Ummm, what happened to all my plans???

It is Spring Break for all around us here locally.  We weren't going to take Spring Break....


I had plans:  Lots of school catch up would get done
Lots of EBay would get listed
Garden would get planted
Daily chores would be done
Garage sale would be had or we would go garage sale-ing
Graduation to do's would be done
Meals would be cooked


It seems school breaks never quite pan out to be what I hope them to be...


This weekend while out of town, a sick kid...No big deal right?? Except I sleep on a COT with him NEXT to me.  Okay when he was 2,3, 4 years old...but now he is bigger.  Since the sleep study and changes made in life, THE MAN is growing and well, sleep is over rated anyhow. Right?  If not on the cot, then not at all.  Or maybe in a hotel chair.  Or maybe on the floor next to him, on an air mattress...which just isn't the same when you are 40.  He feels better.


So we are home and my body rebels on Monday. Huge knots that my daughters can see all over my back.  Exhausted, I sleep, nap, stare off into distance.  He feels better. 


Tuesday comes and maybe things won't be so bad, garden is cleaned out.    But he is wheezy.  Breathing treatments.  NO time outside is allowed...so I spend all my time policing him and trying to get him to stay inside.  The garden is beckoning.  NOPE!  Dad comes home, I get the shopping done for the garden, take big brother to golf practice and do the parent meeting thing.
Then nighttime rolls around.  I can't sleep.  His breathing is off.  He is restless.  Talking, crying, and teeth grinding in his sleep.  I snuggle and pray over him.  Watch him relax as prayers are answered.  More breathing treatments in the night.  Constant running of the diffuser... He says it helps some. He relaxes and sleeps for another 15 minute spell. I realize why people like their e-readers.  No lights need to be on.  My IPad is my other companion through the night.  Might as well do something since I am NOT sleeping.  He finally relaxes and breathing easy.  I dose off, but not for long.  Gut wrenching body wracking coughs.  I can hear deep down in his chest.  This is NOT good! I work to convince my body I was just joking, we weren't really going to sleep.  Good news, it is 7:30.  Another breathing treatment.  Now I can call the doctor's office. 
Appointment made, teenagers woke.  Dad called at work.  Oldest drives the zombie mom to the doctor office.  Pneumonia!  Ear infection! 
The best part....My teenagers are well trained in caring for the sick. :)  Home and I go to bed.  I am awaken a few times.  I have no concept of time.  Just crazy spy riddled dreams...guess what they were watching on tv??? 4 hours later I am staring off into nowhere trying to decide if I am awake or asleep still and wondering what happened to my Spring Break??
I realize another crazy school break.  I wonder about taking next week off so I can get my to do list done.  And I realize this is the twisted pattern of all of our school breaks and why our breaks always end up extended.  Just want my "perfect break". 
Then I hear the whisper: "For I know the plans I have for you...."
I choose to not ask why my plans can't be accomplished.  I suck down my Pepsi.  Yep, it is back but not to the extent it used to be, I think today is considered special circumstances.  Grateful, my kids hop to it when I assign chores.  My obnoxious pre-teen quits badgering me about when I am starting school because I tell him to go get the lesson plan book.  I think I hear angels singing Hallelujah!! 
There is still time this week for the to do list. 
This blog post wasn't on the list but maybe it will help someone else. 

Sleep Study Results are In....

This has been a journey in of itself. 
Starting late last Spring/early Summer. 
We were looking into some oral therapy for one of our kiddos.  Mild speech issues no one has been able to figure out a cause for, but as this child has matured learning to compensate and overcome.  As we were setting up an evaluation it was suggested we have the whole family evaluated.  Often issues are congenital and multiple family members have issues.  The therapy cause correct issues before they become issues later in life.  Worth looking into.
What we weren't expecting was concern regarding another child's palate.  We were aware of the issues, but no one had suggested anything else.  The quirks in his behavior we dealt with, thinking it was just the way this child was created.  Such as this child doesn't like to sleep in bed, always sleeps in recliner and/or couch.  Frankly, I don't care where my children sleep as long as they sleep these days.  Life is busy and some things I just don't have the energy to argue about.  Even if this child starts in bed, always ends up on the couch, either due to sleep walking or just waking up and wandering there after a bathroom trip. 


