Swine flu day 3

I am happy to report that today has been a much better day for Rei.  His temp has been down since around 6:30 this morning, his eyes look clearer, and he's had an appetite and energy to move around the house today.  I am so very relieved!  Unfortunately, I have developed a cough and an ache in my chest, and it feels like I have swallowed water or food down the wrong pipe (that'a how it feels to me anyhow).  I have no fever though or body aches or any other symptoms, so I pray it stays that way. I have to work tomorrow from 3-8.  I am unsure what the rest of my schedule looks like but I know for sure I will be on on Friday (Black Friday). 

The girls had a wonderful time at the movie last night, and Aurora survived school on about 2.5-3 hours of sleep.  She has now laid down for a nap.  Her class ring came in today and it is lovely.  Eric brought it home after he paid for it and we gave it to her when she got home from school.  We also have started looking into how many graduation announcements we are going to need to get for Patrick for May.  Not sure yet what his graduation date is--I couldn't find it on the school web-site!  And then there is the homework for Rei...  He has a bunch of it, which I am sure thrills him, even if he is feeling better!

Other than that, we are doing ok.  I have a lot of studying I really need to focus on myself so I have my paper done before the holiday, and I really wish I had more time.  I have not been budgeting it very well the past couple of days with Rei being sick.  (I did, however, read a fascinating book called "The Eight" by Katherine Neville; it was a bit slow to get into as the stage was being set with multiple characters, but once in place, it was wonderful). 

Eric is getting ready for work so I guess I will go--want to spend a few minutes with him before he leaves!

Day 2 of Swine Flu...

I was so frustrated last night.  I waited for Eric to get home from the bowling alley so I wasn't leaving Rei home alone while he was so sick, and headed for Walmart to pick up his prescription.  I was dumbfounded to discover that the pharmacy closed at 9!  It's a 24 hour Walmart supercenter, so I had assumed it would be open til at least 10 pm....  I was so upset!  I didn't call the doctor back and request he call it in elsewhere, because I am still new enough down here that I am still not familiar enough with who has a 24 hour pharmacy and who doesn't.  I went over this morning and picked it up (Tamiflu), and fortunately, even with the delays, it is still in the 48 hour window of it being effective (although it's closer than I would like...).  He is still running fevers topping 102.xxx and he is feeling like he's been hit by a large semi.  I called the cardiologist today and they have rescheduled his appointment now for December 11th; what a shock they don't want him in the office tomorrow!  I also called the church to cancel the kid's serving on Sunday because with the incubation period being so  unknown, I didn't want to take chances with safety, and the Pastor was very supportive of that (I talked to her on the phone this morning).  The school too said he is NOT welcome back until he is fever-free and unmedicated for 24 hours.  I will be running over there tomorrow to pick up his homework assignments.

I was thinking that it's possible Brie had some form of it just ahead of Rei.  She too had gotten sick pretty rapidly, and felt like she had been run over, although she didn't run a fever, and now, 4 days or so later, is rapidly on the mend.  She had a flu shot though at AIT so that potentially mitigated the severity of her symptoms.  I just hope the rest of us stay healthy!  Eric has had both the flu and the h1n1 vaccines and I think he is pretty protected.  Not so much for the rest of us though.

Eric is now officially done with his term and he is breathing a sigh of relief.  He has another 3 classes next term, that starts the beginning of December, with a break for the holidays, and this potentially is the end of it for him. My class goes through mid-December, so I need to stay focused and on-task.

That is the update from here for today!  Stay healthy!

UPDATE:
Today has been a fairly rough day for Rei in that he's felt sicker than yesterday (as evidenced by the fact that he's primarily laid in bed and slept--no videos/dvds playing at all).  He was up and moving for about an hour and a half late this afternoon but quickly returned to bed.  His temp is around 100.xx when the ibuprofen is in his system, but quickly climbs back up to 102.xx as it wears off.  Here's to hoping tomorrow is a better day for Bingo.

Sometimes I wish I had gotten my MD....

