Home Sweet Home

It's been a little over a week since I blogged here. I even missed my Tuesday Sex Ed. post.
I wish that I can say that I was resting on a tropical island.
And that I am well relaxed and feeling great.

Unfortunately the truth is, I have been living in the hospital room, sleeping on the reclining chair while my 19 year old son recovers from a serious illness.

Brought him to he doctor's on Tuesday with flu symptoms. Poor guy also had a sore neck and back. Being that he is a body builder, we figured that he had pulled something. Yes, there was a niggling worry in the back of our heads. But there wasn't a rash, nausea, or some other symptoms that might indicate something more serious. Just a high fever, aches and pains, congestion, tightening in the chest - flu symptoms.

The kind doctor sent us to Emergency to get a spinal tap. That procedure alone, allows my son a spot in heaven. It was horrible. And the fact that he has a slight case of scoliosis made the procedure 10 times harder and it took two different procedures to finally get it done.

He was admitted into the hospital. And has been there since. Diagnosis is viral meningitis. An infection that takes 5-7 days on IV antibiotics to get well. We are really hoping that he gets to come home today.

The funny part of all of this is (please don't think that I am not taking this serious but this is how I am not freaking out is by finding some humor) this son of mine is the healthiest 19 year old man that there is. Before the infection, he worked out six days a week, ate the healthiest of foods, and took great care of his inside and outside of his body. He is the one who is in the community college fire program, He will major with an AS in fire science and will be a trained firefighter.

He is also the youngest and best looking patient the doctors and nurses have seen in a very long time. They tease him about not belonging there. And how cute he is and healthy looking, and he just blushes. Hospital food? Now that is even funnier. He usually eats about 4000 calories a day and it is all healthy. First time the breakfast arrived, it was one scrambled egg, a small muffin and a little bit of oatmeal, cup of coffee, apple juice and a little carton of milk. His didn't know what to say. Probably the only thing that he would usually eat were the scrambled eggs and he eats egg whites. They hospital staff and kitchen all took pity on him. Now he always gets a double meal and he and the kitchen staff work out a healthy meal. Plus they give him turkey sandwiches (yikes! on white bread) for between meals. Even that isn't close to what he usually eats. But at least he is eating.

One doctor, one cardiologist, one neurologist, one infection specialist, three antibiotics, blood thinner, nausea meds, saline, morphine, and (heaven forbid) steroids to open his chest. Thank God for insurance.

I am at the hospital most of the time. Ty relieves me about four hours a day so I can go home and shower and take care of things there. He has kept the house up and is getting the kids to school and all of their sporting events. I go home and try to throw together a dinner and make sure they are getting on their homework. And Ty has been off work since he met us at the hospital Tuesday afternoon. We are exhausted. And to top if off, we both got sick and feel like crap. Last night, after my son's rugby game, I layed down on my bed and couldn't get up. Ty had fallen asleep at the hospital (drugged and with a mask) and my daughter was also there. We just stayed where we were.

Prayers, prayers, and prayers. This is the fun part of parenting. Sometimes the kids are really helpful and sometimes they are just more trouble at home. I really laid into the oldest and the youngest last night for leaving messes everywhere and not cleaning up after themselves. Especially since the three middle kids haven't been around to make messes.

Everyone is one the mend. And by next weekend we will all be 100%. And everyone will be home.