A Day (Or Weekend) In The Life...

This weekend was a weekend I look forward to all year long. My favorite time of year. Mardi Gras. I love it. I love everything about it. The music, the food, the parades, the king cake...the good times.

The very first year we moved to Texas, we didn't make it home for the parade at Cypremort Point on the Saturday before Mardi Gras. I was so miserable and home sick I swore that I would NEVER miss it again. And, we haven't.

So, I spent all day Thursday washing clothes and all morning Friday packing. Ray got off at 3 and I had my truck all packed and ready to go as soon as he got home. We were off by 4 and things were looking good. We hit a little bit of traffic but made the journey with little trouble.

But...and yes, there is always a but...right after we crossed the state line we got a call from my sister in law saying her husband had gotten the stomach bug she had just gotten over and he got so sick he had to call the ambulance. But, he was fine. They were giving him some much needed fluids and some pain medication for the kidney stone he was also struggling with and then sending him home. My mother in law was at the hospital with them without a car and needed a ride home so we offered to pick her up on our way into town and bring her home. We made sure NOT to go anywhere near the hospital because we didn't want any part of whatever it is they were dealing with. This family has its fair share of viruses and I didn't need another one. We picked her up, went home to where everyone else was awaiting us and settled in to a long night of laughing and catching up with the family we so dearly miss. Around 11:30 that night, my sister in law and her newly released husband came by after the hospital. I had a feeling then it was going to get us somehow. You can't come within 100 yards of my kids with a bug without them getting it. But I prayed and brushed it off, eager for the festivities of the next day.

Saturday came and while it was a bit chilly in the morning, the weather was gorgeous and we headed out to the camp at Cypremort Point for a fun filled day. And fun filled it definitely was. The food was awesome, the music was good and the kids had a freakin' blast. I could not have written the story line better. It was an amazing day. Just as I had pictured it. Memories were made. Did I mention that I LOVE Mardi Gras?

On Sunday my mother in law was kind enough to watch Chloe and Hunter so that Ray and I could make the drive down the bayou to Golden Meadow to visit my grandmother. She is in the final stages of pulmonary fibrosis and I am devastated to lose her. So, I made sure that I went to see her and visit with her and talk about all of the memories we have together. And believe me, there are plenty. She and my grandfather are one of the biggest parts of my childhood. I really don't know what life will look like without her. But, that is another post for another time. Suffice it to say, we had a great visit and I am so thankful that I got to go and spend some one on one time with her before she passes on (man, it hurts just to type that and it took me sitting here staring at the keyboard for no less than 5 mins before I could bring myself to).

We got up early Sunday, packed the car and started our journey home. We are always so sad to leave even if we are ready to get back to our own house. It would be just perfect if that house was home in Louisiana instead of Texas but such is life at the moment. We had a fairly uneventful trip back to Houston and I was ready to unpack, do the laundry and get ready to return to life. The fact that we had been exposed to, but not yet contracted that stomach bug never left the back of my mind. I really thought we had dodged a bullet. I really thought that because the whole house had a pretty nasty stomach virus right before Christmas, we would be spared another. Bahahahahahahahahaha. Yeah, bahahahahahahaha.

Right after baths and right before we laid down for the night, Hunter came to me saying "beddy huwt" (belly hurts) and I immediately knew. That started his cycle of projectile vomiting for the evening. Lovely. He stopped around 1:30am and right when I thought I could close my eyes and get some rest, my poor baby girl started stirring. And like I said before, I knew. She started around 2am and I have never seen her that sick. Not in six years worth of tummy bugs. She didn't stop vomiting until around 8 this morning...which is right about the time Ray began to hurl like no human should ever have to. Needless to say, it has been an extremely long and miserable 18 hours and counting. The kids seem to be on the tail end of it and Ray seems to finally be resting. Oh wait, did I mention that the toilet overflowed in the middle of all of it this morning? I am NOT good with stopped up toilets. Not at all. No, I am not lying. As my best friend pointed out, I couldn't make this stuff up if I wanted to.

For some reason, I still feel ok and have yet to feel the least bit queasy. I am knocking on tons of wood as I type this. But really, I am just waiting for the other show to drop because the only REAL way for this to play out is for me to get deathly ill as well. I mean that's the way it goes in this family, right?

The thing is, I am exhausted and drained and miserable and annoyed but I am so thankful for the wonderful weekend we had at home with family and friends. If we wouldn't have made it home for Mardi Gras we never would have been blessed with the stomach bug, but we also wouldn't have made another year of Mardi Gras memories we can't ever get back. So, all in all I would say it was completely worth it. However, I have not yet gotten sick. My husband and children may beg to differ.

Until next time...CNS

I Take Care Of Mine...

