Thanks for the supportive emails/comments on the last post. A lot of you are parents too, and it helps to know that other people have been through situations like these and survived with (most of) their sanity intact!
WORST WEEK EVER (cont.)
Wednesday: When we last tuned in, our heroes (ok, me and Zachary) were on their way to the Children's Hospital ER. I find it without any trouble but the parking is confusing and let's face it, I'm probably not thinking that clearly. There's a sign for ER Valet parking, but no valet. I circle around several times trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do. Am I going to have to park in the very distant visitor lot and carry my husky boy the whole way? Thankfully, someone leaves one of the 12 (12?!) non-valet ER parking spots and I snag it.
The pediatrician has called ahead so the ER is expecting us and we have to wait only a few minutes before being taken to an exam room. Zak is examined by a nurse, another nurse, and the resident doc. I've brought a bottle and a jar of baby food but I don't want to set Zak on the floor (it's a nice hospital but still.. ick) so I perform a balancing act worthy of a circus performer while preparing his food and holding him simultaneously. He is really grouchy - he's sick and has been poked and prodded by at least 4 different people so far. My arms are killing me; this kid is heavy! A nurse comes back in and sucks out his nose with a wacky vacuum device, and now Zak is even grouchier. Then he gets a chest x-ray. The results come back pretty quickly. Good news, it's not pneumonia, just a bad case of bronchialitis. The head doctor comes in and examines him. She says that I can take him home but I need to buy a nebulizer and give him periodic breathing treatments until he improves.
After four hours in the ER, we're finally back home. Zak screams through his first nebulizer treatment and then conks out. We are both drained. Thankfully reinforcements arrive - Kyle's parents drive in from Cleveland! They are a huge help. Later that night, Kyle gets home early from his business trip. It's great to have everyone there.
Thursday: I go back to work as I'm still new at my job and have already taken several days off. Kyle takes Zak to the pediatrician. She asks him if his wife is doing ok - I must have seemed pretty panicky the day before! Zak's breathing sounds a little better
Friday: Kyle takes Zak to the ENT (Ear, Nose, & Throat) specialist. The doctor says that he would put tubes in that day if he could. Zak's ears are still infected! But because the procedure requires anaesthesia, his bronichialitis must clear up, and then the ENT will wait an additional 4-6 weeks before they will put the tubes in. This is disappointing, we really want this done sooner so Zak can start feeling better.
Saturday: Zak is feeling better. He and Isabel are playing in the dining room while Kyle and I clean up the kitchen. Suddenly we hear a loud THUMP THUMP THUMP. Zak has just fallen down the entire flight of stairs! Unbeknownst to us, he climbed all the way up and then fell down the whole way. Luckily he is not hurt, just scared. 30 minutes later, he tries to climb up the stairs again.
Sunday: Kyle buys a gate for the stairs.
WEEK 3
Zak is doing so much better! We want to make sure he fully recovers, so since Kyle is travelling again and I need to work, Kyle's dad volunteers to come down to Columbus *again* to watch Zak during the day. The week begins smoothly enough. I'm a little stressed because I'm trying to get everything ready for Isabel's birthday party that Saturday. I notice that Isabel has a few red bumps on her hip and back. She says they don't hurt or itch. I think maybe it's an allergic reaction. She has her 4 year checkup with the pediatrician next week, and since it isn't bothering her it can wait until then.
Friday I'm out to lunch with a friend when I get a phone call from the daycare. Remember those harmless little bumps? The daycare staff thinks it might be chicken pox. What? She's had the vaccine! I pick her up and examine her... it doesn't look like chicken pox, does it? And she never had a fever. And her birthday party is tomorrow. It can't be chicken pox!