Next stop was the doctor to check adenoids and tonsils.  Nothing remarkable, so a sleep study was requested.  We were put on a wait list and I received a call just before Christmas for after New Years.  After our initial appointment, the PA agreed our kiddo was borderline and would benefit for a sleep study to either confirm/diagnose an issue or it was behavioral and we would decide what to do regarding behaviors. 
Best part was there was a cancellation and we were asked if we could return later in the week for the sleep study. As we hadn't been able to restart school, I said sure. 
I wish I could post pictures of all the wires.  While I was allowed to take pictures for Dad I was forbidden to share them with anyone else including siblings.  Which is why I also am being very careful to not suggest which child went with me to KC to the Children's hospital.  While there is noting to embarrassed about, I am trying to respect wishes here.  So if you do know who I am speaking of please, request my child's desire for privacy.  I am posting results only because so many have been praying and asking. 


So the results:
Airway is clear! No apnea!  No issues with orthodontics that need to be done. Wahoo!!
Diagnosis:  Periodic Limb Movement Disorder which causes brain arousal during sleep and causes low levels of dopamine in the brain. 
In our case, the disorder is being caused by iron deficiency.  Which also means there is a ferritin deficiency.  Since this child is a carnivore I asked what could be lacking in the diet to prevent iron absorption.  Vitamin C.  Said child does not care for produce!!  Lesson is being learned that Mom's balanced meals are meant to allow for maximum nutrition.  Each food is reliant on another food for maximum nutrition and health.  While this child consumes produce, it is not varied enough.  Understanding that athletic performance and overall feeling well and happy is dependent on diet, there is a willingness to try and eat more variety, albeit reluctantly.  We will need occasional blood tests as a result of the iron supplements, but in time we should hopefully be able to discontinue the supplements and just eat healthy!  Praising the Lord! 
We also discovered the child is lingering too long deep 3 sleep.  An indicator of not getting enough sleep on a regular basis.  Wiggling around in bed, procrastinating, asking all those late night questions.  You get the idea, all the stuff that drives a parent nuts when they just want their children TO GO TO BED!!! 
Well now, the child has heard it all from the doc!  Sleep and eat your veggies!! Amazing how much more validity there is to the mantra when it isn't the parent saying it!!

Hospital Pictures

I have had my doubts as to whether I should post these pictures.  Each time I look at them, I can't help but smile.  My girls missed me.  They were a bit scared by their Mommy's stay in the hospital.  They can up to see me one evening.  We would learn later, they were well past visiting hours.  Oops.  They climbed in bed with me and we began the picture session.  Fun Girl even gave me a pedicure.  Such a bright spot to be able to look down at my toes.  I am so blessed to have these 2 for my daughters. 

Shaken brains change thinking and speaking

Winding down from the day and trying to catch up on some things as I wait for sleep to capture me.  Sure beats lounging in the dark and writing blog posts in my mind while I wait to wake in the morning.

I drank a Pepsi today.  I couldn't take a nap.  So now, I have caffeine coursing through my system.  Fortunately, tomorrow I have my hubby to cover for me if I need a nap so I can go back to my non-Pepsi state. 

One of my first goals when returning from Colorado was to kick the Pepsi.  This past week I did it, but then I had a couple since then.  But the caffeine headaches are gone.  At least I think they were caffeine headaches.  I did really well in Colorado.  Really reduced the pop intake because I didn't want to struggle with dehydration in Colorado. 

Since my return from Colorado, I have had a lot more trouble with my speech.  I saw the doctor before I left and was referred to a neuro doc. I just never have been back to my old self since the car accident.  Headaches, dizziness, numbness.  My doctor started calling neuro docs and we were referred to a Neuropsychiatrist to assess me and my symptoms.  I have more dramatic pauses to my speech and stuttering.  I have to work for words and the more I think the more pronounced (pun intended) the speech issues get.   Yes I meant to say the more I think.  Thinking is hard exercise these days for this brain.  It gets all fuzzy feeling and sometimes I think I feel it sweating a bit.   

When all is calm and quiet, it is as if the accident never happened.  Then I get busy around the house and talking to someone and it all changes.  The more animated or tired I am, well I try to find a sense of humor.  The word "who" gets me and, well, I pause and just "whoooo"t like an owl when I am with the kids.  Laughing is better than crying.  One of my clever witted children asked why I sounded like Porky the Pig.  To which he got a look and no response.  Of all things to compare the mother to, not the best choice. 

My brain gets tired.  I am told, that is, because it is trying to heal.  There is some talk about permanent brain damage in the speech area.  Surrounding parts of the brain may kick in to pick up the slack. 

