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Up and down battles

Posted on April 23, 2009 9:09 am by TheAngelForever

My boys are pretty healthy (*knock on wood*). The problem, when they get sick they like to drag it out for a while. Nothing is ever simple with NHL and JSL. It seems to be a major uphill battle with them when we are fighting an illness. Just when we seem like we are at the top and all better.

BAM! Right back to where we started again with a climb back to the top.

As I mentioned Tuesday, JSL had been on an antibiotic for three days and spiked a 104 fever Monday night. Obviously we had to go back to the doctor to have his ear rechecked. After some hoopla at the doctor’s office, we were lucky enough to see the doctor we really like. She looked into his left ear and there was now fluid in it. That had not been the case Saturday at Urgent Care. The infected right ear was still horrible looking and red. We were put on a new antibiotic.

While there I voiced my concern about being sick so close to when we go to Disney World. I was floored when she not only suggested a prescription for antibiotics go with us on our trip, but we fill it and take it with us. So we have a refill on the antibiotic just in case we need it while visiting Mickey Mouse and friends. We head back for a recheck a little before our trip. The doctor is holding off on an ENT visit for now. Since we only have 3-4 confirmed ear infections during the 2008-2009 season he is on the line. IF we get one more infections before the fall we are off for a consult.

Thank goodness this antibiotic seems to be kicking JSL’s infection. We can now see signs of everything draining from his ear. The poor kid is coughing and sneezing, but at least it is breaking up. With any luck he will be feeling great and we can head to the park for some fun again. As you can see he truly does love it there.

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doctor jsl looking back nhl photos sick kid

Helpless Mommy Syndrome

Posted on April 21, 2009 10:25 am by TheAngelForever

Just 24 hours ago I thought JSL was doing better. His fever broke Sunday night and his temperature was back down to 97 (he has low normal temperature). He floored me and asked to "walk and kick" with Leslie Sansone. By the time it was noon, it was up to 99-100. It never got above that during the day. I gave him small amounts of Motrin, per nurses orders, to help with his discomfort from the ear infection. Last night before bed he was playing, running and laughing with Nana and Papa. He settled into bed in my old room and wanted to sleep with a pillow over his head. Here is my silly little monkey.

Here are his sweet little feet at about 8:30 last night.

Soon after this he fell asleep and was very content sleeping comfortably.

While surfing online and sitting in a chair by the bed, I listened to JSL’s breathing. It was getting more labored. Then at about 10:00, in the faint light, I noted his cheeks were bright red. I stayed pretty calm at that point and grabbed the ear thermometer and checked things.

103!

Please start the panic mode. I ran to my mother and told her he was burning up. With Motrin in him just two hours earlier he was spiking a fever again. Flashbacks of the two febrile seizures just three weeks ago haunted me. This was the exact reason I stayed with the boys at my parent’s house. I did not want something like this to happen and be alone while JL went to Grandma’s funeral.

I quickly pulled his PJ’s off and he saw there shivering from the soaring temperature in his onesie. Papa tried to keep him focused and he would laugh at his silly antics from time to time. When I attempted to put a cloth on his forehead, thighs and arms he was beyond agitated. He cried in agony, similar to when I tried to go near his infected ear.

Red red fever face

Every two hours I set the alarm, woke JSL up for more fever reducers. He was Still feverish most of the night. This morning he woke up and was quite cranky, but the temperature is down again. Needless to say I called our doctor’s office and we are going in early this afternoon to get that ear and the rest of him checked again. After three days of antibiotic we should not be spiking a 103+ fever.

With any luck we will have answers and JL will be home later in the afternoon.

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bad news doctor jsl photos sick kid sleep

Change within hours

Posted on April 20, 2009 9:33 am by TheAngelForever

Last week Kindergarten Kid was on Spring Break. We spent a lot of time outside enjoying the nice weather. We even went to the park a few times

Who would have known that with these smiles on Saturday morning, so much would change in a small amount of time.

Not even two hours after these photos of the boys were taken so much happened. We had an uncontrolled fever with JSL and my FIL called with the horrible news about Grandma. Saturday night and all day yesterday we fought to keep JSL’s fever down. Thank goodness last night as I sat on a bed in my old room, JSL was covered in sweat. I am pretty sure we are now fever free. It looks like the 3 doses of the antibiotic may be kicking the nasty ear infection. Now we are just waiting to see when we need to go for a follow up check. Pretty important since the infection was so bad and our Disney World trip is just around the corner.