It is chicken pox. The doctor confirms it Saturday morning. We call all the would-be guests and tell them the party is cancelled. Then we have to break the news to Isabel. Poor kid! She cries but takes it better than expected. We still have a small party, just me, Kyle, Zak, and the spotty birthday girl. We get her a Razor scooter and it's even warm enough for her to ride it outside. That night we have cake and ice cream, but my stomach has been hurting all day so I don't eat any.
Saturday night, my stomach hurts more. Uh oh, feels like a stomach flu. Kyle starts feeling it in the middle of the night. Sunday we both feel terrible. It is tough taking care of kids when both parents are sick! Kyle's dad comes down *yet again* to help us out. Even though Isabel's chicken pox is so mild because she'd been vaccinated, she is still contagious and can't go to school. Oh well, at least she feels ok!
Around 2AM Monday morning, I hear Isabel calling, "Mama! Mama!". I walk into her bedroom to find her standing in the middle of her bed. I ask, "What's wrong"? She responds by barfing all over the bed. Oh no, she got chicken pox AND a stomach flu for her birthday! We change her sheets and clean her up. She throws up all over the bed again. We change the sheets again and this time bring a bowl for her to puke in. Kyle spends the night in her room to watch over her. He still feels sick that morning so he delays his business trip and he, his dad, and Isabel stay home while Zak and I go to school/work.
WEEK 4 - TODAY
As of this minute, everyone is healthy... although January's not over yet! Kyle is back in town and we've finally let his dad return home to Cleveland. Kyle's mom and dad have been lifesavers; thank you so much, we wouldn't have made it without you! To all my friends who have or plan to have children, I have this piece of advice: MOVE CLOSER TO YOUR PARENTS. It is so hard not to have help close by. We are lucky that Kyle's parents are only 2.5 hours away but it would be so much easier to have relatives in town. (Both my mom and dad demanded that I move to NC or Chicago respectively after this whole adventure!). It has been a tough month for everyone; I'm surprised my hair did not turn completely gray because I feel like I've aged 15 years.
Looking forward to February!!!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Worst Month Ever - Part I
I hope I'm not jinxing myself by posting about a month that's not done yet, but I think it's safe to say that 2010 has not been a banner year for the Keepers thus far.
FIRST WEEK
The first full week of January, Kyle went on the first of a series of business trips. It's hard on him to be away from the family, and even harder on us. Getting two kids fed, bathed, lunches made for the next day, put to bed, woken up, wrestled into clothes and off to school is tough with two adults. For one person it can be pretty daunting. Also, I felt like I could never give either Isabel or Zak enough attention; one needed to fed while the other one's bottom needed to be wiped; one wanted to be rocked and the other wanted to play games. On top of it all, there's the additional pressure of me being at new job. This sets the stage for...
WORST WEEK EVER
Monday: It's the second week of January and Kyle is gone on his second trip of the month. While out for lunch with a friend, I get a call from the day care: Zak has a fever. I go pick him up and he is burning up with a temperature of 102.5. On top of that, he seems to be breathing a little fast, although I assume that's just me being a paranoid mom. I call the pediatrician but the earliest appointment I can get is 5:15. Later that afternoon I pick up Isabel and head to the doc. I should be back home in time for the kids' usual 6pm dinner, right?
Wrong! The doc's office is full, tons of sick kids. We don't get into an exam room until 5:45. Zak has an ear infection, and the doctor doesn't like his wheezy breathing. They give him a breathing treatment with a device called a nebulizer. It doesn't hurt him but Zak screams and cries and a nurse has to help me hold him down. They also give Zak a shot for the ear infection and tell me he'll need tubes in his ears because this is his fifth ear infection in 5 months. Isabel is being a trooper but we've been there an hour and she's hungry. I hadn't planned on being there so long but luckily there's some food in the diaper bag. I'm sure it's stale, it's been in there for ages but she gobbles it up.
The pediatrician gives us a prescription for an inhaler so now we all have to go to the pharmacy. I walk outside to the car. Great - it snowed while we were inside so I have to scrape off the car windows. While I'm doing this, a little old couple drive next to me and ask if I need help. I must look pretty pathetic.
