Anxiety

 Yesterday I woke up and I knew that it was going to be a rough day. My heart was racing and my nerves were jumpy before I even slipped on my leg. I tried to remain even and calm but within minutes I accepted that I was going to spend the day battling my anxiety. 

What am I anxious about? Everything and nothing. It is so hard to explain, but it felt like the day was one perpetual jump scare. I meditated, stayed busy, cried, baked and meditated again. Nothing alleviated the anxiety, but the fact that I made it through the day without any hiccups to my family or my work is a miracle. 

Today I'm still feeling jumpy but I can also sense that I'm gaining control over the emotion. The weather is supposed to be gorgeous, so I'm optimistic that some walks in the sunshine will help. Yesterday wasn't the best day, but hopefully today will be better.

Ramp Construction

 Friend had a rough start to the weekend which left us on edge and guarded. Thankfully Friday was the worst of it, but I was delighted when the weekend finally came to an end because he had a vet appointment scheduled for Monday. This little pup has wiggled his way deep into my heart and I worried about him more than I anticipated possible. 

Just like his human siblings used to do to me before going to the pediatrician, Friend made a remarkable recovery by the time we were walking into the vet's office. His tail was curled and happy where it had been tucked and bowed for the past week. His happy disposition made me look like a liar, but the vet was able to see through his adrenaline burst. He was diagnosed with a pulled muscle and prescribed anti-inflammatory medication, rest and no jumping for 10 days. 

When I relayed the diagnosis and the recommendation to the boys, they immediately got to work constructing a ramp so that Friend could get in and out of bed independently. The result is not the prettiest, but I was impressed with the brainstorming and the fact that they all worked together on the project. (Even Timmy contributed ideas and pillows to the project.)  Friend immediately took to the ramp and has been using it independently so it seems that he appreciates their efforts as well.  

 

Friend is Sick

 I am still fighting my cold, but right now my runny nose is secondary to my main concern. I am worried about Friend. This little pup has wiggled his way deep into my heart and seeing him uncomfortable hurts.

 Earlier this week he suddenly stopped jumping up on furniture or walking up the stairs. We assumed that he pulled a muscle trying to catch a squirrel (his arch nemesis) and were hopeful that the issue would subside. He has been cautious about jumping all week, but yesterday he began to ascend the stairs independently.

I was delighted to see him walk up the stairs but he turn a concerning turn late in the evening when he began to pant uncontrollably. All while panting, he suddenly became agitated, paced around the house and whined.  His stomach became bloated and hard. I was able to calm him down and, once he relaxed, the panting and agitation waned. I think he had gas, but his reaction was concerning to say the least. 

I have tried to get him into the vet when the symptoms first showed earlier this week but they had no "sick day" appointments available until next Wednesday. Thankfully we have an appointment for his annual physical scheduled for Monday. Hopefully my little pup is on the mend, but I will continue to worry until the vet clears him.

Crying Wolf

Almost everybody is back to normal. Unfortunately, Timmy's virus decided it wasn't quite ready to leave our home and opted to latch onto me as an unwilling host. I'm functional with a low grade fever but the days certainly feel longer when I'm sick. Hopefully my headache and stuffy nose will ease soon. 

Timmy is completely recovered and back to his mischievous self. Yesterday, while Scott was out picking up Robby from band, Hamlet decided to play a little game (which is a bad word because it is only fun for him) where he kept calling me back to "help" him with different tasks. After six trips to "assist," I declared that I was done with the barrage of requests. He acknowledged my statement and went about playing Roblox on the computer. 

I wasn't sitting for 30 seconds before I heard it. 

"Momom."  I ignored him. 

"Momom, come here." I ignored him. 

"Momom!"  I poured myself a diet root beer and grabbed an Oreo, preparing to settle in for a showdown.  

"Momom Momom Momom!"  I opted to drown out the sound by crunching on another Oreo (Double Stuff- the good ones I have to hide from the kids). 

"Momom! I really do need help this time. I promise my french fries I need help."

Now, swearing on his french fries is about as solemn of a promise as you can elicit from Hamlet. Intrigued, I begrudgingly wiped the crumbs from my mouth and walked back to the computer room. 

I walked into the room and immediately saw Timmy. He had been rocking back in the computer chair when he pushed too far and the chair fell off balance. Somehow, the chair wedged between the fireplace on the right and a heavy safe and box on the left. He was stuck prone in the chair with his feet above his head and no way to escape.  I pushed the safe out of the way for him to roll out of the chair. 

He managed to scrape his arm as he slide across the fireplace, so I had to patch him up before righting the chair. Hopefully this real life "Boy Who Cries Wolf" experience will put an end to his little unwilling fetching game.

Resuming Normal

 Finally!

Today everybody is returning to their school/work schedule. Nobody is off sick and nobody has a vacation day. After sick days and holidays, my schedule has been thrown into chaos. With everybody back to their appointed locations, I am hopeful that I can catch up on everything that was placed on the back burner when Timmy was sick.

It amazes me that Timmy, who cried out of frustration only a few months ago, now has been upset because he missed school.  This is a complete turn-around I fully support! Encouraging him to prepare to login for class is no longer a battle royal which has made the mornings smoother for everybody. 

It is going to be windy today, so we won't be able to go outside and play. It is probably for the best because little Friend seems to have hurt his back leg. He can walk down the stairs and run through the house (although not at his previously established speeds), but he cannot walk up the stairs or jump onto the couch. Hopefully he just needs a few days to rest and his injury is not going to become nagging. He is too young to have trouble jumping. 

Recovering

After a crummy feeling few days Timmy is finally turning the corner. His fever and his cough have both lightened in intensity and his mood has more pep. He is now frustrated that he isn't feeling well which, ironically, is one of the first signs of true improvement.  He has off for President's Day so I expect that another full day of rest and healing will set him on the path for school tomorrow. 

Today everybody (except me) is off school/work so I expect the house to again be chaotic. Thankfully nobody else in the house came down with his virus. I'm still checking fevers, but so far everybody is healthy. I will happily accept this gift from fate should everybody else avoid this icky virus.

Still Sick

We have another rainy day this morning which feels appropriate for our family mood. Timmy spent yesterday sick, fighting a fever and a raspy cough all day. We were hoping that this would be a quick 24-hour virus but his fever this morning indicated that is not going to be the situation. His fever is higher today and he is misery is intensifying. I suspect a trip to the pediatrician will be in our future.  

I feel helpless when the kids are sick. Hopefully it doesn't spread through the family!