The whole thing is just a confusing mess of whats??? The timing of the concussion with stress, cold/flu viruses, sinus stuff has really muddied the waters. I have such a high tolerance for sinus and ear pain it has been hard to know if dizziness is related to sickness or concussion. So I just kept resting. But I was pressed to seek a doctor appointment when faced with the question of whether to fly or not this past trip to Colorado. There will be more testing coming up.  Primarily for a baseline to monitor my brain's healing and for the future.  It should, also, (I am hoping it will) give us some indicators as to what is going on with me and my brain. With my mom's early onset of Alzheimer's it will be good record to have for my own medical history. 

For now, I wait...wait for appointments and rest.  I need to have moderate stress and activity in my life to allow my brain to heal. The first 3 months are critical... well the first 2 months are done and gone. There was nothing we could have or probably would have done differently had we known...we were doing the best we could at the time. To second guess ourselves won't change anything. So now I rest in knowing our life has significantly changed in the last 2 months. My responsibility load has been lightened and God's timing has been in it all. He knows far more what each day and year will bring. While the process has not been an easy one, He knows.   

A Giving Heart

Commander in Chief hard at work.

I suggested he work on some school.

He countered with "activities"

I have never seen him color this much before.

Every one who visits him in the room seems to get a picture.

Some even get to pick one out for themselves before hand.

I suggested he just keep coloring, instead of using his red phone to summon

the receipents when their picture was done. 

For now, he is content and busy

Much to be grateful for.

Thank you Aunt Sharon for all the colors and books.

 

 

Bragging rights!

Dad's Bud "enjoyed" the privelege of riding in an ambulance again.

This time he did not net the teddy bears.

That seemed to be okay.

But he did get photos to show Dad.
Race car seatbelts to boot!

Amazing how much he perked up with some Oxygen

 

 

 

TIRED BOY!

 

Way to Go Aunt Tracy and Uncle Charlie!

See this smile.

You put it on Dad's Bud face!

 

 

Paint with Water by Melissa and Doug

 

This is the coolest thing ever.

Water Color pages with paint included on the page.

This isn't the dip your water in brush and paint with water and watch the color appear.

Each individual page has a water color strip to use. 

Trim off the top of the page.

Cup of water with the paint brush included.

Paint away.

So perfect here in the hospital.

No mixing the paint colors and ruining the box.  When done, toss the strip.

I can see myself getting more for:

 athletic trips to keep the youngers occuppied while they wait

gifts for younger cousins

and just to have at home,

cause I so don't like cleaning up the water color boxes!

 

 

 

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Where is the fresh air???

My boys, all 3 of them, were diagnosed with brochitis this morning! ? ! ?
What is going on?
Then this afternoon, The Man started crying.  Panick type of cry.
I tried to get him to settle down.  As he started to quiet for me, I noticed flaring nostrils and lots of retraction! 
Another breathing treatment was needed.
But it had only been a few hours since his last.
The signs of distress were far more severe than I had seen yet.
His breathing evened out and settled down. 
We loaded up. 
His O2 made the nurse question the situation and she consulted the doctor.
We are back on steroids, antibiotics and breathing treatments every 2.5 to 3 hours....around the clock.
AIY!
I am grateful for medical care.  I am grateful for the ability to treat at home.  But I am sooo ready for the creepy crud and viruses  in the area to DIE!
The Man asked me today, "Why do they call it a cold when your head is not cold, it's hot??"
I don't know.

Free Airborne Samples !

 

Free samples for Airborne! 

It starts with a drip...then a sneeze

It all starts here, hopefully not at the shirt sleeves.

But if they start with shirt sleeves, they are quickly directed to here.

 

 

Inevitablely, they end up here.  Normally in front of the tv during the day.

Sleeping here, at night, to be close to mommy and daddy.

 

 

And if they are truly going to be sick.

It will be at 3 am

because kids are never sick during the day.

That would interfere with play and fun.

It must be at night only. 

When a mother and father desperately need their sleep.

If the cold requires this at 3 am.....

 

 

You can be sure mom and dad call the doc in the morning.

Mom and dad need sleep to play and have fun during the day.

Not sure why kids don't need sleep for that.

Doc will do Xrays.

Doc will diagnose pneumonia in "THE MAN"

He won't hesitate.

He won't hint.

He won't say it is patchy.

