We're finally back to our normal routine. After a very stressful Friday last week spent mostly in the doctor's office getting Will's blood drawn and running lots of tests, plus the added bonus of getting to head to the local imaging clinic to get a chest x-ray done, we spent last weekend exhausted and scared to death. Will was just so tired and hadn't eaten in a week and Brian and I both were so emotionally and physically exhausted that we both ended up crying ourselves to sleep on Saturday. And then the first miracle happened - Mina showed up! She came to save the day! My very sweet mom made the six hour trip to watch our son so that Brian and I both could spend the week working. Having a sick child is hard on all families but when both parents are working and having to take so many days off to care for the sick little one, you're doubly stressed out. You know your first priority is to care for your child but you also are very aware of the fact that your job is still waiting out there and coworkers are having to take up the slack. It may not matter so much in a larger company but since we both work for a small business, it becomes a very big deal. So Mina came riding in on her white horse (or, I guess, little blue car) and saved the day!
The funny thing is that, Monday morning, Will woke up with a smile and ready to play. He still didn't eat much but at least he had more energy (even refusing to take a nap for Mina - he spent the time either crying because he didn't want to sleep or giggling at Mina because she was fake-sleeping and hoping he'd wear out and fall asleep!). And later that afternoon, we got a call from the doctor's office saying that the test results came back negative - it wasn't mono after all and he really did just have four illnesses on top of each other in a three week span.
Tuesday morning, Will woke up with a smile and wanting to eat. We decided that we'd play it safe one more day and let Mina play with him on Tuesday as well before allowing him to return to daycare on Wednesday. He ran his Mina ragged as he ran around the playground at Mickey D's and around the house before giving her hugs as she returned home that afternoon. His Pappy took over that afternoon (giving Mom a chance to beat rush hour on her drive home) and he spent the rest of the day riding his little John Deere tractor around Pappy's yard and helping Pappy "mow" his yard on his big riding lawn mower.
Wednesday he returned to daycare and spent the rest of the week there playing, running off his newfound energy and enjoying his returning appetite.
To say that we're relieved is an understatement. We spent the week with smiles and enjoying our chance to catch up on the sleep we hadn't had in three weeks. And now I sit here and type as my son is walking around the house wearing our computer bag (which is holding his blankey and "cell phone") and announcing that he's going to school as he's waving goodbye. And my smile matches his own as I enjoy watching my baby play once again.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Round Two
Well, we're in the battle for round two. Will is sick again after only six days of being well from the last illness. We had a great week last week, although Will fought us going back to daycare. But after the first day, we were back to our routine and looking forward to our trip up north to help the family celebrate my grandmother's 80th birthday. We had an uneventful trip up north and were even thrilled at the lack of traffic on our way. We made it safely up to Grandma and Grandpa's house, albeit a little late from the extra potty-breaks we had to make (ahhh...the joys of travelling with young bladders...I mean, children). And it was so much fun to walk into a room full of family and to become quickly engulfed in hugs and warm hello's. There is simply nothing better than being surrounded by the love of your family.
We spent the night at Grandma and Grandpa's house and had a wonderful evening full of laughter (especially when Will decided to turn Grandpa's trumpet stand into a gun) and caramel popcorn. And all seemed well until Brian woke me up in the middle of the night to tell me that Will had thrown up. Round two begins.
He was very sick on the way home, moaning, crying and whining, running a high fever and refusing to eat. It ended up being the longest trip of our lives because of the number of times we'd have to stop to find the nearest restroom. Monday morning, after a very long night of getting up and heading to the restroom, I finally got him in to the doctor. She said that it wasn't the flu (although I still asked them to run the test anyway just to confirm that) and said that it was more than likely just a very bad stomach virus since he wasn't complaining of any sinus related issues - just tummy-related issues with the high fever.
But this morning, he woke up and we started to see a little glimpse of his personality coming out once again. The fever seems to have broken and he actually asked for a poptart this morning. So please say lots of prayers that this was a very quick stomach virus! It was so hard to sit in that bathroom and watch the expressions of pain and sickness wash over my son's face. More than once, I risked the contagiousness and grabbed his sweet little face and just kissed him and loved on him because my heart was breaking for him. But maybe we will be rewarded later today or even tomorrow with a smile once again from our sweet little boy.
