Everything has changed

[cariad]

thinking of you...still....

xo,
R

Thank you, Rachel, you are so very sweet!

Great to see you both at the kidney prom last night - how long did you stay? I limped home, my poor ankle had enough abuse.
 

Thanks so much for inviting us, Karol. We had a wonderful time. I want to say we left around midnight, but not really sure. The moment we seemed to be getting in the way and having to ask annoying questions rather than just helping, I suggested that they had the clean up well in hand and we should just go. Sorry we did not find you to say goodbye. I was surprisingly exhausted and not totally coherent by the time we left. Hope your ankle is recovered!

[cariad]

Made it back, flight was ridiculously late but otherwise uneventful. It is weirdly not-that-cold in the house. I had the thermostat set to 60 for Sunday nights because I knew we would be returning on a Sunday, but we did not even take winter coats with us and I felt fine outside. There are about 1000 things bouncing round in my head that I have to do immediately. Not sure where to start. Bills, my advisor does not even realise I am moving, house needs a thorough clean, have to get the car repair bill to the mom at the childrens centre, contact Aidan's basketball coach, sign him up for baseball, get Liot back into gymnastics as he loves it, get to the lab for desperately overdue blood draw, vaccinations should probably be higher on my to-do list but aren't, need to look into cloning self so that I have a hope of making it through spring sport season with two kids going in opposite directions, still have a few Christmas returns, have not registered for all of my classes (well, the second one) as for some reason system would not let me, have to arrange Tuesday night sitter as I do not want to impose upon friends any longer (they would say it's not imposing and I would call them liars if I had any nerve whatsoever). I have no idea when I'm going to see my husband again.

I have loads of lovely moments to share from California, but for now, kids are finally in bed and I gave them cough medicine to knock them out. (OK, one of them really needed the cough medicine, and if you think that giving a healthy but thoroughly wound-up child a bit of nighttime cold medicine is not something that all parents resort to at a push, then you and I travel in very different circles).  I need to sit down with a glass of wine and a cup of my new, proprietary blend rooibos and try to get back on central time. I have two weeks of Daily Show and Colbert waiting for me on the Roku, plus a fab book to return to on my Nook. Ta for now, darlings....

[MooseMom]

Glad you are back safely!

Colbert and Daily Show have been particularly good recently, but then again, that's not that hard.  Can't wait for the post S. Carolina episodes!

[rsudock]

Made it back, flight was ridiculously late but otherwise uneventful. It is weirdly not-that-cold in the house. I had the thermostat set to 60 for Sunday nights because I knew we would be returning on a Sunday, but we did not even take winter coats with us and I felt fine outside. There are about 1000 things bouncing round in my head that I have to do immediately. Not sure where to start. Bills, my advisor does not even realise I am moving, house needs a thorough clean, have to get the car repair bill to the mom at the childrens centre, contact Aidan's basketball coach, sign him up for baseball, get Liot back into gymnastics as he loves it, get to the lab for desperately overdue blood draw, vaccinations should probably be higher on my to-do list but aren't, need to look into cloning self so that I have a hope of making it through spring sport season with two kids going in opposite directions, still have a few Christmas returns, have not registered for all of my classes (well, the second one) as for some reason system would not let me, have to arrange Tuesday night sitter as I do not want to impose upon friends any longer (they would say it's not imposing and I would call them liars if I had any nerve whatsoever). I have no idea when I'm going to see my husband again.

I have loads of lovely moments to share from California, but for now, kids are finally in bed and I gave them cough medicine to knock them out. (OK, one of them really needed the cough medicine, and if you think that giving a healthy but thoroughly wound-up child a bit of nighttime cold medicine is not something that all parents resort to at a push, then you and I travel in very different circles).  I need to sit down with a glass of wine and a cup of my new, proprietary blend rooibos and try to get back on central time. I have two weeks of Daily Show and Colbert waiting for me on the Roku, plus a fab book to return to on my Nook. Ta for now, darlings....

what I love about your post...I have 2 Christmas returns still too! I have no idea how to clone a human, but if we could figure out kidneys I am sure the rest will follow, and cold syrup for a kiddo to sleep...yes please!! Glad you made it safe!

xo,
R

[willowtreewren]

And she hits the ground running!   

Glad you made it back. Take a deep breath and gooooooooo!

 

[ToddB0130]

Holey moley --- your 'to do' list has ME exhausted !!   Welcome back, cariad ....... hmmmm......cough syrup to get a good night's sleep .... perhaps I need to try that for those 'anxious' nights I have !!  HA.

[CebuShan]

Nothing wrong with a little cough syrup. I used to use Nyquil back in the day when I couldn't sleep. Welcome back      Now: GET TO WORK!         

