Three Illnesses and a Wedding

Save for four magical days in the middle of the month, September was mostly a wash for me. First, the boy was sick. It’s heart wrenching when kids are sick- when you know they feel bad, but there isn’t a whole lot that you can do to help them. I mean, I tried- I pushed Gatorade and Sprite, and let him indulge in Netflix marathons. We ended up making two trips to the doctor. Lately, it seems that everything needs two trips to the doctor, because the first time they just poo-poo you and tell you that it’s viral. I say lately because it happened twice this month. I realize that doctor’s aren’t gods and they don’t actually have a crystal ball. BUT when a reasonably intelligent person has been at home with a sick kid for four days, and she makes an effort to go to a clinic that’s open on Sunday, chances are there’s something wrong.

It was the second trip (on Weds) where the NP agreed that the boy was sick enough to treat. The hand-delivered letter, sent home from school, written by the health department, warning of a SHIGELLA outbreak probably helped move that process along. So the boy recovered, and I went away for a magical four day weekend.

During this magical weekend, I got to spend time with a bestie from high school, while standing up for another bestie from high school. Yes, Chris and I were able to attend Jason’s wedding together. The weekend was amazing, and it was filled with love and friendship and new memories….and a visit from hotel security telling us to STFU. Because we can’t get together and not make noise.Anyway, Jason has found his person, and together he and Collin make an amazing pair of husbands. Chris and I kept marveling at how fantastic all of their friends are, and how well everyone (not matter if we were strangers) got along so freaking well. It was a very wonderful break from reality.

We met in our very first class on our very first day of high school circa 1987. We weren't nearly that dressed up that day.
We met in our very first class on our very first day of high school circa 1987. We weren’t nearly that dressed up that day.

 

The last time we were this dressed up together, we were going to prom, circa 1990.
The last time we were this dressed up together, we were going to prom, circa 1990.

Re-entry to reality wasn’t pretty- I was exhausted and had some killer blisters. I walked around in a haze Monday, felt more grounded Tuesday, but then I started to cough Wednesday.

Thursday afternoon I fell into bed with a fever…..and I’ve been sick ever since. Yes, it is now October. Yes, I’ve been sick since September 18th. And I’ve learned, the only thing worse than a sick kid is a sick kid when you yourself are sick. Meg fell into bed two days after me, and we spent the following week hacking up lungs and sleeping and sweating through fevers. And our first visit to the doctor yielded an, “it’s viral.” Again, I say, I know doctor’s don’t have a crystal ball. I know that bacterial infections can hide for days before they make themselves apparent, but DAMN. A phone call later in the week repeated that song and dance.

Which is how we ended up at MedCheck on a Saturday. By then, we were sick enough to be treated. And sick enough we were. We were diagnosed with the pioneer ebola- you know, pneumonia. I have no idea how anyone survived this disease before the advent of anitbiotics and albuterol. I’ve been treated with both now for over a week, and I’m STILL not stellar. People say it’s going to take weeks.

I’m using my time wisely though. I’ve discovered the wonder that is The Gilmore Girls.

Because no one needs to see my nebulizer, I’ll include some more photos from Jason’s wedding instead. And a link, because, it was, in fact, a society wedding. And there was a gossip columnist there! (for reals)

2014-09-13 19.01.16-2
The armadillo grooms cake, ala Steel Magnolias. Yes, it was red velvet. Duh.
2014-09-13 19.20.28
The armadillo’s head was a giant rice krispie treat. And it got passed around like a bottle of Boone’s farm during Freshman year.
2014-09-13 16.56.40
The flowers all over the ceremony and reception were sooo pretty.
2014-09-13 21.26.55
Just three friends who met in 1987.
We had a moment to take a selfie during the ceremnony.
We had a moment to take a selfie during the ceremnony.
2014-09-13 17.40.30
The grooms toasting before our grand entrance.

NINE.

Last month, our girl turned nine. We’d just gotten home from our Museum-cation out East, so we had a family day with a trip to the movie theater, her favorite pizza and chocolate cake. Once school started (three days after her birthday-ack!) we had a friend day at SkyZone and stopped for frozen yogurt. This year she didn’t have anything too pressing on her birthday wish list, so instead of buying gifts for her for the relatives who generously send checks, we gave her the cash.

You want to make a nine year old happy? Put her in charge of her spending. She’s designated some for the bank, and the rest I think she will spend in spurts.

I thnk her “summer of 9” was a good one. She’s experienced Girl Scout day camp. She’s been to a slumber party. She’s seen the long-awaited Statue of Liberty. We’ve had some chats (at her request) about things she wonders about. She’s getting new glasses soon, and has grown taller than some of the grownups in her life. She suddenly knows the songs on the radio, and has her favorites. She’s very into the audiobook of The Secret Garden right now, and is picking up other novels for pleasure reading. She’s on her third session of gymnastics, and is dedicated to practicing the skills she needs to learn to advance. Nine is all at once rather grown up, yet still playful. I’ll take it.

This week was back to school night, and at her desk was a “Selfie” poem. I think it sums her up nicely.

2014-09-04 18.23.33

 

Back to School Health Needs? MinuteClinic Has You Covered.

Two weeks from today (eek!) the kids will go off to school for the start of another school year. Where did the summer of Six and Nine go? It took forever to get here, and now it’s winding down.

As we get ready to for back to school, I’m glad the ages of six and nine don’t require any immunizations- fitting those in with everything thing else back to school brings is never easy. Last year, the boy went to kindergarten one immunization short, and I got weekly notes from the school nurse until I (well, BgK) got it taken care of. Little did I know, the MinuteClinic (inside CVS), which we pass two times a day en route to school, could have taken care of that for us. For real. Had we only known. 

We’re in the clear for a couple more years, because in Indiana, it seems that sixth grade is the next “big shot” year. I won’t tell the kids if you won’t. As much as it’s a pain (literally and figuratively for all involved), I know it’s important to vaccinate. Do you know who the biggest pro-immunization person I know is? My grandma. At nearly 101, it was her friends and siblings who fell ill (sometimes fatally) with diseases that are now vaccine preventable. It comes up in conversations with her, oddly enough, more often than you might think. She remembers quarantine signs and the terror that came with disease outbreaks. It’s amazing that now my family can get all the immunizations needed at our local pharmacy.

ChalkboardCollageCVSKeep the MinuteClinic in mind as you see what immunizations your child may need to start school- no appointment is necessary and most insurance is accepted. MinuteClinics are also open seven days a week, which can come in handy when trying to fit in medical needs with everything else. The other thing I really like about the MinuteClinic is the price sheet. I know it’s unheard of, but they actually have, available online, a price sheet for their services. Even if you’re submitting to insurance, this handy price sheet can give you an idea of what kind of bill you’ll be looking at. Also accessible through their website is a list of which immunizations are required by state. Handy, right?

Other services offered at the MinuteClinic near you (chances are, there’s one near you- there are 5 of them within 5 miles of my house) include:

Right now, any visit to the MinuteClinic will net you a coupon book worth $22 in savings. MinuteClinic will be hosting a Twitter Party on Monday, July 28th at 1pm filled with information to help all kids #GoBackHealthy. Join in the the discussion about back to school health & safety, and you could win some fun prizes.

Disclosure: Thanks for Minute Clinic for sponsoring today’s discussion.