The cold room

The highlight of my week.  Yesterday it was super hot for Wisconsin.  Up to 90 degrees and humid.  Our bedroom has an air conditioner so we have been referring to it as the "cold room", sort of like how some people have a "panic room".  Yesterday afternoon when I could not possibly stand the heat any longer, we retreated the cold room.  We set Ellie up on the bed with some stickers (yes gasp! something other than crayons, she has been really into happy face stickers).  Then Ben and I picked out some old school Dr. Seuss books and we had story time on the bed.  I felt so great reading to ALL my children, finding an activity with which we could all participate.  There was a moment of total contentment where I remembered to savor the moment knowing that very soon everything will, once again, change.   How many people are fortunate enough to get to spend the day relaxing and bonding with their children?  In that moment it felt as if there was nothing more important for me to be doing. 

[caption id="attachment_2759" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The face for taking a nasty tasting antibiotic."][/caption]

Last Friday I went to pick up Ben's new antibiotic.   When I went to pick it up, the pharmacist mentioned that there was a 10% chance that Ben would also have an allergic reaction to this antibiotic (and if I were in a totally positive space, which I was not, I would think a 90% chance he will not have a reaction).  I asked how I would possibly know since his body was already covered in a rash (which clears up on its own within 3-4 days and does not in anyway respond to hydrocortizone or benedryl).  He just kind of shrugged and mumbled maybe I'd have to see if it got worse.  Worse?!?!  Since we were unclear if the rash was caused by the original antibiotic or the secondary viral infection, I asked the pediatirican what would happen if we just kept taking the original (good tasting) antibiotic.  She explained that Ben would eventually develop burns on his skin and in his mouth that would need to be treated at a burn unit.  Yikes!  So by Saturday morning I was nervous about the possibility of Ben having an allergic reaction to the second antibiotic.  After consulting with  the pediatrician, we halted the antibiotic for the weekend, allowing Ben's body to recover from the original antibiotic.  On Monday morning we discovered that Ben did in fact have Lyme's disease which meant that we needed to continue with the yucky tasting second antibiotic.   Fortunately as of tonight, we have only 3 more doses to finish up! 

[caption id="attachment_2760" align="alignright" width="300" caption="A (rare) smiley face photo of Ellie."][/caption]

Last night I was lying in bed devouring a book as I tried to discover a comfortable position for sleep.  Suddenly I heard a loud thud.  I raced (well as fast as I can race in my quite pronounced pregnant state) out of the room and found Ellie face down in her bedroom.  She had fallen "on her head" as she told Thom and I.  Ellie has taken somewhat of a downward turn this week.  On Tuesday, she started seeming more tired and having more difficulty moving around, or even sitting up.   The last few days she is back to sleeping 16-20 hours a day.  I kept thinking that maybe it was just because it is so darn hot.  Or maybe she was just having an off day.  But then the physical therapist came by today and said Ellie was definately on a decline.  This afternoon she fell again when she was trying to close a drawer.  We go in for a blood test tomorrow to check sodium/BUN (a measure of dehydration).  We are scheduled for a quick brain MRI on July 26, but may end up having one sooner than that. 

A super big thanks to Cynthia for the yummilicous Pad Thai.  I cannot stop thinking about how good it was.

I apologize for all the typos, I cannot seem to get my spell check to cooperate with me, we'll just say it  adds character just for today.