Sunday, September 16, 2012

For Karen

This is for Karen. My friend and cheerleader. It was her birthday recently and I missed it because I haven't been on Facebook much and I've been working my butt off (see- it's smaller :)) at work.

Happy Birthday!

Karen requested some writing. Here goes.

I am back now.  I was never really gone, but I wasn't here - writing and writing and writing. I had a few things happen this summer that made it impossible to write, but those things are over, or almost over and the writing can commence again with great joy.

The biggest thing to happen was that my son was ill. It was a very strange and random thing. He didn't want me to write anything on Facebook about it - but he said I could blog about it. Little does he know that my Facebook pulls the blog. Ha! I win.

I think it is kind of an interesting story, so I share it for a few reasons. One, there are really odd and random things that happen in this world. Two, having a record of it later may be helpful. Three, my kid is really an amazing young man, and I'd like to let everyone know that. I'm proud because at 15, he is more of a grownup than many, many grownups.

It all started when he got back from Young Life Camp - a christian camp in Northern California where he spent a week in late June. The day after he got back - he got a fever. Nothing spectacular, just a regular, feel like crud fever. Low grade - C maybe (just kidding). 99.1 if I remember right. That was July 1. Since I'm a nurse, I paid him no attention whatsoever.

He continued with said fever for 7 days. Only it got higher - 103.6 - and stayed that way for 3 more days. He looked miserable but not "toxic." When he finally complained of some lower belly pain, my husband overrode my declaration that he was still probably "fine" and we went to the Emergency Department. On a really busy night. Thank you June (super wonderful nurse).

Well, long story short he had a blood infection that had become an infection of one of the bones in his pelvis. Ooops.

5 days in the hospital on IV antibiotics made him feel much better, 2 more weeks of IV antibiotics at home inconvenienced him a bit, but he handled it like a champ, and 2 months of oral antibiotics are almost finished.

We see the pediatric orthopedist and the pediatric infectious disease specialists tomorrow and hopefully get clearance for him to run again. He runs Cross Country and he hasn't been able to run since he was sick. There is a risk of the hamstring muscle attachment to the bone being stronger than the bone and pulling a piece of said bone off. Ouch. Probably all good now and he's ready to go.

I'm so impressed and proud of him.

The other thing that's been keeping me from writing is I am super busy at work. I think it is a combination of being new to the job (8 months is new in my world), having super way high expectations of myself, and truly having a lot to do.

My Dad's been sick too, so I'm driving down to see him every other weekend. He always leaves the TV on those headline news stations (THAT is where I get the news junky side of my personality) and I happened to glance over at the screen. There was a disabled athlete they were interviewing and the banner at the bottom of the screen showed his name. Only I read it wrong. It SAID "Dick Traum" and I, ever the graceful conversationalist, exclaimed "Dick Trauma?" (thinking that's what it read and in my mind saying why in the hell does CNN have dick trauma as a headline?)

My dad didn't skip a beat. He said "That's the worst kind."

Jake about fell on the floor laughing.

Geez I crack myself up.

Just for you Karen. Thank you.

Peace,

Jo Taylor