And to update you on Brian's post late last week, Morgan is doing much better. Thank you so much for your prayers! There was some fear that her stepbrother was sick as well but tests confirmed that he did not have it. As of Sunday night, she was still dealing with a lot of sinus problems but was actually feeling better and giggling with Brian over the fact that she had had the "piggy flu." What an answer to prayer to hear her giggle and know that she'd be fine.
We spent the night at Grandma and Grandpa's house and had a wonderful evening full of laughter (especially when Will decided to turn Grandpa's trumpet stand into a gun) and caramel popcorn. And all seemed well until Brian woke me up in the middle of the night to tell me that Will had thrown up. Round two begins.
He was very sick on the way home, moaning, crying and whining, running a high fever and refusing to eat. It ended up being the longest trip of our lives because of the number of times we'd have to stop to find the nearest restroom. Monday morning, after a very long night of getting up and heading to the restroom, I finally got him in to the doctor. She said that it wasn't the flu (although I still asked them to run the test anyway just to confirm that) and said that it was more than likely just a very bad stomach virus since he wasn't complaining of any sinus related issues - just tummy-related issues with the high fever.
But this morning, he woke up and we started to see a little glimpse of his personality coming out once again. The fever seems to have broken and he actually asked for a poptart this morning. So please say lots of prayers that this was a very quick stomach virus! It was so hard to sit in that bathroom and watch the expressions of pain and sickness wash over my son's face. More than once, I risked the contagiousness and grabbed his sweet little face and just kissed him and loved on him because my heart was breaking for him. But maybe we will be rewarded later today or even tomorrow with a smile once again from our sweet little boy.
And to update you on Brian's post late last week, Morgan is doing much better. Thank you so much for your prayers! There was some fear that her stepbrother was sick as well but tests confirmed that he did not have it. As of Sunday night, she was still dealing with a lot of sinus problems but was actually feeling better and giggling with Brian over the fact that she had had the "piggy flu." What an answer to prayer to hear her giggle and know that she'd be fine.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Prayer
Please pray for my niece Morgan, she has the swine flu. My sister called my parents today to let them know. Morgan is at home. Everyone in the family has to wear face masks whenever they are anywhere near her. Chris, my sister's step-son, has started showing signs of the flu as well. He is going to the doctor tomorrow. Please pray that none of the others in the family get it.
Brian
Brian
Monday, September 7, 2009
The Bug that Wouldn't Go Away
To celebrate Labor Day today, we decided to head to the zoo. And I can honestly tell you that we enjoyed the sunshine, warm air, and cool breezes more than we have enjoyed them in a very long time. This past week, we have been couped up, worried and ill. Last Saturday, Will started complaining of not feeling well. By Sunday morning, he was complaining of his throat hurting and by Sunday night, he had started running a 102 fever. We've had more than our fair share of strep around here in the past couple months, so I immediately took him to the doctor Monday morning and, sure enough, he had strep yet again. The problem was that the magic medicine the doctor always gives that normally makes a child better by the next morning (I love that stuff) didn't seem to be working. By Wednesday (the day he was supposed to be OK to return to daycare), he was still running a fever of 102 and couldn't seem to sleep more than 30 minutes at a time each night before waking up in a drenching wet sweat and crying because of his throat. Something was not right. So I took him to the doctor again Wednesday morning thinking that his medicine wasn't working. She took another strep test but this one came back negative, telling us that the medicine was indeed working. She said that the fever could possibly last one more day but that, if he still had it by the next morning, we knew that he had a virus on top of it which she predicted would last anywhere from 7-10 days. Sure enough, we woke up Thursday morning (after 30 minute snoozes throughout the night again), to find out that he was still running a fever.
To make matters worse, Brian's throat started hurting by Wednesday night. He went up to the local walk-in clinic after I got home from work and...yep, you guessed it...he had strep too. So the two boys got to be home sick together all day Thursday and Friday. By Saturday morning, Brian was feeling better. Will was not.