My husband will say I am being reactive, and he'd be right, but I put in a call to Rei's doctor a little bit ago because last night he got sick pretty suddenly (had been out Christmas shopping with Brie all afternoon, was animated and fine at dinnertime, but about 2 hours later was holding his chest complaining of how badly it was burning and was coughing a dry tight cough...) I initially thought asthma, because Eric had boiled a pan dry on the stove, and the plastic handle on the lid started to melt--it was noxious smelling downstairs! I took his temp, normal, gave him some ibuprofen and a neb treatment, and he went to bed (at 8 p.m.).  I woke him for a neb at midnight, per his request, and then he had another at 6:15 this morning.  He had a "temp" of 99.5, so it was iffy, but he felt lousy--his chest was still really achy and he didn't feel well, so we kept him home.  Did another neb at noon, checked his temp early afternoon because he had the chills really bad, but no fever; then about an hour ago he asked me for some ice cold water and when I looked at him he was really flushed and feverish looking--his temp was 102.7.  My guess is he has a virus; Brie was/is sick with something, but it hasn't really laid her up too terribly badly (she has a cough and some achiness, but no fever and hasn't really stayed lying down too much), so my guess is Rei has something similar.  But he hasn't had either flu shot (annual or h1n1) so I am nervous.  He is in a high risk group because of his asthma.  And he is a teen. And I listen to the news. So I am being an overprotective, over-reactive mom, and I called the doctor's after-hours service and am waiting for a call back...  Why do I assume the worst?

I knew he was sick though when there was no arguement over needing to stay in bed all day and not run the stairs, play around or goof off.  He says his body really aches (could be the fever talking) and he has the chills really bad.  His chest is tight and achy too, and his cough is tight but dry; he doesn't have any "head cold" type symptoms, but he says his throat feels "tight", whatever that means.  Anyhow, as I await the call back I am sharing my concerns.  Not to alarm anyone, but just to get them off my chest/mind... 

I got over the effects of the food poisoning by Monday morning; I spent Monday and Tuesday doing some misc. running around because I had some issues with prescriptions at the base pharmacy and had to run back to the clinic for new rxs--one was a date issue on Rei's med (I told them I would pick it up in Thursday, they dated it the Monday I called; it was expired on Monday when I tried to fill it), and they don't carry the antidepressant I had wanted to be on at the base pharmacy, so I had to get a different rx for one they do carry...  Lots of running!  It's all straightened around now though, so all is good on that front.

This is Eric's last week of classes for the term, so he has been scrambling to get work finished up and turned in.  He got frustrated with some of it so decided to go to bowling tonight (it is his week to bowl Wednesday; next week he bowls Tuesday). Plus he had an appointment with Aurora to get her new balls drilled.   So they and Brie headed to the bowling alley just a bit ago. Patrick just took off to go to a heavy metal concert of some sort with some friend of his over in St. Louis.  It's not a national act (I don't think) and is playing at a bar/grill just across the river.  We left the decision up to him as to whether he should go or not, after laying out all our concerns (it being a school night, his being up past midnight last night after working til 10, his working tomorrow night after school); It all fell on deaf ears and off he went. So it is just Rei and I home.  So much for my planning anything major for dinner!  I will probably do soup again (had soup and a sandwich for lunch too). Or maybe I will just make up one package of hamburger helper for me and wrap the left overs for Eric and I for lunches over the next few days.

I was a bit distressed to realize that I have a major project due by NOON on the Monday after Thanksgiving.  I work in retail, so obviously I won't have that weekend to work on it...  I am not sure what my schedule will be for next week so I have to do as much as I can this weekend and early next week.  I will need to have it done by Thanksgiving.  We won't be having our Thanksgiving meal til Friday anyway--and Eric and the kids will need to cook it, as I will be working at least part of the day (Eric works Wed. and Thurs. overnight that week, so will be sleeping in the morning and working that night).  The syllabus said the project wasn't due til the 11th of December, but he, as the instructor, has the right to set his own deadlines for things.  Blech! So I too have been studying hard this week along with Eric.  My paper has to be no more than 20 pages, excluding references.  I can do it, but it takes some planning and I thought I had more time...  Oh well.

My reference to the above and wishing I had gotten my MD: I was premed in college when I first started out, and then discovered I liked Psych better than the maths/sciences needed for med school.  Still, there are times I regret I hadn't gone for it, especially when my kid is sick and I feel helpless to help him. Say a prayer if you would be so kind, or think good thoughts.  I am fairly sure I am over-reacting, but then again...

Deep breath in.......  and out......  and relax.....

I just got off the phone with the doctor and he is of the opinion that it IS swine flu, as that is currently the only thing going around that he is aware of.  He is calling in a prescription for something (my guess is Tamiflu) and I will go pick it up in a little while. Change in plans for Patrick too.  The friend that invited him to the concert left without him, and plan B also fell through, so he too is now home for the night.  He isn't happy about it, but I think it may be for the best.  I'm sorry he's disappointed though, and that his friend wasn't so good a friend tonight.

More later on if need be!

Food poisoning sucks!

