My Friday, the 13th...
About 4:15 AM yesterday I heard Bandit in the hallway. Thinking one of the girls were up, I opened the door to find him in the music room. I went down to check on the girls and he went in to our bedroom, where he proceeded to have diarrhea in multiple locations...yes, it is as bad as it sounds. I managed to clean it all up in the dark with the light from the hallway (and yes, I have carpet). Pete slept through it all. Rachel went back later and scrubbed it some more...then David went back and scrubbed it just in case ....arent they wonderful!
At 8AM I called the pediatrician's office and got Lisa an appt. for 9:20. She was so teary eyed and not feeling well, it took us an hour to get her ready...this is definitely not like her. She is so weary of all of this and just tired of being sick. We got back home about 11 AM, they are setting up more PT for her and we will add another specialist to the mix. Being the Christmas season, that takes time and so we wait. She told me she didnt feel like she could go to the Victory Junction Gala and of course I told her she didnt have to. I am trying hard to let her do what she feels up to, but not push her.. She went upstairs and put of her jammies and I saw the first smile of the day. They are getting fewer and farther between. I made all of the calls I needed to to let everyone know Lisa and I would NOT be at the Gala and Pete and the older three WOULD be. Then I sat and held Lisa while I prayed over her. She is so sad it is Christmas, she told me she wished it wasn't, it doesn't feel like it because she is so sick. It breaks my heart.
It was time for lunch and while I was preparing it, I got a not so great phone call. I dealt with that and then got the mail...two unexpectedly high bills NOT covered by insurance...they try any and always to finagle out of paying what they SHOULD! That wasnt the worst thing in the mail though...Lisas voice teacher has decided to leave Community School of the Arts! This could NOT come at a worse time, with Lisa so ill and fragile. She LOVES Julie and Julie has done so much extra for Lisa, playing at The Evening Muse so she could perform every month, helping her learn some piano and just so much more. She has voice classes for free to teach Yoga and breathing techniques, she has two extra performances opportunities every year for her students ay her Extravaganza...it is just a HUGE loss for us! She is going to open up her own studio, I just cant afford her, Lisa has a 90% scholarship at CSA and I dont have an extra $160 to pay for her to teach Lisa. CSA will hire another vocal instructor, but it will not be the same, it has taken Julie 2.5 years to understand Lisa and to really get her medical concerns/needs...and to FINALLY work with us on things that have helped Lisa in a therapeutic way. I have not told Lisa yet, this is going to be a huge blow to her and she is so vulnerable right now. Also in the mail, I had a lovely surprise from a friend, a beautiful card, inspirational bible quotes book and four little wooden angel ornaments for the children to paint. It was so kind!
Right after that, Rachel came flying downstairs, Bandit had thrown up and I was very concerned! He had not eaten much of anything all day after the diarrhea episode. I called our vet, who was off..but they said to bring him right in, another doc would see him. She fell in love with him (of course). THANKFULLY his labs were okay, she thinks he might have eaten something that didnt agree with his tummy. She gave him some IV saline to counteract any dehydration, sent him home with some special food and told him to rest. Christian and Rachel had taken him and Christian was kind enough to call me from the parking lot to give me the good news. I was SO relieved! (For those who dont know, Bandit nearly died in January 2011 from a strange/unknown illness and we dont take chances or anything for granted and our vet gives us Bandits care for free, we are BLESSED).
Lisa had made a Christmas ornament that needed to be laminated, so while they were gone to the vet I decided to laminate it. I got everything set up, then sat down in Christian's chair to cut and laminate...and as soon as I sat down, his chair fell apart, breaking beyond repair (Much like the chair in the Goldilocks and the Three Bears). Thank goodness it was ME and not Christian! I injured my head, shoulder, hand, knee and ankle..and wrenched my back...(I hit the wall and floor). There was a missing nut on one of the screws, it was an accident waiting to happen...and it did. I managed to finally get up off of the floor once I could get David and Lisa to stop hovering over me. I wanted to just cry, but that would have upset them. David immediately tightened each and every kitchen chair to ensure no more accidents! But I am down one chair!
Christian and Rachel got back home and it was go time, they all had to run get dressed for the gala. Pete came home, changed his clothes and they were off, all looking beautiful and swanky! I told Lisa we could do whatever she wanted...she wanted to watch some Duck Dynasty...and we did...4 (maybe 5) episodes. I confess...until two weeks ago I had never seen it and now it is my new favorite guilty pleasure...I love it! I kept asking Lisa if she wanted to watch something else, play a game etc...she wanted to lie on the couch, with Bandit lying on her and just talk occasionally and watch TV...I was okay with that! Then we watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Pete and the children were home.. I was relieved!! They had a great time and were back home, safely in our house. Lisa and Bandit FINALLY got up off of the couch, so Lisa could eat a cookie they brought her, then she went upstairs to play her ukulele and sing...which was music to my ears!
Bed was shortly thereafter for the girls and I was able to get a hot bath and soak my aching body parts.
The End.
One of my nephews gets married later today in Concord. The weather is going to be cold and nasty...43 for a high and 100 percent chance of rain...please pray Lisa feels like going!
) In all seriousness, I know that you and Lisa and everybody else is ready for all of this sickness to go away so things can return to some semblance of normalcy. You know that I have you on my prayer list!
praying for poor Lisa and Bandit.
. My mom got some really good ones.