Now I am off to see if the little guy will eat something that is at Nana and Papa’s house. JL took the train yesterday and is with his family. Grandma’s funeral is this morning and he will be coming home tomorrow afternoon. Thanks to everyone for the well wishes and condolences that you have left. Sorry I am way behind on replying to everyone. I think you all understand that a lot is going on right now.

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bad news family jl jsl nhl photos sick kid weekend

We love you Grandma

Posted on April 19, 2009 8:21 am by TheAngelForever

Yesterday afternoon just before 1:30 the phone was ringing. I was on my cell phone and told Aunt M that I had to get off because I thought it was the doctor calling back about JSL. Then my heart sank. I saw the phone number and it was my in-laws. My in-laws NEVER call during shabbos.

I answered the phone and my FIL asked me to guess why he was calling. I immediately asked what was wrong with Grandma since I knew she had been sick and to Urgent Care the othe day.

A little history: JL’s grandmother, my FIL’s mother, has been living with my in-laws for several months now. She had not been doing well at her new complex and went to stay with them temporarily. That changed when they realized she needed assisted living. Rather than put her into a nursing home she moved in permanently with them.

My father-in-law floored me. He quickly told me that Grandma had passed away. I couldn’t believe what he was saying. I put JL onto the phone to talk to his father briefly. The details were sketchy. Apparently my father-in-law had gotten home from shul and had my mother-in-law make sure Grandma was up for lunch. She went to the table to eat some lunch. Suddenly she told them she didn’t feel good. Those were the last words from her mouth as she passed away at the table with them holding my mother-in-law’s hand.

Grandma was 94 years old in October, the last time the boys and I saw her. We went to celebrate her birthday with the entire extended family. JL saw Grandma when he made a trip alone to see her at the start of February. He wrote about seeing her on his blog.

Grandma’s funeral will be tomorrow early afternoon. We are still trying to figure out the details of JL getting there. Right now we are battling a very high fever with JSL. We went to Urgent Care yesterday afternoon and he has a raging ear infection. With Motrin and Tylenol in him last night we were struggling to keep his temperature below 102. Scarry range since it was exactly three weeks ago that he had two febrile seizures in a 30 hour span of time.

JL will be at his Grandma’s funeral one way or another. I also know that NHL and JSL will have all of our beautiful photos to remind them of the times that they saw and spent time with their very special Great-Grandma M.

Hamming it up with Great Grandma

Grandma . . . we love you.

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bad news decisions family jl looking back photos sick kid

Matz- Oh Nuts!

Posted on April 16, 2009 1:30 pm by TheAngelForever

We do not live in an area that has a lot of kosher for Passover food options. We pretty much have one main grocery store that has the largest selection of items. The problem with this is they often run out of food that people want early, or the cost is extremely high. Of course, we have the option to travel a few hours away to areas that have more kosher for Passover resources. With two little kids travel is not always feasible.

Back in December I happened to catch a Tweet from @OhNuts about their Chanukah candy and options. It intrigued me greatly and I looked at things. They also had lots of goodies for Purim. JL and I both browsed the Oh Nuts! website a few weeks ago and were salivating at the amazing assortment of items that were kosher for Passover. Not only did they have nuts for Pesach, but they also had a large assortment of dried fruits, candies, and cakes/cookies that were all Kosher for Passover.

JL and I placed our order the weekend before Passover started. The following are the items that we ordered when they arrived two days later.

We loved everything that we ordered. The dried apricots were so plump and juicy. The ones we can get here in containers are usually shriveled and hard to bite into. The three boys love the chocolate covered raisins and nonpareils. The Elite Toffee was devoured by NHL while we went to shul over the holiday. The sugar free Must gum helped me to not miss my Extra gum quite so much. Around here we can only find Bazooka gum with sugar, not friendly to those watching things and being kind to their teeth. Today the boys will probably have some of the mini chocolate bars with lunch. We also had to contact Oh! Nuts because of a slight mix up on our order. We did not technically order the Toffee that came. The customer service was amazing! They immediately saw the problem and told JL that they would send out the proper item that same day. Wednesday before the Seder the package arrived. Kuddos to Oh! Nuts for their great customer service.

For one of our Seders my grandmother sent a marble cake that she had ordered online. It was delicious and one would never know that it was for Pesach. We just found out that she ordered it from Oh! Nuts when she did a search online for another product. Now that we know this we will probably order some cakes from there when Passover rolls around next year.

I also plan on ordering something that is not for Passover in the near future. Oh! Nuts has a candy that brings back fond memories of my childhood. They carry Swiss Petite Fruits that I used to get at Disney World when I was little. A treat that will bring back a little from my youth.