Well, as it turns out Dracen does in fact seem to have the flu bug after all. But he was spared a doctor visit because by the time I determined he surely had more going on than allergies or a cold, I knew it would be too late to get the Tamiflu since it has to be within the first 48 hours of symptoms. Anyway, it hasn't seemed to do much in the way of helping Devin feel better any faster since this is day 6 for him and he is still not well. And for a hundred dollars for 10 pills? I expected better, Tamiflu.
Now I'm understanding why the pharmacist came to me and said, "This Tamiflu is a hundred dollars. Do you still want it?" I looked at him like he was crazy because while I was not thrilled that it was a hundred dollars, it was for my child who did in fact have the flu. So I gave him a well duh look and said, "Umm. He has the flu, so... yeah?"
The good news with Dracen is that he doesn't seem to be getting hit with it quite as hard as his brother and I'm hoping that continues to be the case and that I'm not the next victim because I did not have a flu shot and I woke up with a sore throat. My allergies are, however, in full swing so with any luck, that's all this is.
I told the boys last night that they will most likely always remember this spring break. I suppose it's a blessing of sorts that we didn't plan a trip this year because the only thing worse than having the flu over spring break is having the flu over spring break while away from the comfort of your own home. I know this all too well because for years I was plagued by the "sick on vacation" curse.
In other news, we got a new-to-us car a couple of weeks ago. It has a third row and a rear dvd entertainment system that I'm hoping will cut down on the backseat drama the next time we do make a long trip. When we were about to test drive it, Dracen informed the salesman that we have three dogs and that we usually take the little ones on vacation with us but not the bigger one "because of his butt stinking."
He was an older man and he just sort of looked as if he wasn't sure he actually heard what he thought he just heard, nodded awkwardly and went on showing me things about the car.
I.could.have.died.
Last Friday night Devin went to an outdoor sleepover at a friend's house. It was chilly. And raining. I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of the pelting rain and wondered if they were all still in the tent. When he came home Saturday he informed me that they ended up in the garage but it was freezing and miserable and that he was pretty sure he was getting sick. Just in time for spring break.
He still felt like going out to eat with us for my birthday that night but he woke up Easter morning running a fever and barely managing to scratch out an I'm sick. We headed to the doctor's office Monday morning where he tested negative for strep throat but positive for influenza b. Yes, we've been having us quite the fun time on our spring break staycation this year.
At one point yesterday evening he asked me how he went about drawing up a will because DYING! I told him I really didn't think that would be necessary because I was pretty sure he was going to pull through. Then Charlie pointed out (in an effort to perk him up) that he really doesn't have that much stuff to warrant a will so how about we just give all his stuff to Dracen. I knew he was really feeling bad when he actually agreed to that.
Dracen went fishing with Popaw yesterday afternoon and didn't come in until after 9 last night. He came straight to the couch and wrapped up in a blanket before he even told us about his big catfish. "Oh no. You're not getting sick too, are you?", I asked. He assured me he was perfectly fine. Just cold. Trash pickup is Wednesday morning and taking out the trash is his job so after he did that and took a shower, he asked me to come tuck him in. Dracen going to bed semi-early on a non-school night without being told? I feared the worst.
I went in to feel his forehead when we went to bed later and he opened his eyes and mumbled, "I don't feel good." He felt warm. Here we go! I gave him an ibuprofen, said a prayer and went to bed. When I checked on him this morning his forehead felt normal, his eyes fluttered open and he announced that he was perfectly fine. Just sleepy. And allergies. Oh how I pray he is right. I think that child could quite possibly will himself well just to get out of going to the doctor. When I told him last night that we'd probably have to go to the doctor this morning to get him some Tamiflu he shouted, "NO! THEY ARE NOT STICKING ME WITH ANYTHING!"
(And I hate to admit it but he comes by that one honest. Gets it from his mama's side.)
But despite the unwanted and uninvited presence of the flu bug, our Easter celebrations carried on. Dracen was invited to go four-wheelin' with his older cousins Sunday afternoon but I somehow managed to coax him into coming home and hiding eggs with the likes of me and Charlie on the condition that one egg would hold a special prize although I had no idea what that special prize would be. Luckily, Popaw came to my rescue and slipped me a gold dollar.
I just really didn't think my nerves could handle one sick kid and one kid out of my sight and in the presence of four wheelers especially with that whole skateboarding catastrophe still fresh on my mind.
Before we began hiding the eggs he requested that we please not hide them badly. "And what exactly do you mean by badly, Dracen?" What he wanted was a challenge but I think he got a little more of one than he really wanted since I hid mine so un-badly that I ended up hunting them with him. Once those were found he insisted on hiding them for us which I agreed to but drew the line at stuffing the plastic ones with deer jerky and hiding them for the dogs.
Although that would have no doubt been some fine entertainment.
Maybe next time...
And because I couldn't resist...
Easter 2004
Tomorrow is my birthday and since it is almost on Easter Sunday this year, I started thinking back to the times my birthday fell on Easter. I remembered my 21st being on Easter (much to my chagrin back then) but I couldn't recall the others so I consulted Google. My 10th and 16th were both on Easter. But the next time my birthday falls on Easter?
2071.
So my 10th, 16th, 21st and not again until my 100th? How odd. I suppose I could make it my life's goal to live to see it. I'd probably be featured on the evening news and everything. "LOCAL WOMAN TURNS 100 ON EASTER SUNDAY". I can picture me now, wearing my Easter party hat, hunched over a coconut bunny cake aglow with candles with (no doubt) a little Dachshund on my lap.
It could happen.
But if I've learned anything in the past 43 years, it's that we can never be entirely sure where our future will take us or just how long (or short) it will turn out to be. I came across this quote a couple of weeks ago and thought, Wow. That is so simple yet so incredibly profound...
Have you ever read more humbling words?
Temporary. All of it. Temporary.
I was completely unaware that in walking through Darin's front door (literally) twenty years ago that I was also walking into the next big chapter of my life. I was about to graduate college in a few weeks, had been in a roller-coaster-wishy-washy-type relationship for the past two years and had absolutely no idea whatsoever that I was about to meet my future husband on my 23rd birthday but that's how God works. He gives us exactly what we need, when we need it, whether we always realize it or not.
Our greatest blessings are often like that though, sneaking in on us when we least expect them.
So this year, on my 43rd birthday, I will look back on the past twenty years of my life and be thankful...
for the love they've brought,
for the beauty they've shown,
for the laughter they've known,
for the wisdom they've acquired,
and even for the storms...
For without them, as hard as they were to weather, I would have never gained the depth of strength and faith that I have today. And as difficult as it is to think about, I know with much certainty that the next twenty years will bring their fair share of storms my way too. But the good news is, Jesus will carry me through each and every one, just as He always has.
And just as He will you. You need only to ask.
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28: 16-20)
He is risen indeed!
Happy Easter!
