Winter Craziness

Show choir season has come and gone, basketball too. It has been very crazy in my house! As you can see from that date, there is barely time to sit down! It is bad that I haven't at least sat down and shared some fun pictures from basketball season (the varsity girls WON STATE), show choir season or really anything else that has kept us busy lately.

Busy...it is good to be busy. I thought that in way of summary, I would share the craziest (now that it is more than a month past) night that culminated in the two weeks of yuck at the Sloan house this winter!

Is it awful that I found myself in the doctors office with my son praying that he had walking pneumonia? It is the understatement of the year that the week was rough in our house. One of my show choir kids was found in the living room on the couch Tuesday morning as I came out ready for a sub job. He was supposed to be at 6 a.m. basketball practice. "Mom, I have a fever of 100.3"! My head shouted "NOOOOOO!!!!!!" He has a show choir trip to Nebraska on Friday! (and I have to go to work - EVERY DAY THIS WEEK!)

Yes, you read that right. I took jobs for five straight days that week. Thankfully David can work from home and does often. He was able to be around to help but I knew that we needed to get this boy into the doctor before the day was done. While I waited for the kindergarten teacher to run off a copy of the plans for me that Tuesday, I made a quick call to the docs to get him in at 4:30. That would get me in and out of there before I needed to be with Matthew at a school thing he had at 6. Phew...on with the day.


That brought us to the doctor's office after work. The doc said we had three possibilities. One, it could be the flu and he would miss the trip. Or, it could be viral and you could miss the trip, or maybe you could be fever free for 24 hours by the time Friday came. Last, it could be walking pneumonia and we could get him on antibiotics and most likely he will be ready to go by Friday.

I have not worked a 40 hour week outside of my home for 17+ years but this week I had a sub job every day. I don't usually do this because well, there are five young people living in my house and so I already have a full time job. But, some teachers needed help and I have a hard time saying "no'. So, pray for walking pneumonia! I actually had to leave Ryan at the doctor waiting for a finger prick because they were terribly behind (of course) and I had to get Matthew to his school thing. Thankfully, David was taking Zach to piano not far from the docs so I called him and asked him to come pick Ryan up after his test was done.

Phew! Did you follow all of that? Rushing into the school, Matt and I made it just in time to start the "Specials night". We moved around from room to room hearing from the music teacher, the PE teacher, guidance, and the rest. We were in the library listening to the librarian when my leg vibrated (my phone was in my purse at my feet). Sure enough, I didn't get to it fast enough and it was the DOCTOR'S office with our answer for Ryan. UGH! It was 6:10 and they closed at 6 so of course I couldn't get through to return the call! Now I won't know til tomorrow!

Stacey making a free throw (it went in)

The bell rang and we got up and moved to music, then again and on to guidance in the art room. We played a little game together at the table and in came a text from David "walking pneumonia...can you pick up meds on the way home?" YES! YES! YES! Phew again...they tried calling home too! He should be able to leave on the show choir trip by Friday! (our prayers were answered...weird, but they were) I thought it was over and I could get back to the game with Matt (I mean, I didn't want to look like the parent who wasn't engaged but instead more interested in my phone!)

Not a minute later my phone vibrated again showing a number from Manly, IA. I know where Manly, IA is but I have no idea who would be calling me from there! But my gut told me to answer. Very hard to hear the person on the other end of the line but I DID hear "Ashley (who is the team trainer)...Stacey...CONCUSSION!" What?!?!?!?!?!?!? Are you KIDDING ME? I may have missed two whole basketball games of Stacey's all year and I miss the one where she gets a concussion?! Yes, its true.

Number 30!!

So, I texted may dad (who goes to every game) and asked for details. Then I texted David. In true David fashion I get a text "SERIOUSLY?" Yes. Dad answered not long after that saying he didn't know the details but that they would take good care of her and get her home safely. That is all I will say about that since Stacey doesn't want to make a big deal about it. (She is better now and was able to finish out the season strong).

All this to say...in one night the stress of the whole season...basketball...show choir. But really, under it all the ground stayed in place and the earth did not quake. Ryan boarded the bus at 1:30 on that Friday afternoon after being fever free for 28 hours and made it to the show in Nebraska. AND...I survived a 40 hour week of subbing making the decision to not do that again until we are empty nesters!

But wait...the story would not be complete without the mention of a text that came to me while I was watching a movie Friday night, snuggled with crochet in my favorite chair in the bedroom. "Mom...I think I have a fever." Dawn, from Nebraska is texting me. What can I say other than find someone who has some ibuprofen, take some every six hours. Do your best during the performance and then find a corner where you can snuggle and wait it out til the bus ride home.

Sure enough, she arrived home at 6 a.m. Sunday morning (The varsity show choir for the first time made it into finals so they had to stay to perform and the bus didn't leave until about midnight) she had a fever of 101.5. Doctor confirmed it on Monday that she had both walking pneumonia AND influenza B! So, she was home sick the next week. And, that was our winter sick weeks, although the show choir kids still made it to Nebraska. One was getting over and the other coming down with their illnesses. And although Matthew took his temperature every morning both weeks in hopes that he would get to stay home too, he didn't miss a day!

Life is good!