Hospital Stay and Halloween

My Tuesday of this week started out so very delightful:

Starbucks in hand, kiddos at home with the Hubs, and a day to myself to get last minute Halloween things finalized.  I enjoyed myself thoroughly, and got home around 4 pm.  The very second I picked Parker up, I knew he had a fever.  Sure enough, he was running around 101.  He had a runny nose, and he was grouchy.

Normal Mommy Abby would have said, "Oh, sad news, here's some Motrin and let's go to bed."

Not Normal CDH Mommy Abby said, "CALL THE DOCTOR NOW!"

As it was pretty darn close to closing time, and given the fact that he's medically fragile, the doctor said to go on to the emergency room.  This was not entirely welcome news, but I was secretly grateful that they felt the same sense of urgency that I did.  So, we hopped into the car and headed back down to Egleston.  'Cause, you know, we haven't spent enough time there.

*Insert shout-out to my grandmother JeanJean, who very willingly played last minute babysitter to Jeremiah.  So grateful to have her house within just a few miles of the hospital, and so grateful for her willingness to help! Love you!*

Within seconds of our arrival, we were ushered back to a room.  ECMO status enables you to blow right by the full waiting room.  Sorry, other kiddos!  Except not really.  Parker was suited up in the most ridiculous gown ever, and we were seen by a doctor who I feel was 13 years old.  Doogie Howser style.  Either that, or I am old.  I think it might be the latter.

Anyhoo, he didn't seem to alarmed by his initial assessment of Parker, only that there was a pretty mild ear infection present in the right ear.  To be safe, he ordered a chest x-ray.  (I feel that we will get chest x-rays any time we visit the hospital for any reason.  I am okay with that-- Parker's surgeon wanted a follow up chest x-ray every 3 months, and we would be due for another in a week and a half.  Nice to go ahead and scratch that off the list!)

The x-ray came back clear, and we were dispatched with a script for The Pink Stuff and permission to treat with Motrin as needed.  Much hulabaloo for not too much drama, but we'll take it!  Parker was just happy that the x-ray tech gave him a Superstar balloon.

Needless to say,my evening of Halloween prep was foiled.  Wednesday, during the day, was Jeremiah's Fall Festival at school.  He had a BLAST!  This is a truly landmark moment in the life of a preschooler-- they go around to centers and play games and collect prizes and play in a jumpy house.  He has been asking for WEEKS when it would be here, and he was so very thrilled when it was time.

 

This was as still as I could get him the entire time.  Such joy!

 

 Sweet lil' treat bag with his sweet lil' handwriting.  It kills me.

  

 I am room mom again this year, so I made these rice krispies treats for the kiddos.

 I had little to no time to get our costumes squared away.  Thankfully, Jeremiah's was pretty cut and dry.

 

This is the first year I haven't made his costume.  My heart was a little bit sad!

I had approximately 2 hours of naptime to get the rest of us ready to go...

2 hours, 4 pieces of felt, a glue gun, and some electrical tape?  Surely I could make an entire Avengers squad in such a timeframe.  A Black Widow fascinator for me, a quasi-IronMan shirt for Mike (yay tap lights!), and a hat for the Pnut.

 

"You won't like me when I'm angry!!" says the Hulk through his giggles.

Worst Hulk ever.

 It just tickles me to pieces every time I look at this picture.  Especially the fact that Parker is rolling his eyes.

Not too shabby given that we spent the night before in the emergency room.  

We had a delightful time trick-or-treating with Sister's family, and yet again Mike and I went to bed saying,

"We really are very blessed, aren't we?"

'Cause we are.