He says it is pneumonia.

He looks at The Man sadly.

Cause mom dropped the ball this time.

At 3 in the morning, Mom was too sleep deprived and missed the signs of distress.

But all is good now.

Antiobiotics.

Steroids.

Breathing treatments around the clock.

 

 

And today he is playing! 

And Dad and Mom are tired.
Dad sleeps on the couch for now.

Mom types. 

Naps are soon to come.

Post sickness cleaning

We recently had the worst bug on earth.

At least it seemed that way.

105 degree fevers, that would not come down.

Trips to ER for dehydration.

Fun Girl has a tendency to sleep too much.  Since she sleeping,

she isn't drinking.  Then she gets dehydrated.

This is the second time it has happened.

So we must be the annoying parents that won't let her sleep when she is sick.

Much cheaper than paying for ER trips and IV fluids.

It all started with THE Man.

Then starting at 2 in the morning and in shifts, children woke with

headaches,

fevers,

coughs,

body aches

and all sorts of misery.

Then mom woke with it.

Big O Daddy O came home and took care of his 4 sick children and wife.

Yep, only Dad's Bud didn't have it.

But that wasn't for long....

2 days into it, Dad's Bud joined our club.

I slept for 2 days straight.

Just as we were all starting to mend, Big O Daddy O got a milder case.

A much milder case, one that we were thankful for.

He was able to work in spite of the headache.

Work he did, since he had Guard Drill weekend.

As soon as I started feeling able

I set about disinfecting.

Bleach

Vinegar

Lysol Wipes

all became my best friend.

Since THE Man was feeling better, he was assigned door knobs and light switches.

This means he takes the Lysol wipes and wipes down:

all door knobs

all light switches

all remotes

all cell phones

refrigerator handles

dishwasher handles

All the surfaces we so casually touch in our homes.

 

I started laundry.

I originally was going to throw away all of our pillows.

We had fevered, drooled in our sleep, snotted and coughed in bed.

The thought of keeping the petri dish pillows made me cringed.

But that is a lot of pillows in a family of 7

 

Then I remembered my dad's washing machine.

 

 

oh yeah!

Not only can I do twice the laundry if I go to my dad's house.

It has this beautiful tub with no agitator.

Pillows in a washing tub with agitator come out lumpy and distorted.

Pillows in this beauty, come out just like they came from the store! 

 

 

Oh Yeah! 

Add some bleach and gone are the yellow stains!

Hello bleach and clean smell!

A couple of the pillows went bye bye.

But I was excited for the bug God planted in my head to try my Dad's washer.

I can replace pillows at a much more gradual pace than all at once!

 

Fun Girl's Unfair Life

Some humor from this weekend.

Fun Girl says "I hate The Man" 
I say, "No you don't"
Fun Girl says, "But he brought the ugly bug into the house"  (all said with the most pathetic whine a sixteen year old can muster.
Fun Girl: He is A W F U L !
Little Princess says, "But I was sick first"
FG: No you weren't, I was up at 2 in the morning.
LP: I had it the night before
FG: Well I probably had it the night before too, but thought I felt bad from swim team.
Little Princes is not helping cause she has her giggles and bubbly self back. 
Fun Girl needs to put her big girl britches back on.
Mommy went so far as to tell her to quit being a pansy. 
FG then orders Little Princess to get her pain reliever.
LP asks "How much? "
Fun Girl in all her pathetic-ness says in a soft whimper, "Daaaaddy says I am suppose to take 2 when I am sick."  "But I don't know if I am considered sick now.",

HAHAHA  She doesn't know if she qualifies as being sick.  Me thinks she is trying to milk this for all she is worth. :)
Love this girl.

How to get your 6 year old to take medicine

The Man started running a fever. 

Thrashing and coughing and sooo uncomfortable.

He didn't sleep well.

(Let's just assume I wrote MOM didn't sleep well.)

His throat hurts.

His head hurts.

His body hurts.

He is HOT!

My first thought is strep.

School is back in session and that is what happens.

Doesn't seem to matter we HOME School.

We still get what the public school kids get.

Haven't figured that one out.

The docs haven't either.

So we take the first appointment, cause I am tired.

AND he is dramatic and we need relief.

He has some contagion I have never heard of before.

Antibiotics are prescribed.

We get the said antibiotics.

He digs his toes into his blankets and sets his lips.

I have had that kind of medicine.

I don't like it.