Being born without mature lungs, being 100% dependant on a ventilator AND an oscilator, 3 blood transfusions, spinal tap, 4 chest x-rays per day, having his blood drawn every 4 hours EVERY day, chronic ear infections (basically the last one lasted 4 months until Texas Childrens could fit him into surgery), chronic bronchitis; I am sure I have left some things out. You would think that would be enough for my sweet baby boy to endure in a mere 13 months. The first 13 months of his life. But, oh no. That would be fair. Nope. Not in the Schneider household. We don't know much about that.

It started on Monday. I picked him up from daycare and my normally giddy, goofy, happy, can't-get-me-down, baby boy was a bit cranky. So, right around bedtime I was walking the floors with him, trying to get him to sleep. Out of the blue, I hear a little rumble in his tummy and before I knew what was happening he began projectile vomiting all over the place. Did I mention that I was lucky enough to be standing in such a way that his exorcist like vomiting episode managed to cover my brand new couch and area rug? Oh yes my friends, I am lucky like that. And the smell...oh the smell.

So we did the usual. Up all night until he stopped puking right around 3am. I still got up and went to work and my mom came to the house to watch him.

For two days she watched him for me. The vomiting had subsided but the substances coming from his other end would not stop. And we are not talking every hour or even ever two hours. We are talking every 10-15 minutes. You can imagine what that had done to his little hiney.

So, today I stayed home with him because he continued his condition through last night. We got up this morning and he was in good spirits. I swear, we had not been up for 15 minutes when he burped. I thought, "hmmmm, that sounds quite "wet". For once I had my quick thinking mommy skills in place and decided to sprint to the bathroom and turn his head toward the tub (gross, I know, but better than the bed AGAIN or the carpet AGAIN). Sure enough, the exorcist reappeared. Not good.

Of course, I immediately called the doctor and asked to move my 2pm appointment up to 12pm. He saw the doc and she switched his antiobiotics and gave him something for the rash and vomiting.

I would like to say it's working, it isn't. I mean, he hasn't thrown up since his random episode this morning but the poop continues. And he is cranky ya'll. I know you are thinking that is normal. But, he NEVER gets this cranky. Not even when he is super sick. But, that's not my worry. My worry is that my instinct is telling me they missed something. You know that mommy feeling you get in your gut. The one that says, "he shouldn't be acting this way". He has suffered more than this and NEVER acted this way before. Furthermore, his symptoms are not improving. If anything, they are getting worse. The fever persists and the poop will not stop. I really think they missed something.

This begs that mommy quesiton....."what to do?"

You KNOW they won't take me seriously when I go back AGAIN tomorrow and tell them that my gut tell's me something isn't right. I mean, they are the ones with the $100,000 education right? They know better than me don't they? I just don't think so. I think there is something they haven't caught yet. I really do.

So, me and my big mouth are marching in that doctor's office tomorrow and as much as I hate it, they are running every test they have on him just to make sure.

Cause that's me, and I take care of mine. That's just the way it is.

It's gonna be a GREAT weekend!

Until next time...

Just What I Needed...

So, as some of you might remember from a few days ago, I have been feeling a little down on myself concerning my mommy skills. Well, to add insult to injury, my baby boy developed a BLOOD INFECTION from an apparent insect bite on his finger. I think he might have bitten while I was letting him play, and run, and frolic in the grass at Big Sister's soccer practice. And while he enjoyed himself immensely, the nasty insects were enjoying my sweet baby a little too.

Well, that was the icing on the cake. I suck. And then my bestest friend in the whole wide world, knowing I was down on my parenting luck sent me this:

You really are a great mommy, please don’t take this wrong…Hunter has health problem that most parent couldn’t handle but will grow up stronger that us all, Chloe is perfect, smarter than us and energetic but not the model of what the teachers/society may want (screw them BTW, she will be the president one day), so she needs extra attention and more of every aspect of your time. My point is…God gave them to the right girl. Ray would be dead without you, Acergy would have to hire 3 – 5 persons to replace you and I need you more than I can admit, and those babies, well they are in the perfect place. i don’t know how to say this and not sound condescending but here goes… I am proud of you everyday; I do not know of a better employee, a better mother, a better wife or a better friend. I think you are so great that I count myself lucky and will put it on my list if I get to the pearly gates; that you are my friend and that I may hold a small part of your heart; so I can’t be all bad right? I never take it for granted that you make time for me, I love you.

I mean, really. I was speechless. Do friends get any better than this? It made perfect sense, really. No matter what, my babies are in the right place. They were meant for me. And now, I finally get it. I don't have to be perfect. I just have to be me. Because I love my babies and I try my hardest each and every day. So, while I am flawed, I am strong. I love my kids and I love being a mother. Amen.

Don't be gettin all jealous about my awesome friend either.

Until next time...CNS