Let me say, despite what my husband believes, eating left-overs that have been combined into a container is NOT a good idea (unless they are all intended for one meal, eaten within the next day or so).  I used some left over ham that had been stored in a container with the tail end of the rice and green beans from a meal (late last week?) in scrambled eggs yesterday when I got home from work.... and got sicker than a dog last night, starting at the restaurant where we were having dinner celebrating Aurora's 16th birthday.  We took her (at her/the kid's request) to the Hard Rock Cafe over in St. Louis.  The meal(s) were good, albeit expensive, and they did a wonderful job of embarassing the heck out of Aurora.  But my tummy was NOT happy, and I have been up off and on most of the night, with my tummy still reminding me it is on strike today...  Blech! I think if the ham had been in a container by itself all would have been fine (I am leaning towards the straggling green beans as the primary culprit), but regardless... I won't be doing that again! (and I won't be headed into work today either).

On a totally different subject, I am so thrilled I am beside myself!  When I was at the store picking up my old sewing machine, I was talking with the women about how disappointed I was that it was beyond repair, and, as per my husband's instructions, I asked about costs on machines with the features I want, what sorts of financing were available, and so forth.  They pointed out that there were two machines that fit the bill for me, a solid mid-range machine, and an upper mid-range machine (the top of the line was beyond consideration).  Then, they told me they had the upper level machine for sale at a price similar to the mid range one, *IF* I was interested in purchasing one they had used strictly for demos at shows and so forth.  It had all of the parts and warranties intact, because it had never technically been used, and it was in perfect condition, and best of all, would qualify for financing (over 3 years, interest free).  I didn't get my hopes up, but I did call Eric and share with him what I found out after I left the store, and he made me cry.  He said we should get it.  It was a good deal, we could afford the terms, and as far as he was concerned this was a NEED for me and not an extravagant want--that I would use it and get my money's worth out of it (as evidenced by my wearing out my last 2 sewing machines).  So on Friday afternoon we went to the store and we bought it: a Babylock Elegante` 2.  It sews, it embroiders, it does lettering and monograming; it utilizes patterns that can be downloaded for free off the internet (as well as ones that can be purchased per licensing agreements by designers--e.g. disney); it has a full color touch screen, is user friendly, and I am so impressed with what it does (they had one in the shop embroidering a tea towel the first time I was there, an apron the day we bought it); classes to use it are free and repeatable, and they offer full support to all customers.  I had gotten off the phone with Eric on Thursday so thrilled that he "got it" and why having a decent machine is important to me (he worked as hard explaining to me why we should do it as I was working explaining why we shouldn't...) and that meant the world to me.  I didn't need to explain or justify or plead my case--he already knew and was telling me!  He is so amazing!  Sometimes he just blows me away!  We bought it on Friday and I got all emotional in the car driving home.  I am so excited!  It does, however, still sit in it's box in the "sewing room" at the moment because the table it is going to go on needs to be reinforced with better screws (it's really wobbly right now), and we both have homework and other chores that need to be handled before I start playing.  Christmas gifts are gonna be really fun this year though!

Yesterday I had a great time at work teaching 11 brownies (girl scouts to be) how to sew.  They made polar fleece blankets and scarfs, and it was loud, chaotic, giggly, and entertaining.  We accomplished most of our goals--all the sewing got done, although the blankets need to be finished tying and fringed at home; and it was really fun.  The girls all were enthused and excited to be learning a new craft (for a merit badge).  Eric in the meantime took all of our kids bowling, and they overall did really well.  We bought new bowling balls for Aurora for her birthday (and the up-coming high school bowling season) and they should be in soon for her.  We met back up at the house (I got home around 2), and then we went out to eat as a family around 6--so nice to have the kids all home and together for an evening!  Despite my tummy troubles, it was so fun at the restaurant, and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. 

I got a good report at my doctor's appointment on Thursday.  My blood work all came back in normal ranges, so my meds will continue as scheduled, and she agreed it was a good idea to add Lexapro back in (along with my Wellbutrin) to manage the increased depression symptoms.  She could see in my old records that I used to take both in the past, and was amenable to making the change.  She also ordered bloodwork for 6 months from now to check for perimenopause, as she (like my mother) wonders if that is an underlying issue for me.  All in all I was very satisfied with the news, and don't need to go back for 6 months again.  Now we just need to get through Rei's follow-up with the cardiologist on the 20th. 

That is the news from around here for this weekend.  It's been fun, active, and sorta exciting. Now today the plan is to stay close by the bathroom, work on homework, and take it easy. Maybe even watch a little football!

Happy Veteran's day!

Wow.  I never realized until I started thinking about it how many veterans I really have in my life.  There are the obvious ones, like my husband and my son (although he, like Brianne, is in the National Guard/Reserves), my father and grandfather, some uncles, a cousin, and many of my kid's friends, not to mention living in a military community...  It takes someone special to serve, especially when the world is so unstable, and I am so proud of, and grateful to those who have chosen to do this, whether as a vocation, avocation, or a personal commitment.  Thank you Vets and active duty!  I am so very proud of you!

