool beans.

Anyway, I come here today to do 2 things: 1. get this recent pukeage off my chest and 2. give a run down on some of the things I learned over the last 7 months. I should have a PhD in stomach bugs at this point.  I'm well versed. 

Ok, so I can't stop stomach bugs from coming... they keep happening.  I lysol everything, now clean with bleach and wash hands often.  The kids aren't in school & I avoid big play dates, play places and the like this time of year. I really feel like I have my bases covered.  Maybe my kids are just super prone to catching puke bugs? 

Anyway, here are my top tips: 

When puke strikes you need a few essentials:

•  A "Bucket"
• I've found that a shallow, wide, bigger sized tupperware does the best.  You can hold it without being too close to the spillage and it can easily be set on their bed for future episodes.  Even my 2 year old can properly use this bucket (that actually impressed me last night). 
• Towels
• ...like massive beach towels.  Why? Because after the all-too-likely middle of the night bed puke you want to safeguard the fresh sheets with your life.  Or you could risk doing laundry all night and what fun is that?!  Lay the towel over their pillow and along the bed.  The towel transfers to the couch in the morning for daytime protection. If the towel gets soiled, throw it in the wash.  I'll list my procedures for that a little later.
• Wipes
• Little mouths/chins need some cleaning sometimes. 
• Pedialyte or Gatorade (depending on the age of the child)
• Per our pediatrician, use pedialyte for under 3 and over 3 Gatorade is fine.
• Their little bodies need re-hydration and they'll inevitably ask for something to sip and I've read that water can make symptoms worse.  
• Once they get sick, I throw the juice in the fridge and usually an hour or 2 later when they ask for a sip, it's chilled and ready to go. 
• A Good Laundry Procedure
• At 2 am, you need something tried and true that you can complete without much alertness.  I gather up the bedding, pjs, etc and put it in the wash on hot with a detergent with bleach.  You want those germs DEAD. Bleach detergent will do it.  What about stink? I have a water bottle full of vinegar by the washer. A quirt of that where the fabric softener goes will knock it right out.
• A Sleeping Spot
• If your little one is little you'll want a place to sleep close to them... at least until it's all out of their system.  
• We've had 2 things work well.
• We bring the toddler mattress into our room and let the kids sleep on that, right by the bathroom door.  Easy clean-up and minimal noise available to siblings since our room is tucked away from the kids' rooms.  Plus super close access to the kids when they feel icky.
• Hall way sleepage.  So that I can hear the other 2, I'll sleep in the hall with my head right by the boys' room so that I can be to the sick one easily but still hear the others. 
• Food
• Plenty of snacks and bland food are needed on hand bc enevitably they'll be hungry but you'll be leary to let them eat.  I stick with:
• Crackers
• Toast
• Pretzels
• Chicken Soup
• Bananas
• Apple Sauce
• Basically I stick with starchy carb-like food that will be easy on their bellies and not an art show if it happens to come back up.
• Cleaners
• Once a bug hits the Lysol spray, Chlorox wipes, and cleaner come out. I go to town with the Lysol.  I spray anything that I think the sickling touched.  I try to disinfect areas that are likely *not* to be used again for a while first.  Its like shoveling in a snow storm to completely Lysol common areas... I try throughout the day but don't stress too too much because I know little hands will inevitably touch them again within minutes. 
• Wash Your Hands
• It's as simple as that... whenever you've dealt with the sick little or have touched something iffy, wash or sanitize.  You want to minimize the spread as best as you can. 

Soooooooooooo... I think that's about it.  

I'm signing off from a sick house in hopes that this particular bug does not spread. 

One can hope... dream? 

Whatever, let me live in my disillusion. ;)