The kids and I came home last Sunday. Don got home this past Thursday night. Turns out, my mother doesn't need surgery, but she and my father were cleared by the doctor to go to Australia and New Zealand and we wanted the kids to get some time with them before they left. Also, there were tons of things they needed to do before the trip to prepare and Mama couldn't drive, so someone had to run them here and there.
It was a teary goodbye. My friends, Anne and Kim, came over Saturday night for a glass of wine and a last visit. Then Kim helped me pack. It was very hard to leave. The children and I cried a lot. Sunday morning, Don went with me to the airport. We wanted to upgrade our tickets to Business Class using frequent flier miles, but the Delta agent said he would need to be with us to confirm. I was very thankful he accompanied us to the airport. I wasn't looking forward to leaving him behind.
The week before we left, Dane got very sick. On Tuesday, while I was trying to pack, Dane started running a high fever. He was complaining of feeling poorly and an ear-ache the night before and was up half the night. I took his temp on Tuesday - 104.2. I've never had a child run such a high fever before. I gave him a dose of Children's Tylenol that Don had brought back with him from his short trip home and waited, impatiently, for his fever to drop. After 1/2 hour, I took his temp again, not expecting a huge drop, but hoping for 4 or 5/10ths of a degree (down t0o 103.8, at least). It had risen to 104.5. While I was staring at the thermometer in disbelief, Dane told me that the TV set was shrinking and then getting really big. I realized he was hallucinating. I made several phone calls, then loaded him in a taxi and headed for the ER (known as the A&E in England). Our insurance required us to use a private hospital but, when I arrived, they informed me that they couldn't treat him, that they didn't have an emergency room. Apparently, they are a surgical center for elective surgery - not exactly what I needed at the time. I really don't understand why insurance sent me there, but while I was discussing the problem with the reception people, Dane threw up all over the lobby. Suddenly, they found a staff pediatrician who was willing to see us.
My sweet boy had a viral infection AND a bacterial, including an ear infection. We started him on antibiotics and Ibuprofen, and his fever started going down. By the next day, Daelyn had it and began running 104.1. Packing was quite a challenge. For 5 nights running, the boys were up and down all night long, waking up crying when they fever spiked again.
But we managed to get home - to a vanless house with a crashed computer. Don has ordered a new computer, but we won't have one until later this week. I've been a crazy person, trying to run my parents errands, unpack, get the children back in school, recover from jet lag, and shop for a van. But I'm finally making a little progress.
One thing is for sure - I want to hang onto the simplicity of our life in England. I don't want to return to the clutter or our Georgia life. It's going to take s0me time and effort, but it's certainly worth whatever the cost.
I think Don just went to bed without me. Now that I know he's connected this laptop up to our Internet connection, I'll be able to Post again soon. And the new computer arrived today.
We're buying a van tomorrow. See? Things are falling into place.
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