Chop Wood, Carry Water

2013 has not been the greatest year for our household. Let me be clear, we have had some amazing moments. However, it has not been the healthiest year we’ve experienced.

If I met me in the last year I would have to heavily consider whether or not I am a hypochondriac. I’m not, for the record, I just really disliked this year. My sister tells me it is because 2014 is going to be our year of EXTREME HEALTH. I’m ready for it. Bring it 2014.

Until then, I made up our own Lousy Days of Christmas to commemorate us surviving this year.

On the first day of Christmas, 2013 brought to me, a need for a brand new knee. 

On January 25th, my birthday of last year, I tore a piece of my articular cartilage off in my knee while dancing with children at work. It is the worst explanation for an injury ever. I repeatedly had to say “No, I didn’t make that up. I promise I would make up a much better story if I was going to make something up.”

On the second day of Christmas, 2013 gave to me, two throwing-up travelers, and a mom who still needs a new knee. 

Our Trip to Cannon Beach in March was magical for a number or reasons, mostly because that is where Mike proposed. However what was NOT magical was that we all got the stomach flu, and Mike and I were up all night throwing up the night before our engagement. Nothing says “I’ll love you forever” like synchronized puking.

On the third day of Christmas, 2013 gave to me, three workless weeks, two throwing-up travelers, and a mom who got her new knee. 

In March I finally had surgery. Due to some formalities I had to wait for over 2 months after the injury, resulting in lots of muscle atrophy making recovering lots harder.

On the fourth day of Christmas, 2013 gave to me, many months of rehab, three workless weeks, two throwing-up travelers, and a mom who kinda had a new knee. 

Rehab was much harder than I expected. The surgery inflamed previous tendonitis issues I had which made progress delayed and results painful. But after 7 months of physical therapy I was released!

On the fifth day of Christmas, 2013 gave to me, A-DAY-OFF-TO-SPEND-WITH-MIC-KEY!. 

We had a reprieve from illness long enough for an amazing trip to Florida with Mike’s family. No health problems for a solid week.

On the 6th day of Christmas, 2013 gave to me, six daily doses, A-DAY-OFF-TO-SPEND-WITH-MIC-KEY!, many months of rehab, three workless weeks, two throwing-up travelers, and a mom who kinda had a new knee. 

Only a few weeks into the school year and both girls got Strep and ear infections, resulting in 6 daily does of antibiotics between the two of them.

On the 7th day of Christmas, 2013 gave to me, Thanksgiving turned tragic, six daily doses, A-DAY-OFF-TO-SPEND-WITH-MIC-KEY!, many months of rehab, three workless weeks, two throwing-up travelers, and a mom who kinda had a new knee. 

We had an amazing Thanksgiving with family that took a turn for the worse when Evan came down with Strep Throat on Thanksgiving night. She showed the urgent care center what she thought of their throat culture when she puked all over their exam room. She started antibiotics and bounced back in time to attend the Christmas tree lighting the next morning.

On the 8th day of Christmas, 2013 gave to me, every parents’ nightmare, Thanksgiving turned tragic, six daily doses, A-DAY-OFF-TO-SPEND-WITH-MIC-KEY!, many months of rehab, three workless weeks, two throwing-up travelers, and a mom who kinda has a new knee. 

After being on amoxicilin for 8 days, Ev had what we are now considering a reaction to the medicine that landed her in the E.R. After taking her to Urgent Care on a Saturday night the physician took one look at her and told me to get her to the hospital as quickly as possible. Thankfully, it was nothing major but it certainly strained our heart strings and scared us for many weeks to come.

On the 9th day of Christmas, 2013 gave to me, much more medicine,  every parents’ nightmare, Thanksgiving turned tragic, six daily doses, A-DAY-OFF-TO-SPEND-WITH-MIC-KEY!, many months of rehab, three workless weeks, two throwing-up travelers, and a mom who kinda has a new knee. 

As we were in the hospital with Evan, Lulu looked up with her big lovey eyes and said “My throat hurts.” Or course it does, I said, because you have strep. I told her not to say it too loudly, because if someone around there swabbed her it would be $2,000.. So we left the E.R. at 11PM and we were in Urgent Care by 10 the next morning (Sunday so nothing else was open). Ev looked good, so she didn’t need to start new antibiotics, but Lu now had strep and got 10 days of amoxicillin that we had to be very careful to keep away from Ev.

On the 10th day of Christmas, 2013 gave to me, Medical induced Migraines, much more medicine,  every parents’ nightmare, Thanksgiving turned tragic, six daily doses, A-DAY-OFF-TO-SPEND-WITH-MIC-KEY!, many months of rehab, three workless weeks, two throwing-up travelers, and a mom who kinda has a new knee. 

We made it till Tuesday when Evan woke up and I could instantly tell the Strep was back. Our doctor was off for the day so we went to our favorite place in Boise, Urgent Care, and got another positive Strep test. They know all of us by name and sucker flavor preference.

On the 11th day of Christmas, 2013 gave to me, heart murmur mysteries, medical induced migraines, much more medicine,  every parents’ nightmare, Thanksgiving turned tragic, six daily doses, A-DAY-OFF-TO-SPEND-WITH-MIC-KEY!, many months of rehab, three workless weeks, two throwing-up travelers, and a mom who kinda has a new knee.

While getting Ev’s latest strep diagnosis the doctor casually asked me, just as if she would ask for a date of birth, “how long has she had a heart murmur?” Well, since, NEVER! The main concern when she went to the E.R. was Rheumatic Fever. Now, with reoccurring strep and a detected heart murmur, we new the doctor’s appointments were far from over. Luckily, it has all turned out to be OK and it is just a slight murmur that seems to be pronounced when she is sick (which she was a lot in 2013).

On the 12th day of Christmas, 2013 gave to me, ICKY INFLUENZA, heart murmur mysteries, medical induced migraines, much more medicine,  every parents’ nightmare, Thanksgiving turned tragic, six daily doses, A-DAY-OFF-TO-SPEND-WITH-MIC-KEY!, many months of rehab, three workless weeks, two throwing-up travelers, and a mom who STILL needs a new knee.

 

This year just wouldn’t be over if it didn’t end with a bang. One week after finishing her NON amoxicillin antibiotics, I got a call from the school nurse that Evan had a high fever and was very upset. I rushed to her school and found her crying with a headache and 103 degree temperature. We made an appointment for the next morning but I felt pretty certain this was the flu. Evan was so sick in 2013 that she never got the flu shot. Sure enough, it was influenza. Good news: we caught it early enough to start Tamiflu. Bad news: that Tamiflu cost $115 and then Ev proceeded to throw it up over and over again. Even more bad news: Mike also didn’t get his flu shot this year. I think he might have learned that lesson the hard way.

So how is 2014 going to start out? With a trip BACK to my orthopedic surgeon for me and a trip to a pediatric Ear Nose and Throat doctor for Evan (who has had strep 3 times this year already!). We’re gonna stretch this hypochondria out one more month so we can get a really good start on our YEAR OF EXTREME HEALTH! 

We know that we are actually extremely lucky to be as happy and healthy as we are. Everything we’ve experienced has been minor compared to what many families go through. We consider ourselves lucky enough that we can joke about all of it, which sometimes you need to do. 2013 won’t be missed that much around here, but we do appreciate its story lending abilities.