We get to the pharmacy and they tell me it will be a 20 minute wait. Isabel is hungry and wants a treat. Chocolate for dinner? Ok, she's earned it. Finally we get the inhaler and go back out to the car. Crap. It snowed again, gotta scrape the windows. We finally get home, I do the whole nighttime routine and try to give Zak his inhaler. Not surprisingly, he hates it.
Tuesday: Zak is clearly not doing well. He's always a smiley guy even when he's sick, but this time he seems really out of it. I take Isabel to school and then go to the doctor for Zak's recheck appointment. Breathing still sounds bad, he has to have a breathing treatment and once again it takes me and a nurse to hold him down. Ears still look bad, he has to have another shot.
Once the appointment is done, I bundle him up, take him to the car, and strap him into his seat. I go to open my door but... it's locked! What? I didn't lock the door! I frantically try all the doors but somehow they've locked and I can see my keys resting in the cupholder of Zak's car seat. It's 20 degrees outside. I panic. Thankfully, I still have my purse with the cellphone inside and call 911. A few minutes later the police show up, slim jims ready. But the cop takes one look at my car and says, "Nissans are tough". Damn. They try for a while but it doesn't look promising. So one of them stays with Zak while the other drives me to my house where I have a spare key. Zak sleeps through the whole drama. I ♥ the Westerville police.
Wednesday: Zak is still not doing well. I drop Isabel at school and we go back to the pediatrician again. His breathing has not improved much. At this point I really am worried and lose it in the exam room. The doctor calms me down but tells me that Zak should go the ER at Children's Hospital as a precaution. Actually I'm not too sure what she said, what I heard was "blah blah blah ER blah blah blah". I race home, throw some stuff in a bag because I might have to spend the night at the hospital, and then call Kyle to tell him the latest news. He is really worried and books an early flight home. He also calls his parents to ask if they will come down to help.
To be continued...
FIRST WEEK
The first full week of January, Kyle went on the first of a series of business trips. It's hard on him to be away from the family, and even harder on us. Getting two kids fed, bathed, lunches made for the next day, put to bed, woken up, wrestled into clothes and off to school is tough with two adults. For one person it can be pretty daunting. Also, I felt like I could never give either Isabel or Zak enough attention; one needed to fed while the other one's bottom needed to be wiped; one wanted to be rocked and the other wanted to play games. On top of it all, there's the additional pressure of me being at new job. This sets the stage for...
WORST WEEK EVER
Monday: It's the second week of January and Kyle is gone on his second trip of the month. While out for lunch with a friend, I get a call from the day care: Zak has a fever. I go pick him up and he is burning up with a temperature of 102.5. On top of that, he seems to be breathing a little fast, although I assume that's just me being a paranoid mom. I call the pediatrician but the earliest appointment I can get is 5:15. Later that afternoon I pick up Isabel and head to the doc. I should be back home in time for the kids' usual 6pm dinner, right?
Wrong! The doc's office is full, tons of sick kids. We don't get into an exam room until 5:45. Zak has an ear infection, and the doctor doesn't like his wheezy breathing. They give him a breathing treatment with a device called a nebulizer. It doesn't hurt him but Zak screams and cries and a nurse has to help me hold him down. They also give Zak a shot for the ear infection and tell me he'll need tubes in his ears because this is his fifth ear infection in 5 months. Isabel is being a trooper but we've been there an hour and she's hungry. I hadn't planned on being there so long but luckily there's some food in the diaper bag. I'm sure it's stale, it's been in there for ages but she gobbles it up.
The pediatrician gives us a prescription for an inhaler so now we all have to go to the pharmacy. I walk outside to the car. Great - it snowed while we were inside so I have to scrape off the car windows. While I'm doing this, a little old couple drive next to me and ask if I need help. I must look pretty pathetic.