BUT IT WILL MAKE YOU BETTER. 

(I don't add, if you are better, I am happy---

cause you aren't so whining and grumpy. )

PLLLLLLEAAAAASE take the medicine.

NO!

I will let you wash it down with some of this...

Nope.

We call Daddy out of desperation. 

He will stop here

and get you whatever you want.

"I don't care what you get"

He must be sick.

Still not getting anywhere.

Siblings are suggesting candy, slushes, pop, treats.

Everyone wants him better.

NO ONE wants his contagion.

NOPE.

Then I offer to buy everyone lunch from

It works.  He will try.

But he has held out so long, that he gets to chug some...

and he gets not one treat but two from

A slush and apple pie.

I take Fun Girl to work and stop for lunch at

And I sit on the couch and read these little lines on the bottom.

AND I YELLLL

STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

PEANUTS!

DON'T

EAT

YOUR

LUNCH

THE 3 NOT SICK KIDS COME RUNNING!

Good Golly Molly!

I had no idea restaurants still fried in peanut oil.

Fortunately, THE MAN had gone to use the restroom.

He had yet to touch his food.

And I kept thanking the Lord.

The only thing worse than being sick:

 sick and getting anaphylaxsis

And the shot from one of these

His response,

That's okay mom, I like

Translation: I was going back out and getting him a Happy Meal which was also

HAPPY TUMMY.

HAPPY TUMMY is the label we put on food that is food allergy safe.

It is food that will not make The Man sick.

Therefore he has a Happy Tummy.

Something we started back when he was one and we first discovered food allergies in our home.

AND THAT is how you get a 6 year old to take his medicine.

Who knows what it will take tomorrow!

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Brain Damage

Been back in town less than 24 hours and things are getting interesting.
First Dad's Bud is in the bathroom after bedtime crying.  Dad checks on him and starts yelling for me. 
Completely not the normal way things go around here.  Normally, I catch the boys doing something and especially if it is in the bathroom, I holler for the Dad to come take care of HIS boys.
I hurry up the steps to find Dad's Bud's face a mess. 
Eyes swollen shut.  Hive like bumps all over it.  Crying.  First thing that comes to mind is all the bleach water in the bath tub.  Convinced Dad's Bud has been into the bleach water I strip him down and get him in the shower.  Spraying him in the face, he cries, "It burns! It burns!"  I holler for baking soda and dump it all over his head.  Hoping to neutralize anything that he has got on his skin.  In the event, it is an allergic reaction we give him benadryl.  I am still flushing his eyes out when The Dad leaves to pick up Fun Girl.  He is already half and hour late to pick her up. Doctor on call has been paged. 
I peek into Dad's Bud's eyes.  They are milky and really red.  His vision is blurry.  Since we don't know what he got into, she recommends the ER.  I have him over the tub, pouring water into his eyes.  Flushing them like crazy.  Dad pulls in and Dad's Bud hops into the car and off they go. 
Still relatively calm, I am sick to my stomache like nothing else.  Shooting up prayers that are all choppy and and a couple of words here and there.  Can't think clearly.  Dad calls to say it will be a while.  He doesn't know what I know and I insist he tells them we think he may have got bleach in his eyes.  Boom, they are seeing him. They flush his eyes and take a look.   They reassure him he is not in trouble.  We had been doing that as well.  But there were these great big pauses when he would answer us.  The kind of pauses that make you question a kid's sincerity.  He gets adamant he did not get into the bleach water.  Adamant enough that Dad believes him.  After the exam and questioning the docs believe he was having an allergic reaction to an unknown substance!
Relief. 
This morning, his vision was clear.  Clear enough to do school, much to his disappointment.  Eyes and face were returning to normal.  The Dad, thinks now, he must have got into the Cool Ranch Buffalo Wings Chips.  The ones with tobasco sauce and other spicy stuff.  Why can't they just like the normal plain chips like their momma.

If that wasn't bad enough.  Dad's Bud was finally tucked into bed.  I was finally unwound and getting sleepy and The Man wakes up.  Not only does he wake up, but he is crying.  But not the tear sobbing, wimpering crying.  Oh no. 
He is sobbing, and sobbing and hollering (and I quote), "I have brain damage!"  "Brain damage!" 
"BBBBBBrain Dammmmage!"
Brain damage? I promise, I never dropped THIS kid on his head.
Really.  As a preschooler I might have thought of it...but I have NEVER dropped The Man on his head.  So where does he get the idea to wake me up at night crying about Brain Damage to his Dad and me. 
The nerve.  Doesn't he know we just finished an ER shift and we are tired.
Brain Damage!
A headache.  He has a headache.  Sinus stuff.  Stuffed up, goopy nose.  But in his vocabulary, only Brain Damage works.

