2011 — (Prelude to February… After hosting 30 people at our house on Sat Jan 29 for an event, the door closes after the last guest leaves and Brian tells me he is leaving for a business trip to Indonesia the next day. We’ll miss you honey, but we’ll be fine….)
Tuesday, Feb 1 – Alex complains of a “clicky feeling when I swallow”
Wed. Feb 2 – Ice storm hits. Snow plow pushes giant boulder from rude neighbor’s snow plow person into bottom of my driveway. Spend two hours chiseling out so I can get my car out to bring both kids to the doctor. Strep test positive – times two. Head to drugstore, pick up antibiotics.
Fri, Feb 4th – Brian returns home from Indonesia. With Indonesian water poisoning. Or something disgusting.
Sat, Feb 5th – Katie throws up breakfast. Attribute this to upset belly from antibiotics. Pack everyone in the car and head to Dan and Kathy’s wedding.
Sun, Feb 6th – Head home from the wedding. Brian miserable from Indonesian Something Or Other.
Wed, Feb 9th – Alex supposed to stay for after school enrichment, so I hop in the shower at 2:45 – I get a call at 2:50 that he threw up in class and I need to come get him. Wet hair in 20 degrees, I run to school. Coordinate Loren retrieving Katie from Marci because I can’t do both. Allow kids to play Wii so I can make dinner. Alex accidentally whacks Katie across the bridge of her nose with the Wii remote, breaking the skin and drawing blood and causing a bloody nose too. Knowing that isn’t good, we apply ice etc.
Thur Feb 10th – Alex appears fine. Stays home from school because of 24 hour rule. Katie’s nose still swollen and bruised.
Fri Feb 11th – Doctor friend looks at Katie’s nose and gives me the name of an ENT. Make appointment for Valentines Day (Monday)
Mon Feb 14th – go to the ENT appointment. Wait two hours for a ten minute exam. Most likely it is broken, but not misaligned, so it will heal by itself. Air passage clear. All good. Brian brings home Chilean Sea Bass from Whole Foods and makes me a delicious dinner at home.
Tues Feb 15th – wake up not feeling well. Really not well. Suspect food poisoning and spend entire day sick.
Thurs Feb 17 – absolutely gorgeous spring-like day. I walk to pick Katie up from school. Except during the last ten minutes of her class she throws up all over the snack table. End of snack. God bless the teachers at her school for having a change of clothes for her to wear home. And I carry Katie home while Loren picks up Alex to bring him home (because again, can’t manage both places at the same time). And oh, I forget I’m supposed to pick up Lily and she waits in the office of the school until the other moms figure out what’s going on. Because I certainly have no clue.
Fri Feb 18 – Katie seems fine. I’m feeling skiddish.
Mon Feb 21 – Chemo cat throws up on my comforter. Wash it. Dry it. Notice that “something is on fire smell”. Apparently the clothes dryer has died.
Tue Feb 22 – Everyone seems fabulously healthy. Have a fabulous last day of the long weekend – skiing in the morning (my kids are real ski bunnies!) and then join up with the Hamiltons to go to Liberty Science Center in the afternoon. Experience the “touch tunnel” where the kids and I crawl through a total darkness tunnel using only our hands to guide us. Pretty cool.
Wed, Feb 23, 2 a.m. Alex wakes up throwing up. Every hour. All night. Three sets of sheets (Dryer still broken). Maybe we touched something we shouldn’t have in the tunnel?
Thurs, Feb 24 – Bring it.
