Cate turned 2 last on the 20th of August. We don't know time she was born or even the location, we are not sure it's even her birthday. We woke up and I commented that it did not feel like a birth day, next year I am sure it will feel like more a a birthday. She has been with us just 75 days, 75 wonderful days but none the less, 75 days total. Plus she is not old enough to know what a birthday means. We did not have plans for a party because she would be overwhelmed. So what do you do when you don't know what to do ? You make spaghetti and see how the day unfolds. Colleen and Tom happened to be home so they came to dinner, Pam and Willy we able to come too, and it felt absolutely perfect. No hoopla, just a spaghetti dinner with some of our closest friends in honor of our little girl turning 2. She was super impressed with the spaghetti and loved the very simple gifts, wooden blocks, balls and 2 cars. It was a great evening and in the end it felt like her birthday even though we were missing an important member of the family, our oldest,John David upstairs in bed.
He has been under the weather off and on for over 2 weeks. He is such a trooper, he doesn't often get sick and I knew he wasn't feeling well, but when he came to me and said "Mom, I think I need to go to the hospital" Since I had an early appt, scheduled that I could not miss Wyatt (with the help of a neighbor changing a diaper) kept Cate till I returned. As soon as I returned we went to the pediatrician office, who said go to the hospital for labs, thinking he would get it back by the end of day. I had to go up to the hospital to drop of samples of Cate's xxxx since she was diagnosed with a parasitic infection the week before. The samples were an almost daily journey, as was the TB test that needed to be read on a friday, but the tech told me to come back by Sat to have her arm read for a rash indicating a positive result, she had no rash. when I arrived at the hospital early Sat only to find out the main lab is closed and only the inpatient lab is open, so they were helpful and dug up her records, only to find out the window to document results had passed, 11 hours too late, funny thing we had her there during the right timeframe, but she stayed outside to play with David while I did the daily drop of the xxxx sample for the parasite in her tummy. Come Monday she would be poked again. By this time John David is worse, he is not drinking or able to eat. After coming home from the hospital for his labs and Cate's drop off and I put him to bed only to realize the ceiling in the kitchen is leaking from the bathroom above. Still no results for John David's blood draw so no treatment plan in place other than keep him in bed and hydrated. Weekend goes by, he sleeps and sleeps. Monday afternoon we get the results he has concurrent cases mononucleosis and viral tonsillitis. Our wonderful pediatrician also says he is severely dehydrated and blood counts are low, he needs to get to the ER. I am at work when I get the phone call so within 2 hours I have him, Cate and a fully loaded diaper bag in tow headed to Primary Children's. Immediately he is given IV fluids and steroids, worse case the doctor has ever seen, his throat is so raw it looks black in color and his tonsils are touching. 6 1/2 hours there and he's feeling better. He has been sick for over 3 weeks now, 2 trips to the pediatrician, 2 trips to the ER, sleeping marathons and lots of ice cream. Im happy to report he is doing much better and his new high school has been very accommodating during his first week at school. He has a modified plan in place for the next six weeks and he will be able to self regulate his school days and assignments.
I will add pictures and more updates later today.
