Yesterday was rough. Thankfully Timmy was feeling better, although he wasn't 100%, and the sun was shining. I had ever excuse to embrace the moment and enjoy spending time playing outside. Instead of being happy, I found myself struggling with anxiety and just couldn't seem to find a place of contentment.
The constant news about Covid-19 has been completely overwhelming. Even though we are taking every single precaution (we haven't even left our property in three weeks), I am fearful. At this point I'm more worried about the implications Timmy is going to experience by delaying his treatments and the health of my family and friends than I am about our own Covid-19 risk.
I know that there is nothing I can do right now except protect myself and my family. With so many people suffering, staying home feels so counter intuitive at the moment. This weekend, I think I need to keep the television turned to streaming platforms instead of the news. At this point, knowledge is crippling.
Timmy wasn't feeling well yesterday so we spent the majority of our day inside. I'm hoping that he feel a little more energetic today because days stuck inside always feel longer. The sun is shining and the blue sky looks so happy today. After several days of drizzling rain, it feels so good to see the sun again!
That's it. Sorry, but we've been locked down so I have nothing fun or exciting to report. Hopefully I'll have more adventures to share tomorrow. In the meantime, stay safe, and stay at home!!
Yesterday we had a break in the weather in the afternoon, allowing us all to venture outside for a few hours. Since everybody was mulling around the yard, looking bored and detached, I quickly came up with an idea for a family project. Scott and I had been talking about moving the trampoline from the back yard into the front yard but we have never had the time. Now, it seems that we have nothing but time.
Our trampoline was set up on a wooden platform in our backyard. Unfortunately the wood has begun to rot over the years and the structure is no longer safe. With so much time being spent at home, I really wanted to open up access to the trampoline to help my little energizer bunny.
What I thought was going to be a relatively short, albeit dirty, project turned into an afternoon of frustration and physical exertion. It turns out that trampolines are considerably heavier than I realized! After we took off the legs and the netting supports, we were finally able to roll the trampoline into its new position.
I have never been as grateful for Robby's height and strength as I was yesterday afternoon. He was able to take my position as handy helper for Scott, carefully rolling and keeping the awkward and heavy trampoline in position without wobbling. I really don't think I would have been able to do it without Robby on my team.
After several hours, the trampoline was finally repositioned at the base of our driveway. While the location is less than ideal, it is functional for our needs right now. I want to keep Timmy in our front yard and our driveway offers the flattest surface. Timmy immediately climbed into the trampoline and began hopping and jumping as soon as the install was complete.
Like almost all of our projects, we completely underestimated the task. However, we were able to figure it out. I think my little happy hopper will get hours of use out of the newly positioned trampoline.
Timmy's hives continued to bother him through much of the day, but by the time he went to bed we seemed to have found some relief for him. Between pushing him to drink lots of water, dosing him with benadryl, using topical ointments after long cool baths, he finally stopped itching and scratching. His skin began to cool, allowing him to sleep soundly for the first time in days.
This morning his hives are still present but they are faded in both size and color. I'm still eager to connect with his doctors, but I suspect that my request for a video chat is not high priority. As long as he continues to improve, I can be patient and begin to relax.
Yesterday the Virginia Governor issued a "stay at home" order, which was frightening to hear but will have little consequence on our everyday life. Scott and I have both been strict about staying home and avoiding human contact. If everybody had followed the social distancing order this new directive would not have been necessary! Hopefully now the naysayers will realize the importance of following the guidelines from the medical experts and we will be able to return to normal in a few weeks.
Stay safe, and stay home!
The majority of our weekend was spent fretting and caring for Timmy. Friday night he began to break out in hives. By Saturday afternoon the "few spots" had grown and began to cover half his torso and back. On Sunday he was an itchy inflamed miserable little boy.
We did the best we could to provide comfort while treating the hives. Because they are probably due to his autoimmune disorder instead of an allergic reaction, our efforts were met with only minimal success. I hate seeing him hurting, and I become angry and frustrated when I acknowledge the cause.
Because his treatments have been put on hiatus due to Covid-19, his little body is going haywire. I worry that this may only be the tip of the iceberg but I'm hoping for the best. Hopefully his responses will be limited to spontaneous hives, which are miserable but manageable.
This morning his hives are starting to dissipate. His skin is no longer hot to the touch and he isn't complaining. Fingers crossed that we've turned the corner and that his immune responses stay minimal. At this juncture, it still isn't safe for him to physically see his doctors, and only minimal input can be received through telehealth.
It's foggy and rainy (again) today, which is probably good because I want to keep my little Hamlet as calm as possible. I'm going to be pushing water and keeping him dosed on benadryl until the hives are completely gone. It looks like today is a great day to watch Paddington Bear (a new favorite), the Polar Express and The Grinch.
