Long time no post...

I know I know...where have we been? Well, let me tell you about my crazy life this month.

August 1, Sadie had g-tube surgery, then 2 days later school started. It was a little bit crazy because when you teach online school, if students are new, there is a huge learning curve. People have to get used to the system, their new schedule, meeting all their teachers, and taking care of all their orientation courses. Granted, it would have been even more hectic if I was in a classroom and students were showing up bright and early Wednesday morning. So, I sat in our hospital room making phone calls welcoming my homeroom students to school and reminding them where to start on Wednesday.

Once school started it was like a whirlwind for 2 weeks. Supposedly I am working part time this year, but for those first 2 or 3 weeks, I was working full time trying to keep up with everything. I teach freshman so they have a lot of questions. They do a lot of things wrong over and over so I have to continually remind them how to do things correctly. And for that first week I answered over 30 emails from kids and parents each day. It was exhausting.

And to top it all off we have no respite care, so I'm watching Sadie at the same time...and Sadie isn't napping, she's puking up her feeds, she won't eat anything by mouth, her teething is big ouchies again, etc.

Meanwhile I have posted an ad on a church website (this church is large enough that it actually has a classified section!) for respite care. And I got a call. And the woman came to visit us and interview. And then we were going to hire her. And then she backed out. Luckily I got another call the next week.

Then, the weekend after surgery I started to feel sick. I woke up and I felt like my glands were starting to swell...you know, like right before you get sick. But I never got sick. Instead I got headaches and my gland continued to swell and become more painful. Wednesday, after taking Sadie to therapy and Dr. Wendy, I came home with a headache. By Thursday, my ear started feeling plugged, so I wondered if it was an ear infection. I had Brian pour hydrogen peroxide in my ear, which felt like a million tiny bugs crawling around in there. But after 3 or 4 times, it didn't fizz anymore, so whatever was in there we had killed. However, the pain in my neck wasn't getting any better.

And it was weird. It wasn't like a swollen gland when you get sick right up under your chin, it was down closer to my artery, where I would take my pulse, and it was only on one side. It just kept getting worse and worse, so Sunday I finally went to urgent care. The doctor there put me on antibiotics and I came home with hopes of feeling better soon...but I didn't feel better soon.

It gets better. Brian has had to leave town every week this month for work. So, I was taking care of Sadie all by myself during the day and at night. And I wasn't feeling well. In fact, I was feeling worse! I ended up back at urgent care the following Sunday. This time the doctor looked more closely at me and told me I'm not showing signs of anything serious and it's probably just a case of needing different antibiotics. But, he said I need to follow up with my primary care doctor (which I don't really have) just in case it doesn't get better.

All the while, I hired a new girl to help with respite, and she's coming all day Tuesdays and Thursdays so I can work. She is really great. She has quite a bit of experience with babies and with children/adults with special needs. And she has a good heart and she's so sweet. She has been a huge blessing for me.

So now Brian has one more week to be gone. I am finally feeling better. And respite is consistent and reliable...things are looking up and I can get back on the blog train!!