Getting familiar with the local hospital

I could have named this post the same as the last one - long time no blog! Sorry about that, I have to get myself on a new routine. I really am trying! We have decided to send Levi to preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays, full days, which should theoretically free up some of my time, but it is not working yet. I'm not sure I am up to catching you up on everything we have been doing since I last blogged properly, but let me fill you in on this week at least.

Levi went to his preschool for a half-day, both Thursday and Friday (a week and a bit ago) and of course caught a cold, which he brought home to the rest of the family. Monday Riley went to school as usual, and of course Levi was at home. Tuesday and Wednesday were teacher-in-service days, so Riley was off school. Tuesday Levi went into preschool for his first full day, but of course, no free time for me because now Riley is at home! Wednesday, they are both home, and by Wednesday night, everyone is feeling pretty sick, and the boy's eyes have gone all red and yucky and itchy. Boys (and Mom and Dad) have a terrible night sleep, lots of coughing and such. So I woke up Thursday morning knowing that I needed to get them some antibiotic eye drops at least. (Mind you Thursday was SUPPOSED to be my first full-day "off", and I had plans!! I was going to bring my spinning wheel in to the knitting group to do a little show-and-tell ... I had a lunch date...)

Thursday. I called the clinic at 8:00 when they opened, and they took my number and called me back some time later saying that they had no openings for today, but they would call back if they could get me in. I waited for awhile and started to fret - tried calling Steve to see what the hospice nurses would advise, but he is not at his desk. Called our friend Lynn, she suggests trying the clinic in Onley. I called them, and they said I would have better luck at "our" clinic (in Franktown). So I fret awhile more, and finally they call back and say we can come in at 1:00.

12:45 - 2:00 In the Dr.'s office, waiting, filling out forms, seeing the Doctor. I actually can't complain too much about this, I really like the Doctor, he takes the time to listen to the whole story, explains a lot about his thought process, very personable guy. At this time, Riley has one really sticky eye and a bad cold, Levi's eyes are not that bad, but his cough is a lot worse. His temperature is almost 103. Dr. gives him an albuterol treatment (inhaler-thing) so he can listen to his lungs better. When he gets a better listen, he thinks that Levi has pneumonia, and sends us to the hospital for a chest xray to confirm.

2:00 - 3:00 Hospital, waiting, filling out forms, waiting some more, (with 2 sick kids), get the xray, wait some more, take the xrays back to Dr.'s office.

3:00 - 4:00 Back at Dr.'s office. A bit more waiting, and then back in with the Dr. - yes, it is pneumonia. He calls in prescriptions for eye drops for Riley, and oral antibiotics for Levi. By this time, Steve had received my messages, and he met us at the clinic and took the boys home.

4:00 - 5:00 I did some grocery shopping to give the pharmacy some time to get our stuff ready. I went to the pharmacy at 5:00 and they told me to come back in an hour.

5:00 - 6:00 I decided to wait, rather than drive home and come back, so I put the seat back in the car and slept for an hour!

6:00 Prescriptions still not ready - pharmacy is jammed - more waiting around, but thankfully no sick and coughing children with me this time.

7:00 Finally make it home with medicine for my children!

The good news is, antibiotics work. As my Dad always says, if you get a cold, tough luck, you just have to suffer. If you're lucky, you'll get pneumonia - they can cure that. And they can. In the morning, after just one dose apiece, the boys are feeling much better. I kept Riley home one more day - not sure if that was the right decision or not. (I may get a nasty letter from the school - again.) His eye is much better, but he is still coughing a lot. And Levi's fever is gone - he is also still coughing, but is much more himself.

And today - Saturday - we are off to Salisbury to see Bigfoot! As I recall, the boys (or at least Levi) was sick last year when we went to see Monster Jam, too. Maybe January is just like that.

So, next post, hopefully soon, will be pictures of monster trucks. See you then.

Long Time No Blog!

Well, you can guess what we have been up to - Birthday (Riley's), Christmas, Guests, Moving house. Busy. Sorry for the lapse. Also, the internet connection has been shut off at Nini and Poppy's house for a week or so, and we just last night got connected at the new place. So I have a basketful of excuses to choose from!

Today at 2:30, God willing, we will close on the house, and it will really and truly be ours! There is a little bit of last-minute confusion going on, so wish us luck - but the champagne is cooling in the refrigerator this moment, and we will crack it open tonight if it all works out.

The house is mostly put together, at least the downstairs is in a livable condition. Upstairs is still a maze of boxes, but I suppose it will be for some time. Still no blinds on the windows, and Steve is losing his patience for that situation! We (I) will get to it one of these days.

Again, sorry for the long absence - but it is a new year, full of possibilities. More later!