February 16, 2007 ~ A Rough Week
Friday.
Snapshots from the last week...
Monday, February 12th, "In the Life"
feverish Grove
After returning home from the board meeting Sunday night, Grove suddenly developed a high fever and some slight congestion. He spent most of Monday feeling pretty bad, napping off and on and just laying next to me listless. He refused to eat, but nursed pretty constantly.
Tuesday, February 13th, "In the Life"
Tuesday was a bad day. Around noon Grove's fever shot up to nearly 104 degrees Fahrenheit. He was delirious and limp in my arms. I gave him children's Tylenol, and spent most of the morning and afternoon with him in my arms, because he'd cry feebly when I stopped his nursing, the only thing that would comfort him.
While I was waiting to hear back from the doctor on whether I should bring him in, a funny thing started happening. The toilets started bubbling. Soon, sewage was bubbling up in the bathtub. Yes, again. I asked Morgan to call the plumbers. They sent two men out to blade the line again, this time taking up one of the toilets (and spilling sewage all over the bathroom), and clearing line from there, rather than the vent in the roof. I ran the dogs out to the pen (so that they wouldn't freak out because of the strangers in the house), then I ran back and forth with towels and garbage bags for the plumbers, trying to comfort poor Grove, who was sitting dazed on the living room floor watching everybody run back and forth.
This problem is obviously more serious than just a blockage. They believe the entire line out through the yard has broken down. Sometime in the next few weeks they're going to have to dig up the whole line to replace it. Joy.
Soon, the doctor called to tell us we should probably bring Grove in, so Morgan ran home and I drove my poor little guy to the doctor. Roseola. He has Roseola. The rash started to appear and his fever started to break in the doctor's office, a lucky coincidence.
And I forgot to take pictures of any of this. However.
Rose catching a fortune cookie
That evening, because we couldn't yet use the drains and because it was late and because the sink was piled high with dishes that couldn't be washed and because I still had to go to the drug store right by the place, we ordered Chinese take out as the plumbers finished up.
Good grief.
At least we were relieved that Grove was ill with something relatively harmless.
Wednesday, February 14th, "In the Life"
chocolates for Morgan
I surprised Morgan on Valentine's Day by slipping a bag full of chocolates onto his office desk while he was out on his lunch hour. He called me when he found it, thankful but ashamed, for he'd completely forgotten what day it was. "It's okay. You needed cheering up. And I have some chocolates already anyway." (I've never been a jewelry sort of girl. Nor am I fond of cut-flowers. I prefer them alive and growing, rather than dying.)
When Morgan was getting off work, I picked him up in front of his office since he'd forgotten his warm coat (it was in the low twenties outside). He'd had the worst day he'd had in a long time, and was caught up in his own thoughts, staring out at the clouds to the west.
view to the west
We were about two miles down the road in the wrong direction when Morgan finally noticed. "Where are we going, anyway?"
"Well, the Toad and I are taking you out to our special Valentine's Day dinner," I said, smiling. "Um. I hope you don't mind cheap, because it's more than we can afford. I'm going to write a check, since you get paid tomorrow, and it won't clear until then."
About that time, I realized he was crying. "I love you," he said. "I'm sorry. Thank you. You've been so good to me today, and I've been rotten. I don't deserve it."
"Yes you do. It was a bad day. I'm just glad I can do something simple to cheer you up."
Thursday, February 15th, "In the Life"
Grove
Grove's rash was worse, but he'd been over the fever for more than a day. He was acting pretty normally, but I was trying to get him to rest, knowing he needed it. By the end of the day, we were both growing pretty frustrated and tired of sitting in the house.
So I thoroughly bundled him up and we set off for the other side of campus and Christmas Tree Hill.
pine woods
We walked by the farm and up into the pine trees, my footsteps silent on the needle-coated ground. I noted lots of fresh rabbit scat and a few piles of older coyote scat. It has been a while since I have heard the coyote pack yipping at night, though that may have more to do with the fact that my windows are shut tight against the cold.
The woods on Christmas Tree Hill are very dark, for the trees are densely spaced and still young and bushy. It is easy to imagine wild eyes watching from the dark, and I love the mysterious feeling.
When we reached the meadow near the top, the grass was red-gold in the setting sun, and I was very glad that we had come, despite the cold.
sunset view
Friday, February 16th, "In the Life"
Grove, nursing
This is what we looked like, pretty much all day long. He was teething, and the rash had peaked, which seemed to be making him very uncomfortable. Plus, since he'd been refusing solid foods for most of the week, I think he was starting to have some stomach upset.
He wanted comfort, and rest, and would cry in this keening wail if I put him down to take care of the dogs. So I just held him while I did quiet things like read a book or type one-handed. Poor little guy. He's had a rough week.
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