I had an amazingly short work day today.  I went in, I punched in, and 5 minutes later, I punched out!  They decided they didn't need me today, and in fact, had not realized I was even on the schedule til I got there!  Oh well, it has been a productive day for me--I have been working on homework (2 looooonngg chapters to read and understand, research articles to look up that support the concepts, and assignments to write).  I am breaking it into steps so that I can process the various ideas (Rational-Emotive-Behavioral-Therapy and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy), and of course, how they compare and contrast with previously studied theories and systems of application.  It's coming along, and I am sloooowly making headway on it.  My reading glasses are proving their worth today!

I also snuck in a little cross stitching, which felt wonderful to pick up for about a half hour.  It was a part of my giving myself a break to think things through.  I am continuing on "How does your garden grow" and still am emamoured with the colors and specialty stitches.  They make it go so much faster than straight cross stitch!  I had agreed to sew up a fleece jacket for a co-worker at the fabric store (she doesn't sew!  How odd!) and I also agreed to sew up some pajamas for another co-worker's daughter as a part of her leadership project for Girl Scouts (the female version of the Eagle award).  I will be using the back up machine for those, as I am slowly coming to the conclusion that it is silly to try and pour more money into my old machine when it is clearly outdated.  Time to start saving for a new one!

All the kids are home today, as there is no school for the holiday.  It is one of the few things I do appreciate about small town living.  They do at times remember to honor the things that are important in life.  In Minneapolis, school is going on without interruption, or even any rememberance of what today is all about.  They are gathered in the living room playing games, watching movies, and hanging out with each other.  It is kinda nice to see!

Ok, break time is over and the books need me...

Sad day!

I got a call from Jackman's repair person and he said he couldn't repair my sewing machine, and that there was no charge for looking at it.  He recommended I send it to an authorized Janome dealer to look at (probably going through the last place that repaired it--but it ran me $125. just for them to look at it, not counting the repair/parts).  So.  I either need to make due with the back up one I have and start pricing what I want for features for a new machine, or I need to suck it up and send it out yet again and pay for it to be looked at by an expert in my brand...  Not sure what I want to do at this time.  It is old--over 12 years, so I have certainly gotten my money out of it.  It just has such sentimental value for me! 

We are stuck with a grey and gloomy day again today, and it just depresses me.  One of the cats (the one in heat, I am presuming) peed again on my down comforter, and when it was on the floor awaiting a trip down to the laundry room, one of the dogs peed on it too.  At this rate I am going to need a new comforter too in the near future!  So tired of pets!

Eric and I went out for a nice lunch this afternoon, although our server was clueless in many ways--misheard our order, gave the wrong items to the wrong person; he made up for it by making the corrections, which actually benefitted us, but it was so odd.  We had a good conversation and it is nice to be away from the house and be just us now and again. 

Now, it really is time I hit the books.  I am so far behind at the moment that it is upsetting me! I need some peace and quiet and limited distractions!

Sunday night and all is well...

Aurora got home bright and early this morning.  Her mom and her friend dropped her off bright and early, and Aurora said they left IN at 4 EST (so 3 our time) and got they got her home right around 8:30/8:45 am.  They made really good time.  Aurora said she had a good time yesterday at her Grandma's house; the neighbor next door was running a hay ride and she was able to ride a horse, although today she has a sore bum from it...  She has been limping around some, and we just laugh at her.  It has given her some time to finish some homework (she had to finish sewing a "mole" for her chemistry class that we started on Wednesday), as well as an English assignment she also had to finish up.  She also spent some time with Brie and Rei and they had fun.  Went to the mall, and then hung with some friends.

I worked yesterday and today.  It has been really busy in spells, but fortunately we had a few quiet spots where we could catch up on putting things away.  I demonstrated using a "knitting board" for the first 2 hours of my shift yesterday and while I don't think I sold any, I had a number of nibbles on it as I worked on a scarf.  It isn't a bad product, but slower going than I would like, partially because of how nubby the yarn is  that I was using.  I have also learned to do hairpin lace because I had to demo it last weekend; that I actually sold a couple of kits of, which was cool.  It is a fast method for making wide strips, but I haven't tried to put them together.  Maybe when I have more time I can try this for me.  I haven't heard info as yet on my sewing machine, but I am praying no news is good news and that the repairs will be something simple and not too expensive.  I have a lot of sewing I need to get going on and I need that machine.

All the kids are home right now, except Patrick, who went to a movie with some friends after work, and Eric, who is at work.  I am thinking it is close to when I need to get ready for bed too.  I have been waking up early, really early of late, which isn't all bad, and hopefully with tomorrow being a day off, I can have a really productive day.  It has been a gorgeous weekend, and I hope tomorrow is a nice day too!