Power cords, Poodle skirts, and Swine Flu

 

   It seems that I have trouble keeping up with the family blog.  I knew when I started it that I wouldn’t be able to post every day, so I set a goal to post at least three times a week, then it went to once a week.  Its not that my family doesn’t do a hundred crazy things a day to share, or that I don’t have pictures to go with them…its that every time I go to sit down with the computer there is another “crisis”…I’m wondering if once the new one comes I should set my goal for once a month.

  Anyway, I do have a couple of good reasons why it has been so long.  First, the power cord to our computer went bad and when we contacted HP they said it would only take 48-72 hours for a new one to arrive on our doorstep.  It took two weeks, with me calling DAILY to remind them I still haven’t gotten my cord.  Some of the excuses were great.

  Secondly, I had to make 6 poodle skirts.  That’s right, 6.  Emma’s Daisy Scout troop was invited to participate in a Brownie-Daisy Sock Hop that was being sponsored by a Cadette troop in our area.  Our troop leader thought it would be cute if all our girls matched for the event, and she had a simple skirt she thought we could make at one of our meetings.  It was a simple skirt, but not simple enough for mommies that don’t sew to complete in an hour’s time.  So I created a pattern, an my mom and I cut out the skirts and I sewed the waistbands on.  At the meeting, the moms would have to thread the elastic and then my mom would run the finishing seams.  The girls added the poodles and such.  They all looked so cute!

    And lastly, my family has seemed to stay sick for the last few weeks.  First is was the stomach flu.  Emma started it, and then she was kind enough to share it with the rest of us.  The worst part was waking up so sick to my stomach, only to find Jakers next to me in bed getting sick.  Poor Jason had to drive home from Gainesville to take care of us, only to get it himself the next day.  Grady was kind enough to wait until I was fully recovered before getting it himself.

  Then my saga began.  By that following weekend, I was not feeling up to par.  I was really tired, and my allergies were horrid.  I just contributed it to the pregnancy, but by Thursday I was getting really short of breath and even more fatigued.  I woke up Friday barely able to move air.  By early afternoon, I was panting after speaking or just walking from room to room.  I called my OB, who gave me the choice of going to a walk in clinic or ER (since the office is closed Friday afternoon.)  Due to our terrible insurance, we chose Solantic.  They ran a couple of tests (that were negative) and then sent me to the ER because of the baby.

  We spent all Friday night in the ER.  They had me hooked up to machines and ran more tests.  They also didn’t want to do x-rays or MRIs because of the baby.  The doc said she was pretty sure (pretty sure!?)  I didn’t have a pulmonary embolism because of the sound of my cough,  but to come back if my breathing got any worse.  They gave me antibiotics in case of bronchitis or pneumonia, and Tamiflu for swine flu. Then they discharged me from the ER and admitted  me to labor and delivery to monitor the baby for an hour (Even though I had not had any contractions, and the fetal heart tones had been perfect)  I just can’t wait to get that bill.

  Monday I was supposed to check in with my OB. I called and talked to one of the nurses and she said that because I had been on the antibiotics for three days with no improvement, it was Swine Flu.  She said the Tamiflu takes a little longer to work, but I should be feeling better by mid week.  I had to stay quarantined to the house until Thursday (3 days post treatment)  But as long as I didn’t get any more fevers I was good to go.  She was right. I felt much better by Wednesday, and back to my old self by the weekend – just in time for the Sock Hop, Halloween party, and Primary program practice.  (I think I see some future posts there…)