This Mom had to be up and out of the house early. Like 7:30 early.  Time change + traveling (which I have yet to get to)+2 exciting night time escapades with boys = One Brain Damaged tired mommy at 11:00am
Know what I did?
I took a nap. 
Not only did I take a nap with Dad's blessing.
I took a 4 hour nap.  Oh yeah.
Kids are in bed now.  Sleeping ever so good.  Guess what?  I am heading that way as well.

Woohoo! ~ Christmas Came Early!

On our way out of town Thanksgiving weekend, we had to call the doctor for Flutter Nutter.  He had a super bad head cold and we knew the Colorado altitude could complicate things.  So our super wonderful pediatrician found a Walgreens along the way and ordered some scripts for Flutter Nutter.  Good thing, cause Flutter Nutter needed them, and then Daddy's Buddy and Hockey Player needed them.  All approved by the doctor, just in case you thought we were doing a big no-no of sharing prescriptions. 
After we picked up the medicine, I got to looking at the receipt.  I thought we just got an amazing deal...$10 for 3 prescriptions.  However, we were only charged for one of the three medications.  What ?????  Focused on having fun, I decided to put it aside and think on later when we got home.  Arrived home and decided not to worry about it, afterall, I made it all weekend without thinking twice about it. 
Today I had to refill a couple of prescriptions.  I signed the slips and sent my card in through the drive thru tube.  I even put in my member number for Dillons so I could get my fuel points.  The clerk informed me there was no charge!  What? ?  I looked at her and told her, "I always have to pay for my prescriptions.  What is going on?  This is the second time this has happened."  Poor girl, she didn't know what to do.  Here she had told me, "No charge" and I was insisting on paying.  How crazy is that ! ? ! ?
She quickly went and found reinforcements.  Receipts and paperwork looked over.  I was told that everything had been processed and was correct.  Balance due:  $0
She did suggest we might have met our deductible for the year.
We DON"T have a deductible.  Just co-pays.
I call the insurance company.
Our insurance has a catastrophic medical clause.  Once you reach the designated amount out of pocket in a year then all medical expenses are covered at 100% for the remainder of the enrollment period!

Co-pays, prescriptions, eye doctors, dentists, counseling and therapy all apply.  But NOT orthodontics. Bummer, cause Hockey Player is suppose to start that process next year and we would just have to start him this next month if they were only covered. 
The year, I try to NOT go to the doctor.  The year I am constantly reassuring hubby all will be fine, they don't need to go to the doctor.  This year we meet our maximum out of pocket and qualify for the catastrophic clause.  We have a month left + a day.  Do I give the kids permission to go crazy? 
Guess this means I can quit playing the do we or do we not get the flu shot.  I hate paying for the flu shot and then we are all sick 3 months later with it. 
So now, when I can't figure out what to buy for Christmas for the kids or my husband, I get to try and figure out if there are any medical things we should get taken care of while we can.  Maybe the 2 topics can overlap and I will have both taken care of.... allergy medicine for the stockings!   Dental xrays all wrapped up in pretty gold filling paper.  Hee hee!
I don't know if I should be some what mortified about our medical expenses this past year or ecstatic that there are no more expenses the remainder of this year.  For now, I will just celebrate in having no more payments for a month! !  WOohoO

Quiet Sunday Mornings at Home

Daddy's Buddy went to the doctor on Wednesday...sinus infection.
He was doing better on antibiotics till Friday night.
Saturday...early stages of bronchitis and new antibiotics. 
Rest and fluids. 
He fell asleep last night around 5 and slept till this morning.  His body is fighting.
Flutter Nutter spiked a 103-104 fever yesterday as Dad and Daddy's Buddy returned home from the doctor.
Off to the doctor again, cause we have weekend plans with grandparents.
Viral infection with flu like symptoms...not the stomache kind thank goodness.
Motrin, fluids and rest
He napped on and off. 
No grandparents this weekend.
The birthday open house for family is canceled. :( 
But the olders + friends + dad had fun Sat. night celebrating.
This morning I am hanging out with my boys.
I have listened to my church's sermons online.  Check it out here.
Then I revamped my blog. 
I have done a few other things. 
But a quiet morning it has been. 
I have enjoyed pondering the sermon I listened to in the midst of the quiet. I don't get this amount of  quiet very often.  It is nice.