It never ceases to amaze me how strong my feelings run in me for my kids. Sure, they drive me nuts occasionally (well, more than occasionally lately). They sit around the house whining and complaining. They pick at each other and torment each other. They come screaming to me, wanting me to give each of them their way. I roll my eyes, I huff and puff, and occasionally I even raise my voice. But then something happens like an illness and suddenly, my heart is broken for my babies. By Saturday morning, as I watched my sweet boy with a very pale little face and deep, dark circles under his eyes simply lay on the couch watching cartoons and not having any energy to run around the house and drive me crazy, my eyes started to tear up a little. And when he told me he was cold and allowed me to pull up my favorite blanket on him, I watched as he dozed off to sleep and I started to cry a little bit more. A week of watching your sweet little boy run a mysterious fever that just won't seem to go away and, worse still, not seem to have any cause or any end because the only thing which can heal it is time, will break a momma's heart worse than anything. You want answers and you want it to go away. You want medicine that will work and you want to know when it'll end. And, as a working mom, you're even further torn in half because you know your office is trying to be kind but is impatiently waiting for your return.
I have spent this past week battling my emotions, feeling bad for the work I was missing and leaving to others to tend, and praying that God would simply take this strange fever away from my sweet little boy's brow.
Yesterday, we knew we had to skip church yet again. Originally I was going to stay home with Will while Brian and AC went to church but, after getting a very nasty burn on my arm from the oven, I knew I was going to be useless and Brian stayed home to help out. And God apparently decided to bless us despite it. Will woke up at 8:30 (very late for my little early-riser) with a grin on his face...a first in a week. He jumped out of bed and spent the morning hopping on the couch. He harassed his sister and he tried to attack the dog (in a loving way, of course). And, for the first time in a week, he spent the day with a smile on his face and a very cool brow.
And today, we decided to celebrate by leaving the house for the first time in a week! It was so wonderful to get out into the fresh air for once, to feel the cool breeze and to enjoy the sunshine on faces. We gathered Brian's parents and headed to the zoo and spent the morning walking in the sunshine and simply enjoying the day and our health. It's amazing how much we take those things for granted until the day arrives when you lose them for a time.
To make matters worse, Brian's throat started hurting by Wednesday night. He went up to the local walk-in clinic after I got home from work and...yep, you guessed it...he had strep too. So the two boys got to be home sick together all day Thursday and Friday. By Saturday morning, Brian was feeling better. Will was not.
It never ceases to amaze me how strong my feelings run in me for my kids. Sure, they drive me nuts occasionally (well, more than occasionally lately). They sit around the house whining and complaining. They pick at each other and torment each other. They come screaming to me, wanting me to give each of them their way. I roll my eyes, I huff and puff, and occasionally I even raise my voice. But then something happens like an illness and suddenly, my heart is broken for my babies. By Saturday morning, as I watched my sweet boy with a very pale little face and deep, dark circles under his eyes simply lay on the couch watching cartoons and not having any energy to run around the house and drive me crazy, my eyes started to tear up a little. And when he told me he was cold and allowed me to pull up my favorite blanket on him, I watched as he dozed off to sleep and I started to cry a little bit more. A week of watching your sweet little boy run a mysterious fever that just won't seem to go away and, worse still, not seem to have any cause or any end because the only thing which can heal it is time, will break a momma's heart worse than anything. You want answers and you want it to go away. You want medicine that will work and you want to know when it'll end. And, as a working mom, you're even further torn in half because you know your office is trying to be kind but is impatiently waiting for your return.
I have spent this past week battling my emotions, feeling bad for the work I was missing and leaving to others to tend, and praying that God would simply take this strange fever away from my sweet little boy's brow.
Yesterday, we knew we had to skip church yet again. Originally I was going to stay home with Will while Brian and AC went to church but, after getting a very nasty burn on my arm from the oven, I knew I was going to be useless and Brian stayed home to help out. And God apparently decided to bless us despite it. Will woke up at 8:30 (very late for my little early-riser) with a grin on his face...a first in a week. He jumped out of bed and spent the morning hopping on the couch. He harassed his sister and he tried to attack the dog (in a loving way, of course). And, for the first time in a week, he spent the day with a smile on his face and a very cool brow.
And today, we decided to celebrate by leaving the house for the first time in a week! It was so wonderful to get out into the fresh air for once, to feel the cool breeze and to enjoy the sunshine on faces. We gathered Brian's parents and headed to the zoo and spent the morning walking in the sunshine and simply enjoying the day and our health. It's amazing how much we take those things for granted until the day arrives when you lose them for a time.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
SHE HAS A JOB!!!!!!!!
My mother finally has a full-time job with benefits. She has been working part-time at a nursing home in Franklin. The girl that was working the 3-11 Monday thru Friday shift quit and so they offered the job to Mom. One down and one to go.
Keep praying for Dad as he is getting very depressed. He had an interview the other day. They told him that they would hire in a minute, but were very worried about his legs. So no job.
