Good news

Yesterday we had to take J to a specialist for a health problem that seems to run in my family. Last week we found out my 5 year old nephew would be going for surgery for a very similar problem. I was afraid while we were at our appointment yesterday that we would be told that J needed surgery as well.
J has had surgery once before in his young life, and I did not deal with it well. He had a difficult time coming out of the anesthesia, not waking up, vomiting as he was unconscious, with hubby and I not able to do anything to help. As I stood by watching his small, tiny body (he was 2) on that large sterile hospital bed, I was struck such pain in my heart from my powerlessness to help him that I almost fainted. I said to my mother at that time that I could never go through that again (obviously that statement was from an emotional standpoint, realistically I would be sure to get the health care he needed).
So, when I found out that he might have to go for surgery again, I was rather distraught. This last month of waiting for his appointment with the specialist has been one full of stress. As we got closer and closer to the date of his appointment, I became more and more nervous.
Luckily, the doctor determined that J does not need surgery. We will watch his condition and reevaluate next year, but it looks good that he will not need the surgery ever. Whoohoo!
Now I need to focus on giving my sister the support she needs to get her son through surgery.

Blue October

I thought I might share some music with you. This song just seems to describe my life to a "T" right about now. "Life's like a jump rope, up down, up down, up down"...describes a lot of folks lives right about now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7eyqCQYBGY

I'll go into more detail after tomorrow, lots of meetings, doctor's appointments, etc. whose outcomes may be good, they may be bad, we shall see.

Swine Flu

Swine Flu has struck hard in our neighbor hood. One day alone last week, 43 children went home sick from the elementary school. 2 of my neighbor's children came down with it, and within 48 hours the oldest was diagnosed with pneumonia. Poor kid was admitted to the hospital yesterday, and they gave him massive doses of antibiotics in an attempt to turn it around. They released him from the hospital today, with things looking a little more positive than they did yesterday. Unfortunately, his poor mother, who has been nursing both boys to health, is not doing so well. While at the hospital by his bed, she became ill, and was rushed to the emergency room herself. She too had become infected.
Her husband, who is not used to dealing with all 4 kids by himself (they are all 8 and under), was looking rather frazzled when I saw him this afternoon. I felt so bad for them, so I brought over a home-cooked dinner. I had told his wife earlier that I was going to do that, but that was before she became so ill and I guess she forgot to tell him because when I came knocking at his door at 6pm he seemed overjoyed to see me. He said he had just told the 4 children that they would have to go out and get something since he had nothing ready for them (in his defense, he normally is the one who makes dinner at there house, but he had to leave the house this afternoon so that realtors could show it to possible buyers). Hopefully they liked it.