Cold Spaghetti

Will contemplates the next piece to add to his repertoire. (The book — from Grandma Betty’s music books — is the Reader’s Digest collection of Children’s Songs.)

Will has a new favorite hobby… playing the piano! While we were in PA visiting Grandma Betty, I played the piano many times each day so that we could sing to old songs (Grandma may not know what she ate for breakfast, but she knows the words to ANY song!) Will was enthralled by the piano. He finally figured out that he has one in the living room… and he figured out how to open it. (Note: he watches and learns everything… be careful!) It’s fine that he plays it, but he will also try to close the keyboard (big finger hazard) so we are trying to figure out a solution before a big owie happens.

How can it be so hard to dress a kid under the age of 2?

After hours and hours of effort from Amy, Paul’s Mom, me, and my Mom (and Paul… I made him look with me online at least once) — I finally made an order for Will’s wedding outfit(s) last night from www.bestdressedchild.com. It was VERY DIFFICULT. Boys can wear mini-suits (What kid under 2 is going to keep a suit together? Grown men can barely do it!) Or, they can wear sailor suits (a little too themed for a wedding). Or, they can wear fru-fru christening outfits in all white. Seriously, finding a little dressy romper is like the search for the Holy Grail. And don’t even get me started on cost. Even on ebay, these things weren’t cheap.

Granna picked up a generous tab on a few outfits to get us through the summer festivities. We decided on this for the weddings. We found tons of great outfits for rehearsals, breakfasts, fourth of july, and other events… but they were SOLD OUT everywhere. It was exhausting and unbelievable. Finally, we settled on some others, justifying that he’ll be able to wear these through November in our temperate city (we got everything in 2T… technically, he’s a fit in 18month-wear, we’re buying 24month for the next 3 months, and 2T for beyond.)

Will had a nice visit to the doctor’s today. Paul braved it alone to let me have some much needed R-and-R as I recover. After my half-dead presentation last week, the clinic has turned into a very friendly place for us… the nurses have called twice to check on me and, according to Paul, the staff was “swooning” over Will today.

The report from Paul:
– When Dr. Ravi (our new doctor of choice) opened the door, Will was seated on the doctor’s stool, book open on the desk, “reading”
– Will blew kisses to the nurses staff (read the entry on Will’s new practice of blowing kisses… wow, it is ever a heart-melter)
– Will has a little upper-respiratory infection. Nothing we can do but wait it out. Heart sounds great, lungs are strong and clear. (In other words, the little bug that has taken me out for over a week is a mere blip on the radar for this kid. Is breastmilk the miracle drug or what?!)

Stats:
– Will is just over 22 pounds (including clothes)
– I measured his length yesterday at 33 inches. HE IS LONG.

Well, I’m not quite the phoenix yet, but I am getting better.

The bad news is that Will has developed a productive cough. We’ve been giving him doses of infant Tylenol Cold and Cough. Hopefully, this will be enough to fend off any latent illness roaming around. His temperment has been great, so he doesn’t seem sick (just the cough) — we are very hopeful that this is as far as it will go.

Will talking on the phone to PapPap (who he sees sitting right in front of him).

PapPap making Will laugh. Will loves talking to PapPap on the phone!

Talking on the phone in Granna and PapPap’s study. Who’s there? PapPap — he’s on the other phone sitting right in front of Will at the desk.

Sitting pretty in Granna and PapPap’s porch… contemplating his next move after exhausting the “see and say”…

Was the diagnosis Tuesday afternoon. We (Paul, Will and I) went in to see Dr. Ravi (Ravi’s his first name, he’s actually Dr. Vadlamudi) after I coughed up some frothy stuff with blood. I was worried that the froth meant air and air meant out of my lungs and out of my lungs meant something bad in my lungs. Dr. Ravi took a listen, turned to face me fully, clapped me on the shoulder and said, “I think you’re right.”

Pneumonia in the right lower lobe, confirmed by x-ray. I was curious to what pneumonia looks like in an x-ray, and as an untrained eye, I have to say I wouldn’t have noticed. But Dr. Ravi pointed out how parts of the branches of my right lung were showing thick white lines which shouldn’t be there. Also, I learned that pneumonia sounds like “crackles” compared to a normal lung sound. (I cooperated as “the pneumonia lesson” for the residents in the building and asked enough quesitons to learn a little bit myself.)

That was the high point of the week. It has been a very rough week of serious illness. High points:

– maxing out our thermometer (which only reads to 103 and reads “normal” as 97.3 or less)
– having a temperature of at least the maximum of our thermometer for several hours at a time in 5 hour cycles for 3 days
– huge rain storm that took out the clinic’s power and phones for most of a day
– chills so severe that no amount of blankets or warm weather was enough
– sweating until even the comforter was damp
– not having a master bedroom for first two days
– constantly working with Dr. Ravi (our “hero of the week”) who helped us make choices for meds that were nursing friendly and keep me out of a hospital
– daily trips to the clinic for more antibodic injections and IV fluids
– being admitted to a local hospital only to sign out Against Medical Advice later that night (lesson: “Touro” is “Touro-ible”)

Now, my Mom is here (getting her here was a huge fiasco in itself) and helping with the household (laundry, food, cleaning) and with Will. Paul is finally working again. He was truly stretched to the limit watching both Will and I before my Mom came. I am doing my best to heal and trying to be patient with myself.