just can't do it

yesterday i was scheduled to work from 7a-3:30pm to get to know the new computer system on my unit. i wasn't considered part of the "staff", but i was involved a little in patient care in order to figure out how to chart with the new system, etc. well the day before, i was caring for 2 sicks boys at my own house...eli had 104.5 fever and diarrhea, caleb had 103 fever and diarrhea, both stating that their throats and "belly hurts". i took them both in to see the doctor more or less for my own peace of mind that they didn't have strep throat or something worse. just as i suspected, some kind of viral bug was all she diagnosed them with, along with plenty of fluids and rest. since the baby boy was well, i figured saturday with daddy would be okay. when i left that morning at 6am, jerry was already awake and i told him, "make sure you call me if for some reason they're too sick to handle". i didn't hear anything til 9am. i called to check on him/them and he couldn't even talk cuz the baby had horrible diarrhea and was screaming from a raw bottom. he called me back and said, "you have to come home, i can't do this". apparently the dr's office had called to check on them and said to take caleb to the ER because of this swollen eye that they were now concerned about. after 2 1/2 hours at work, i rescued my poor husband from the fevers, poops, and screaming. i called the dr. back to get an explanation of exactly why we couldn't wait til monday to get labs on caleb and she agreed that we could, so no need to rush to the ER. within one hour of being home the boys were running around crazy, acting like normal and i was left wondering where my sick children went that i was there to take care of. of course, once the tylenol and motrin wore off they were all laying on the couch, lifeless again. jerry did admit, "i just can't do what you do...not with 3 sick kids especially". thank you, jerry...for admitting that and being man enough to call for help :) i told him that he didn't get a fair chance that day, not with all 3 of them being sick. we'll try again next monday when i'm scheduled to work. maybe this time he'll have well children as he gets to try out the new school routine. good luck!