Absolute Chaos

So we have moved from total chaos to absolute chaos, in the past couple of weeks. It is amazing how many things can go on under one roof at one time. Just as I think we have overcome the final obstacle, and can finally relax, something else happens.
Eleven days ago, (on presidents day) while the kids were home from school for a holiday. Eric started running a fever. The next day he started complaining about a sore throat and an upset stomach. Immediately my thoughts go to Strep throat. So, I phone the pediatrician and make an appointment to acquire some antibiotics. But with one look in the throat he was diagnosed with Coxsackie (sp?) virus. The back of his throat was covered with canker like sores. Well, there was nothing to be done but let the virus run its course for 5 to 7 days. So we went home with instructions on how to mix malox and benadryl to make him a bit more comfortable.
At first, he was mostly enjoying the fact that he got to eat Ice Cream, Yogurt, jello, and pudding for his meals, and that the gallon of Chocolate milk in the refrigerator was reserved especially for him. But by Thursday, anything cold sent his esophagus into spasms and he would end up crying because of the pain. Evidently not only had the sores spread to his lips but they now were all the way down to his stomach. The pains also started waking him at night, and he and I would end up sitting on the sofa for an hour or so waiting for the Ibuprofin to kick in. It was miserable.
Friday, he stopped eating and drinking completely and I didn't know what to do with him. Finally he found that luke warm water would go down ok. But little did I know, that water isn't a proper fluid to keep a person properly hydrated. (what in the world did we ever do before gator aid?) Well, by Sunday, I was worried sick and on day 7 by the way. So, I did what I should have done days before, I took him to Primary Childrens Medical Center. They hooked him up to an IV and he got to have a nice long drink in his arm (he wasn't terribly impressed). But they did give him Lortab for the pain. Since sunday, with the help of narcotics, he has been able to sleep through the night. Which means, so have I...Hallelujah!!!! But the drugs make him extreemly tired in the morning. He has been able to start eating again, for the most part, as long as it is somewhat soft. But...yay he is eating.
Yesterday he went back to school for 2 hours and it totally wore him out. Today we stretched it to 2 hours 45 min. and he thought that he might collapse before he got into the house. But he didn't. We'll try a little bit longer tomorrow.

In the midst of the sickness, we have been trying to get our basement finished. With Steve working from home now, having his office in my bedroom is NOT working. So, he is FINALLY motivated to move forward. I'm loving it! But that meant cleaning it all up last weekend and getting all of the furniture and storage things moved out of the living space. With a lot of work we got it all ready for insulation, that finally took place yesterday. YAY! We had one drywall installer come yesterday to give us a bid for sheet rock, and we have another one coming tomorrow. I'm hoping that in the next couple of weeks we will actually have walls. I'm not sure who is more excited about this, me or the boys. Steve and I have been married for nearly 18 years and owned two different homes, and never yet had a finished usable basement. It's about time.

Hopefully this is the last of the craziness that is our home, but I really can't be sure. It seems like the past 6 weeks have completely exhausted me. I know that finishing the basement and moving boys down to their new bedrooms will invoke a bit more stress but hopefully there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel.

And gratefully, Eric is on the mend and will hopefully be back to 100% before his birthday next week.