Quarantine

   
     So that second week in November as we were just getting started with our new school initiatives, I got sick. I take care of myself and eat well so I figured that this would be over and done in a few days. I had horrible chills and high fevers initially and then the sore throat hit. Wednesday night, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday...no end in sight. I went to the doctor and was put on an antibiotic for strep throat and was also being treated for what we believed was a kidney infection. Broke out in itching from the top of my head to my feet (including the palms of my hands), my eyes were puffy and itchy, too. My doctor told me to stop the antibiotic and was waiting to put me on a new one until she could see me again. I ended up in urgent care because my throat was swollen shut and I could hardly breath. I received a new antibiotic and went back home to bed. The most fun was the huge canker sore under my tongue and the split in the tip of my tongue from breathing through my mouth while sleeping. I couldn't eat, couldn't talk, and continued to have fevers (low grade at this point). I was back at the doctor for my test results and it turned out it wasn't my kidneys, but actually my liver that was affected. My liver enzymes were extremely elevated. I went back in for more blood tests and found out that I had infectious mono. In the first 14 days, I lost 12 lbs. For a month, I could not hug, kiss, read to, play with, or tend to my daughter. Once a day, right before she laid down to sleep, I would change my shirt and we would go through this elaborate routine so that I could give her one hug before bed. There was no way that I was going to infect my child and have her experience even a moment of the hell that I was living in. The seminar didn't address what to do when you can't read to your child, or anything else for that matter. My husband either made her a plate for lunch, before he left for work that morning, that she could get out of the refrigerator herself, or would come home at lunch time and fix her something. He came home once a day to take her outside to ride her bike around the block or take a quick walk. Otherwise, she spent the day playing, listening to books on CD, and watching TV. Yep, nothing like an illness like this to make the TV come on. Yeah, mono was definitely not addressed during the seminar. The mouth sores eventually cleared up, the fevers stopped, the liver pain has all but gone away, and we are slowly getting ourselves back on track. I started out with a lot of outings because I owed her big time for hanging in there with me (without me is more like it). Her first outing she wanted was the library. That made me smile! I'm so glad that out of everything she could have chosen the library was what she desired the most. We got a stack of books and 5 or 6 audio CD's. I brought a stroller since I knew I wouldn't be able to lift so she could load up. We started taking walks again. I have been able to read to her again which is a huge gift to me. Whether you homeschool or not, an illness in the family makes you have to rethink your priorities. I learned in this past month that it's ok to let go of  some things in order to take care of other things. My husband and I did the very best we could. Molly still had Thanksgiving with my family, she got to go to a fun Christmas festival, got outside every day, got her bedtime stories, filled her day with art and playdoh, and had a month with lots of movies. When I dragged myself to the bathroom in the early days of the illness and saw paint all over the towels, I just smiled and thought, "Thank God it's washable." I put out piles of markers, crayons, paint, brushes of every size and style, paper, etc. and went back to bed. She had a prolific month and I got my rest. I'd say we did a pretty good job!

By the way, she took those leaves she painted and taped them all over the room I was living in during the days. She said that she wanted to, "make it feel like you are in an art museum." She also sounded out (with very little help) "Mom I hope you feel better" on her giant dry erase board in "my" room. What a sweet, little girl. I am very blessed:)