Ears

 Robby has certainly been put through the wringer this week. On Monday he had his toe surgery, which was both unexpected and painful. Yesterday he switched aligners (which is always uncomfortable) and he went to the ear doctor. 

We were not expecting the ear doctor to scrape considerable scar tissue. My Koopa was a trooper, but miserable. He has a habit of talking through medical procedures, mainly to keep himself occupied and to avoid hearing and seeing what is happening. During the procedure he ranted, "What's next Mom? This week my toe gets cut open and now this. Are you going to decide that my circumcision was too long and take me to get it shortened?"

The doctor had to stop the procedure because he was laughing so hard.

Helper Phase

I am over-the-moon with the decision to 12-15 year olds access to the Covid vaccine. I can't wait for Robby to receive his first dose. (He is less than thrilled with the needle jab.) Even though we still have to be careful to protect Timmy, adding another immunized person in the immediate family is such a relief.

While I relished in the vaccine news, Robby spent his day convalescing in front of his computer. His foot is still extremely sore and he feels pain when he bears full weight. I'm hoping that the pain begins to wane, because my Koopa is miserable. 

Timmy has stepped up to help while his brother is immobile. He loves fetching drinks, snacks and books for his big brother. He is already in the helper stage. Helping his big brother fills him with both glee and pride. 

I love his enthusiasm for being helpful. I hope it lasts, but I know that this stage is fleeting. I guess I will enjoy it while I can!

Recovering

Yesterday was laid back. Robby spent most of the day resting his foot and fighting back the discomfort. His foot is so swollen and discolored that I know he has to be uncomfortable. He is definitely a trooper!

Timmy and I worked in the morning and played through the afternoon. The weather was nice enough for us to go outside for a few hours. After being stuck inside for several days because of rain, it felt good to be in the fresh air. I know that Timmy had fun rummaging through the woods in search of a treasure. (We still haven't found one, but he hasn't given up!)

For those who have asked, his wiggly tooth is still attached. I have stopped asking him about it and, surprise surprise, he has stopped complaining. At this point it will fall out when it is ready, and I'm going to try to not stress over it. 

Today will be busy. Between meetings, school lessons and band rehearsal, I will be in near constant motion. Hopefully the weather is going to be nice tomorrow because I think we will have earned another trip to our farm.

Toe Surgery

After struggling with a stubborn ingrown toenail for far too long, yesterday Robby finally received relief. Unfortunately for him, the relief came in the form of a minor toe surgery. Neither of us were expecting a procedure in the office, but the doctor was wonderful and cognizant of my Koopa's anxiety. Within an hour his toenail issues were resolved, his toe was bandaged and we were on our way home.

Even though it was minor, my heart hurt for Robby as he was being prepped. My strong shouldered teen reminded me of my scared little boy as he was holding onto my hand with pleading brown eyes. Even though he was nervous, he handled the appointment like a champion. I am so proud of him!

Today will be spent with his resting his foot. Walking has been painful and, per doctor's orders, he needs to keep as much weight off it as possible for the next 48 hours. I am all too familiar with foot pain, so I will do everything to make him as comfortable as possible. 

Hopefully he will heal quickly and will be back to running around the house and riding his bike through the neighborhood soon. In the meantime, he will be content playing video games while munching on brownies and Cheetos. Fingers crossed his pain wanes as the day progresses.

 

Mother's Day

Another Mother's Day has come and gone. While I didn't do anything grand or exciting, I did have a nice day relaxing and feeling loved by the boys. I was able to sleep in, relax throughout the day and enjoyed a wonderful dinner. I still cooked all the meals, but I played the "Mother's Day card" and refused clean-up duty.

Timmy made me a card in school and was proud as a peacock when he presented it to me. I know that he was excited, because he also slipped a prized $1 inside. Robby helped me clean up outside and played me a special song on his guitar. Scott took care of the bickering and squawks for food etc. throughout the day, allowing me to completely unwind. 

I had fun at home, but part of me wished that I was in Pennsylvania with my Mom. We had been planning to see her over the weekend but I became tied up with projects on Saturday. Hopefully we will be able to see her this weekend, because a Mother's Day hug is way overdue! I may have the banner hanging on my porch, but she holds the title of World's Best Mother.