Did you know...

generic medicines are not always "the same" as their name brand counterparts.

Discussing meds with our clinician at a checkup we were told that generic drugs can vary plus or minus 20% in their makeup compared to the name brand.
That is a 40% difference!
Not a big deal, necessarily, with some medications, but...........
Needless to say, I was quite shocked.
We have been advised to start saving our prescription bottles. When they are completed, writing on them about how that "month" went while taking that bottle of medicine.

Formulas differ from company to company. (The pharmaceutical company is listed on the prescription label.) Pharmacies often choose the company offering the best deal at the time when they purchase their stock. So there is no guarantee a maintenace dosage will be the same from month to month!

No matter how many times doctors and pharmacists have tried to reassure me generic is no different than name brand, I have not agreed. I realize we are talking about milligrams and micrograms and 20% may not seem like a lot when calculated. But when the dosage is 12.5 milligrams, we are talking about super small dosages. Basically, a little bit goes a looooong way! In this case, a teeny tiny little bit goes a long way! 10 mg, is not enough and 15 mg is too much.
AIY!
And now it is all beginning to make more sense....

The Spoon Theory

Couple of weeks ago, maybe it was only this past week, my sis told me to check out her blog. Sometimes life is soo much, it is impossible to keep track of the passing of time. I said ookay. Then life happened. Well yesterday, instead of doing what I should, I took a few moments to catch up on the lives of the people I try to follow via their blogs. I was quite behind on some, including my sister's. But I finally got caught up and saw the post and remembered the somewhat emotional phone call and the encouragement to read her blog. This was the post she wanted me to see. This is the link I followed. As I read the spoon theory, I was so comforted. Comforted to know there were others in similar situations. Comforted to know that my sister just might be able to say she "got it" when I had to choose to not take her calls or return them. Comforted to know there was a perfectly wonderful explanation out there and I didn't have to use up any "spoons" trying to figure out how to explain it. Thanks Sis for sharing this with me.

So for anyone who is struggling or knows someone struggling with a chronic physical or mental health condition check out the Spoon Theory. Sometimes, I think the spoon theory is a perfect explanation for the condition of me on any given day. Sometimes, it is the perfect explanation for me, the caregiver, as I have to stop and think through each activity on how it will affect my child who struggles as well. How many spoons do we have together? Sharing rarely works. What if we are both having a day that starts with very few spoons? ! ?

64 Degrees and it is Dec. 30 ! !

I am so loving the weather today.
With two sickies in bed with Strep. I have every window and door open today. The house smells of lysol, bleach and the ham in the oven.

I kicked the healthy children outside to play and they all have played out front for much of the afternoon. Street hockey is the theme for the day. When they need to rest they go straight for the legos. Gus is happy as well. He has been tormenting Hockey Player while he tries to play street hockey! He grabs the street hockey ball and goes running. All he needs is a pair of skates. Great defense.

I should have the camera out, but then they will just want to pose and the magic will be lost.

The Good, The Bad, The Funny

It's been a rough 24 hours. It seems we just regrouped from the last 2 weeks and the hubby came down sick, some stomache bug. Threatened him to stay away. I don't like to share ! Then three kiddos came down sick, but a whole different game. STREP! UGH! New toothbrushes all around x2...dr. recommended since we are all so close and everything. For those who need a little help that is 14 toothbrushes in just 2 days. AIY!
Even more shocking is one of the fallen is Hockey Player. Hockey Player never gets sick. That should be a good thing. Except for when the suburban is full of sick kids and we are at the pharmacy 3 hours after the prescription is sent and sit and sit and sit because Hockey Player doesn't seem to have info in their computers. It took 45 minutes for insurance to verify he was on our card. The Bad!
The Funny...all I could do is think Hockey Player needs to get sick more often.
So our other wounded souls are Little Princess and Flutter Nutter. Flutter Nutter seems to have it the worst. Can't sleep, wants a drink and cries cause that hurts worse. I am still wondering who drank out of the water fountain. Everytime someone sneaks a drink from the cess pool of infections (aka water fountain) strep ravages our home. Noone is admitting to the crime. But I know Flutter Nutter will never want to drink from a water fountain again.