In The Hospital

Just a couple of days ago I lamented the wait to get into a doctor. I think I knew then. I just knew. That’s why I panicked.

I ignored the instinct and let myself be soothed.

And he ended up here.

He probably would have anyway, but the timing might have been better – but that is a different post for another day when I can step away from my anger.

Before the doctor entered the room, she was already sending the nurse to find him a room, writing orders for strong antibiotics, a PICC line and extensive breathing treatments.

He’s in until Monday.

But he was just diagnosed a year ago.

Already he’s in for a CF related illness.

He didn’t start getting sick until about 5 years ago.

It was once a year.

This year – it’s twice.

Knowing this disease is progressive never scared me as much before. Not until it took less than 2 years for Denver to end up here.

Not until it took 2 days to get bad enough to require this.

Not until knowing that despite the amazing functions he usually has, the life full of Cross Country & playing, he could degrade so far so very fast.

It’s frightening.

Not just for us.

For him – now that he’s living it.

 

Hump Day Hook – Week 1 {Hex Ranch}

Hump Day Hook – Week 1 {Hex Ranch}

To get some more writing posts up – at least until I figure out the blog layout craziness – and then especially after that, I found myself a new weekly blog hop to take part in. This one is the Hump Day Hook. The point is to post  one paragraph of your writing. It can be a WIP, a finished MS or a book you have out in the world for sale.

To quote the creator (Kerrianne Coombes):

This is a new blog hop where you post ONE paragraph from a WIP or finished book for all to see. Then, it would be really cool if you could visit other writers participating and comment on their paragraph!

This is a fun way to meet new writers, gain more readers and basically have fun with your work! You can tweet about it, Facebook it Etc,  and get word out about HHH and your work.

So for my first foray into the world of the HHH I’m putting out a paragraph from my WIP, Hex Ranch. Instead of starting from the beginning I started somewhere in the middle so I’d have a good idea of the characters and their personalities before I tried to start Chapter 1.  One thing is for sure, it didn’t take long for Thea “Teddy” Drake to make her personality clear. Here’s her response to the Sheriff (Seth) asking if she’ll behave:

Goddess, she really wanted him to take her right now. His strong arms held her close enough to feel his own excitement pressed hard against her belly. Her body hummed, nipples taut against the thin cotton of her dress. “I make no promises, Sheriff. Can’t recall a time I’ve ever been real good at behaving.”

To see more participants, click on the HHH banner below:

He’s My Easy Child – Or At Least He Used To Be

When I had Denver – I was so spoiled by fate.

As a single mother, living with my parents it could have been more difficult – but Denver was always an easy kid.

Those milestone ages and events? He met the deadlines perfectly.

The ages used for sizes on clothes? Met those perfectly too. Moved into 6-9 month clothes at 6 months. Until he grew into size 7’s, that was the norm.

Everything for him was met at the perfect age. He was well behaved and polite – and still is to everyone but his ‘stupid parents’ (he is a teenager, after all. We are the enemy now).  He’s a good kid.

I never really had to worry.

The only time I worried & panicked – Mom instinct had kicked in. He went on a camping trip for Scouts and I knew before he left something was going to happen – and it did. That’s when he broke his wrist.  Call it a premonition, call it instinct, but I did panic (once the phone call came) until he made it safely home.

That was all before the light bulb went off and his chronic pneumonia finally hit me hard enough to test him for CF.

Now he has the diagnosis but the unusual nature of his diagnosis (and his sister’s) they are both listed as “atypical” CF.

The thing that worries me, is that I’m sitting here listening to wheezing, he’s struggling to breathe, but despite a nurses first instincts, we aren’t going to the ER. The doctor dismissed that idea.  We’re being made to wait to go in until tomorrow.  If his condition worsens we’re to go to the ER, otherwise we sit here for over 24 hours past when he woke up because he struggled to breathe.

I’m hoping that it’s because he has no fever.  That it’s a logical explanation.

But I can’t help feeling like maybe the atypical nature leaves them to react less.

I’m sure I’m just being over-protective and paranoid because I’m so very worried.

Right?

Harvesting Joy…and Pie

[flickr id=”5075549323″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]Fall is my favorite season.  I might be partial to summer because that’s when I was born – but it gets too hot (especially here in Indiana) and far too humid and I don’t have a pool anymore.

Besides – fall has all the gorgeous color, brief though it may be.

Fall is the season I start to bake.  I start making Christmas cookies early & freeze them – but I also start baking bread.  And pie. And anything else I can concoct.  My family loves the influx of fresh food baked in warm oven.  Only thing I wish for at this time of year is a lot more counter space.

Fall is also the season that the local farmers have the corn mazes, apple picking, pumpkin picking, and fall festivals.  There is so much to do at this time of year – and my favorite is the apples.  Apple pie and applesauce adorn our table regularly in the fall.

There really is no better season.

 

*~*~*

This post was written as part of Indiana Family of Farmers Table Talk series. As a Table Talk contributor I received various products to help along the table talk.  All opinions and stories in the post are my own truth.  

The Things I Missed

My childhood was pretty great all around.

The street I grew up on was lined with trees.  Big tall trees that shed piles upon piles of leaves every year in the fall.  The neighborhood kids would gather up gigantic piles to dive into, swim around in, get lost in.

My brother, being older than me, was a major ring-leader in the activities.  No matter what the season, he liked to head up the games.  Whether sledding in the winter, street hockey in the summer, he was in the thick of it.

Leaves was the one thing among these that I wanted to do more than anything.

How fun could that be?

The free fall with a cushioned landing.

I wanted to so much.

I never could.

I might have mentioned before that I had pretty severe allergies when I was young.

Among them were pollen, trees, tree sap, all that fun stuff.

Playing in the leaves gave me hives.  All over the place.

By the time I had grown up enough that my allergies lessened we were in a brand new neighborhood with baby trees.

Now my kids live in a house with a huge tree in the backyard that drops a ton of leaves.  They are never bright & colorful – but they are always plentiful.  Now it’s their turn – and I love watching them bury each other in the leaves and scramble through.  Even when my aware & very adult brain is protesting the dirt/bugs/need-baths-now…I love seeing the blatant joy at the simple pleasure of free falling into a pile of leaves.