We get to the pharmacy and they tell me it will be a 20 minute wait. Isabel is hungry and wants a treat. Chocolate for dinner? Ok, she's earned it. Finally we get the inhaler and go back out to the car. Crap. It snowed again, gotta scrape the windows. We finally get home, I do the whole nighttime routine and try to give Zak his inhaler. Not surprisingly, he hates it.
Tuesday: Zak is clearly not doing well. He's always a smiley guy even when he's sick, but this time he seems really out of it. I take Isabel to school and then go to the doctor for Zak's recheck appointment. Breathing still sounds bad, he has to have a breathing treatment and once again it takes me and a nurse to hold him down. Ears still look bad, he has to have another shot.
Once the appointment is done, I bundle him up, take him to the car, and strap him into his seat. I go to open my door but... it's locked! What? I didn't lock the door! I frantically try all the doors but somehow they've locked and I can see my keys resting in the cupholder of Zak's car seat. It's 20 degrees outside. I panic. Thankfully, I still have my purse with the cellphone inside and call 911. A few minutes later the police show up, slim jims ready. But the cop takes one look at my car and says, "Nissans are tough". Damn. They try for a while but it doesn't look promising. So one of them stays with Zak while the other drives me to my house where I have a spare key. Zak sleeps through the whole drama. I ♥ the Westerville police.
Wednesday: Zak is still not doing well. I drop Isabel at school and we go back to the pediatrician again. His breathing has not improved much. At this point I really am worried and lose it in the exam room. The doctor calms me down but tells me that Zak should go the ER at Children's Hospital as a precaution. Actually I'm not too sure what she said, what I heard was "blah blah blah ER blah blah blah". I race home, throw some stuff in a bag because I might have to spend the night at the hospital, and then call Kyle to tell him the latest news. He is really worried and books an early flight home. He also calls his parents to ask if they will come down to help.
To be continued...
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Home Movies
A couple of home movies for your enjoyment. The first is from way back in September. We were up in Cleveland for Kierstyn's birthday and paid a visit to this place that had blow-up slides and obstacle courses. As you can see here, Isabel exemplifies the old saying "slow and steady wins the race". It takes her a while to get to the top of the slide, but with a little old fashioned cheating she gets to the bottom first.
I took this next video this morning. They walk! They sing! They dance!
Christmas 2009
Well, it's the end of a whirlwind holiday season. We celebrated Christmas at home a day early. Zak seemed to enjoy it although he had no idea what was going on, and Isabel loved the gifts, even the ones which weren't hers. Actually, everyone seemed to like their gifts and it was a lovely Christmas Eve morning.
After breakfast, we packed up (our sedan is getting too small for all of our stuff!) and hit the road for Cleveland. The kids loved playing with their cousins and grandparents, and the weather was actually pretty nice - no lake effect snow, hooray! Everybody opened gifts Christmas night after visiting Kyle's Grandma. Saturday, Kyle and I continued our tradition of having a "grownup" night out at the movies/hotel while the kids enjoyed time with Oma and Opa.
Sunday, Kyle and I had to go back to Columbus because we had to work. Since the kids' school was closed, Kyle's parents graciously volunteered to watch the kids. I hope Isa and Zak behaved themselves! It sounds like they had great fun with their cousins as well as a trip to Chuck E Cheese. While the mice were away, the cats (that would be Kyle and I) got to play by taking in another movie (Two movies in a week! Unheard of these days!). But we missed the kids terribly and smothered them with kisses when they got back.
I had to work the next day but Kyle, his parents, and the kids went to a New Year's eve event at the Community Center. They had a bouncy house, juggler, arts & crafts, even a countdown at noon. I'm sorry I had to miss it, sounded like fun! Neither Kyle nor I managed to stay up til midnight on New Year's eve, but we did celebrate with champagne and friends on New Year's Day while watching the Rose Bowl. Happy New Year!!!
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