Whew!

We've had an eventful (and not the exciting kind of eventful) past few weeks around here.

 J had influenza, keeping him home for a week of school.  I started on Tamiflu just as my symptoms started so the duration of illness was rather short.  We made it through that feeling pretty good because 50% of the family was physically unaffected.  Whew!

A few days after the flu stuff, my throat was hurting more than it should be.  With the discovery of white patches way back on my throat, I headed to urgent care to find out I had canker sores...painful canker sores, but not infectious or contagious.  Whew!

A little over a week later (last Thursday), I had scheduled surgery.  The procedure was routine in nature, but there's always a bit of anxiety with any surgery...especially when your son is overly concerned about your mortality.  The night before surgery he asked, "What are the chances mom is going to die?  One percent?  Two percent?  You can tell me.  It's okay."   I had a one-night hospital vacation and then was able to come home to my babies with the standard restrictions of no driving and no lifting.  I didn't die.  Whew!

The day after I came home from the hospital, E woke up with a fever, sore throat, and rough cough.  Steve took her to the doctor so influenza could be ruled out.  No influenza.  Whew!

The day after that the garage door/opener broke.  E's fever continued but responded well to ibuprofen. Steve went to church by himself.  J's Chinese class was canceled due to Chinese New Year (You know you've stepped outside of your box as a Caucasian Christian living in the Midwest when the class you child is taking is canceled for Chinese New Year but is scheduled on Easter :)...he's loving the symbol writing the most).  I was feeling good and a dear family stopped by with a favorite lunch.  Food provided, pain controlled, fever at bay during the day.  Whew!

The day after that E's fever continued and her cough was terrible.  Steve served a round of ibuprofen to his patients and went to work.  The girls had a good day at home and a church friend blessed us with a meal.  Food provided and sickies survived the day on their own.  Whew!

The day after that E's fever continued and her cough was terrible.  She felt well enough to play multiple games of UNO and Go Fish.  I approached my lifetime limit of Max and Ruby.  But we made it through another day thanks to the television, a meal from a sweet friend, the computer, and lots of prayers.  Whew!

The day after that E's fever continued and her cough was terrible.  That was today.  Her terrible coughing kept us up for the better part of the night, and she was miserable upon waking.  After taking a little listen to her lungs this morning, I made my diagnosis and we headed off to the doctor again.  Unfortunately, after a long week and a poor night's sleep, I had no more "Whews!" left in me this morning. 

The camel dropped to his knees.  The last straw:  E has pneumonia.  She's fine though...oxygenating well and stable, antibiotics ordered...and I knew she was fine, but I still cried after we left the doctor's office.  Craving my go-to but off-limits stress relievers of running, hot baths, or alcohol (sometimes all three), the cumulative effect caught up with me.  I attended my own brief pity party in the parking lot of Bed, Bath, and Beyond while we waited (and waited) for the pharmacy to prepare her prescription.  Lots (L.O.T.S.) of prayers, a nice meal from a church friend, a fabulous chauffeur for J to get to swimming lessons, plenty of f-bombs in my head (so therapeutic!), a shower, a hug from Steve, and a nap helped me pull it all together again just in time to lay by the kids for their normal bedtime routine. 

The good news:  I felt well enough (and safe enough...their unintentional elbow and knee jabs can take me out when I'm without a tender body) to lay by the kids at bedtime for the first time in a week.  I can already feel that things are shifting back to normal around here.  Soon enough the camel will be walking and I'll be able to run, drink, and soak in the tub again.  Whew!