Keep praying for Dad as he is getting very depressed. He had an interview the other day. They told him that they would hire in a minute, but were very worried about his legs. So no job.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Help!
OK, seriously, we need help. We are desperately seeking a pair of Superman boots. I'm guessing rain boots? Maybe? Obviously we don't have a clue what he means. All we know is that the little munchkin is desperately begging me to go buy him a pair of Superman boots. After an afternoon of walking around in AC's high-heeled boots, he decided he wanted his own pair of boots...Superman boots to be exact. Don't have a clue where he's seen a pair like this before but he's convinced they exist. He's also convinced that I'm skipping out on work every day, apparently, to go look for and purchase these boots. Every afternoon, when I go to pick him up, the first question out of his mouth is, "Do you have my Superman boots?" and breaks out into tears and temper tantrums when I tell him no. So seriously, if you see a pair of Superman boots, call me and I'll tell you his size! I'll even pay you back for them!!!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Celebration!
We had a wonderful time celebrating Brian's birthday on Friday. After a WONDERFUL dinner at Olive Garden, we decided to all go up to our town's tiny little Farmer's Market. I'm not sure you can really call it a Farmer's Market considering that it only consists of two booths with fruits and vegetables. However, it's still a neat little place to walk around since they also have a booth with a lovely couple who laughs every time they see us now because we've become their Friday night regulars. They sell THE BEST salsa I have ever eaten in my life. It's not like any other salsa I've ever had before but it's so good that Brian and I managed to go through an entire jar in two days. So we promised to return every Friday!
Beyond that, they also have a few stands with people selling crafts, homemade soaps and lotions, another salsa booth (haven't tried that one yet, although we really should be equal opportunity salsa tryers), and (believe it or not) a small petting zoo with a billy goat who likes to kneel, a fat bunny, a very skinny calf (he worries me), a couple ducks (or geese -can't really remember), a llama, and the 2nd fattest pig I have ever seen in my life (beat only by the enormous pig at the weird deer farm in Michigan). Anyway, our Farmer's Market is tiny but it's held on the grounds of a coffee shop in a little antique house on Main Street every Friday night where they string up pretty lights and have a local band play music on the front steps of the coffee house. It just makes it so much fun to have that tiny little hometown celebration every Friday night (not to mention the very cheap homegrown veggies and awesome salsa I get to carry home with me every Friday night).
Anyway, after our little Friday night stroll, we decided to finish our birthday celebration with ice cream at our local Cold Stone. We were stuffed full but had a wonderful evening. And, for those of you who are worried about my sweet hubby not getting any presents from his loving family - I finally got a little creative. I wrapped up some old Disney brochures from our trip last summer along with a new brochure we got with this upcoming reservation, and put that with a Mickey coloring book found on the $1 shelf at Target and a small "letter" from the Mouse himself announcing that my sweet hubby had only 56 days left and that Mickey couldn't wait to see him. Brian giggled like a girl when he opened it.
Beyond that, they also have a few stands with people selling crafts, homemade soaps and lotions, another salsa booth (haven't tried that one yet, although we really should be equal opportunity salsa tryers), and (believe it or not) a small petting zoo with a billy goat who likes to kneel, a fat bunny, a very skinny calf (he worries me), a couple ducks (or geese -can't really remember), a llama, and the 2nd fattest pig I have ever seen in my life (beat only by the enormous pig at the weird deer farm in Michigan). Anyway, our Farmer's Market is tiny but it's held on the grounds of a coffee shop in a little antique house on Main Street every Friday night where they string up pretty lights and have a local band play music on the front steps of the coffee house. It just makes it so much fun to have that tiny little hometown celebration every Friday night (not to mention the very cheap homegrown veggies and awesome salsa I get to carry home with me every Friday night).
Anyway, after our little Friday night stroll, we decided to finish our birthday celebration with ice cream at our local Cold Stone. We were stuffed full but had a wonderful evening. And, for those of you who are worried about my sweet hubby not getting any presents from his loving family - I finally got a little creative. I wrapped up some old Disney brochures from our trip last summer along with a new brochure we got with this upcoming reservation, and put that with a Mickey coloring book found on the $1 shelf at Target and a small "letter" from the Mouse himself announcing that my sweet hubby had only 56 days left and that Mickey couldn't wait to see him. Brian giggled like a girl when he opened it.
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