Andy & Jessica

Jude was feeling better yesterday so I let the boys go outside to play in the sandbox in the backyard. It wasn’t long before Jude managed to get a bunch of sand in his eyes. His eyes were almost swollen shut this morning. The poor kid can’t catch a break. But, I do have my doubts on the doctor’s whooping cough diagnosis. I’m thinking it was just some minor virus. My parents think it is all just an allergy to the cats. I’d pick a bout of whooping cough over a lifetime of allergies. We’ll see.

It was such a rough night last night so I decided Jude had to get to the doctor today.  Andy wasn’t going to take him while I was at work since his strategy that keeps him sane (but the boys cooped up) is to never leave the house outnumbered by little boys.   I’m so glad I brought Jude in.  They called Jude back right away since he was coughing up a storm.  The doctor felt pretty confident that Jude has whopping cough, but we won’t know for sure until Monday or Tuesday given the holiday weekend.  The doctor said that if it is indeed whooping cough, the Department of Health would be contacting me to get a list of everyone Jude had come into contact with.  Crazy that if it is such a big deal that they take such a long time to get the diagnosis.  Also crazy that Jude might have it since he was immunized against it.  So, we’re quarantined at home for the weekend. 

I also made appointments for both Jude and Levi to be tested for allergies since they get a ton of respiratory illnesses.  Will be nice to get to the botton of all this.

 

   

  

 

 

 

Jude is sick.  It’s very strange because the entire time we were in Indiana, we were amazed that the boys went 7 weeks without any illness.  But, after arriving home, Jude was coughing like crazy within 10 hours or so and threw up on 2 different beds and in 2 different buckets.  I got tired of laying by him listening to him cough in my ear (he refused to take cough syrup) that I suggested we get up and watch some German TV while I selected pictures to print.  So, we’ve been up since 4 a.m.  Asher joined the party at 5 a.m.  Hopefully these kids will sleep for Andy today.  Really makes me wonder if there is something in the house causing Jude to get sick.  Allergies?  Or is it just nausea from radiation/anesthesia? Or did he catch some virus from one of his visitors?  I hate seeing him sick after all the poor little guy has been through.

Today Andy was successful at getting Jude to clean up his and Levi’s mess without Jude throwing a fit.  When Andy asked Jude to clean up the toy mess, Jude apparently said, “I realized that crying for an hour would just take longer and I wouldn’t get my way in the end.”

It was back to the old routine today.  I went to work this morning and Andy and the boys stayed home to do whatever it is that they do besides mess up the house (probably better if I don’t know all the details).  Asher had a really rough day and spent most of it crying, which is very unusual for him.  I’m sure the poor darling just wondered where his mama had gone (after all, he was already sobbing when he watched we walking down the stairs to go out the front door to catch my bus).  Jude and Levi adjusted well and enjoyed themselves.

Regarding his party cake at the proton center that said “Great job, Jude”, “Do you think they made that cake or did they search very, very hard for one that said, ‘Great job, Jude'”?

Regarding his Ben 10 action figures the proton center gave him, “China.  It says ‘China’.  Does that mean made in China?”  When I responded that “China” on a product means made in China, Jude said, “I can’t believe China made such good stuff.”

Jude made the most of his time in Indiana and made new friends, but by the end of his 7 weeks he was eager to get home to old friends and family and when we were almost home from our long drive he said, “Give back my life!”

We were gone for 7 weeks so while it was nice to return home, it was also pretty stressful with all the stuff that had to be put away and cleaned up.  Of course I couldn’t help but think that since we had survived for 7 weeks without most of the contents of our house that maybe we don’t really need those things.  The same thing happened to me after our month in Arizona during my last maternity leave.  Life is easier without so much stuff.  So, I got distracted from my job of putting away stuff and started pulling stuff to donate.  Without barely trying I was able to fill 3 garbage bags full of my clothes to donate.  While I was busy cleaning, the boys were busying messing the place up.  We got visits today from my mom, Andy’s parents and Andy’s brother and fiancee.  We had them somewhat stagger their visits so we always had someone here to distract the boys so Andy and I could get stuff done.  I am still not done putting everything away, although I probably would have finished if I had not gotten the urge to purge.

The day has finally come.  Jude’s 7 weeks of proton radiation will wrap up today.  We’re thrilled.  In fact, I was so excited that I barely slept last night.  I bet I got about 4-1/2 hours of sleep.  We’ll have to get a picture of Jude running into the proton center and running out of it.  After treatment today, he will get to ring a bell, signifying that he is finished with treatment.  He’ll then get to go to a party that the treatment center has planned for him.  He requested a Ben 10 cake with gold frosting.  They also buy all the children $100 gifts.  Jude decided he wanted Ben 10 action figures so he will probably get 8 or so of them.  He’ll be thrilled and I’m sure I will be occupied being “this guy” or “that guy” on the car ride home.  Looking foward to all the fun powing action.

 

32 down, just 1 to go!  We can hardly believe that the end of radiation has almost come.  It’s so exciting.  I’ve doing a ton of packing and cleaning since we are heading home to Minnesota right after treatment tomorrow.  It’s a 12 hour drive with no stops.  We’ll be back home on Wednesday and I’ll be back at work on Thursday.  While we will not miss the radiation treatments, there are several things we will miss about being here in Indiana as well as several things we won’t miss.

We will miss:

1.  All the friends we have made here.  Levi will especially miss Sofia (who he often calls “Fefi” and Mr. Masaki, a visiting doctor from Japan who is studying at the proton center).  Jude will especially miss the other Jude.  Asher will miss all the adults who admire him and talk about what a great baby he is.

2. Monday and Wednesday Panera nights

3.  Free toy on Fridays from the proton center

4.  Seeing Jude’s excitement about getting a Happy Meal once a week

 

I won’t miss:

1.  Waiting for the laundry machine to open up

2.  Sharing the dishwasher with lots of people but feeling like I am always the one to empty/load it (urgh!)

3.  Worrying about losing my kids in a 14,000 square foot house

4.  Sharing our bedroom with 3 restless boys

5.  Having to cook in front of an audience (I bet they are judging me and thinking “Macaroni and cheese again!?!” )

6.  Seeing signs posted all over the house and wondering if the sign is new and if I had violated the rule, prompting them to post it. 

7.  Slow/unreliable internet

8.  Having my laundry soap confiscated 2 times because it looked suspicious.  (Jude is allergic to anything by Dreft and Dreft is so expensive that Andy makes our laundry soap)

9.  Having to handwash all dishes before placing them in the dishwasher