[cariad]

You guys are THE BEST. Thank you. Knocked a few to-do items off the list. My first class starts in a few hours, second one the prof said I could bring the kids if necessary. Uh, that is such a nice offer, but all I can picture is my five year old arguing with a load of Ph.D students because he is sure he is smarter than they are. House cleaning is progressing slowly, but it is progressing. Bills done. Shopping for basics done. Turning off the cough medicine tap, though. Last night Liot came downstairs at 10PM to ask for another dose, obviously because he was unable to fall asleep while his brother, who had taken some because he actually needs it, was out instantly. This morning I could not get Liot out of bed to save my life. He is also quite grouchy. If I did not have classes today I probably would have kept him home just because I know he needs more sleep.

Oh well, it's his teacher's problem now.... 

Thanks for all the delightful messages! Yes, Ma'am, CebuShan. Getting back to work now....

[MooseMom]

Sounds like slowing things are getting back in order...

[cariad]

OK, so I couldn't stay away for long.

I just received an answer to a request for babysitting services. I answered a Craigslist ad that sounded pretty good - all these discussions I've participated in about employment and who should and should not be around my children and here I find myself with a relevant story. The woman with the Craigslist post said she was a stay-at-home mom with availability any time. I need someone for tonight, but wasn't really expecting anyone to be available on such short notice. Well, I got a reply from the Craigslist woman. She is not available tonight but will be available subsequent weeks. I googled her name. Yeow. She falls wholly into the category of 'people who are not allowed around my children'. (If you are easily offended stop reading now. Just stop. Now. I'll wait....)

OK, she has a blog that she abandoned several years ago. At the time, she was 18 and spent her days, apparently, passing out literature at Victoria's Secret (lingerie shop if anyone is unaware) about the evils of the porn displayed in their window, and other similar protests. She does not like some televangelist (who does?) but because he is too tolerant, apparently, since she spewed some invective about his audience being filled with "lesbians, homosexuals, and other such people" (Uh, that's really only one 'such people' that you clearly cannot stand.) I only skimmed this utter crap, but I saw enough to know that she detests Barack Obama.

So she won't get the job. I know, I know. I heard a brilliant story on NPR maybe a year ago about an anti-semite who was hired by a Jewish auction manager to help him out for a weekend, and the Jewish businessman was warned that this guy was a skinhead and the man replied something like "I don't care what he is so long as he'll do the work." But these are my kids. And my (biased, of course) experience with people who are that zealous is that they cannot keep their mouths shut about it, and my kids will argue with her and it could turn ugly. I also think I would have to fight the urge to smack some early-20s woman who thinks she knows how every last person on earth should be living. Wait until life delivers a few kicks in the face and then tell me how sure you are of everything. Anyhow, I have a plan for tonight and will give myself a week to find a permanent person and then drop the class if I cannot find anyone. There is one other person on Craigslist, but she's only 17. She sounds great, but that may just be too young. (And the first woman sounded good on paper, but she will not be coming into contact with my kids. I'll just tell her thanks for your time, I've found someone else.) 

[galvo]

 Well googled, cariad!

[CebuShan]

I guess I'll never get to babysit for you: I'm not a fan of our President, either.    As for the rest that you mentioned, I was a Nanny for many years. I took care of kids from families that didn't share my beliefs (and some that did) and never tried to push something on the kids that the parents didn't want. I just don't understand why someone would. My job was to love and care for the kids. As long as the parents weren't involved in child abuse or something else illegal, I was taught that it is okay to agree to disagree. Best of luck finding someone you can trust with your beautiful boys! Thank goodness for the internet nowadays!   

[cariad]

Well googled, cariad!

Thanks, galvo, my friend!

I guess I'll never get to babysit for you: I'm not a fan of our President, either.    As for the rest that you mentioned, I was a Nanny for many years. I took care of kids from families that didn't share my beliefs (and some that did) and never tried to push something on the kids that the parents didn't want. I just don't understand why someone would. My job was to love and care for the kids. As long as the parents weren't involved in child abuse or something else illegal, I was taught that it is okay to agree to disagree. Best of luck finding someone you can trust with your beautiful boys! Thank goodness for the internet nowadays!   

Uh, CebuShan, I think you've really misinterpreted what I was saying.

The woman is a bigot. The dislike of Barack Obama and trying to paint him as some sort of anti-American was really the least of the issues, to be honest. That alone would not have put anyone out of the running. It is her militant anti-gay stance that sickened me. If we were just talking about me working with someone, no problem, I would just ask them to keep their views to themselves (though in my experience that does not always work). However, it's my children, my house and my rules. If you don't want an 'employer' (if I can even call myself that) knowing this stuff about you and taking it into account, don't put it on the internet would be my suggestion to her. What if one of my kids is already struggling with their sexuality, and knows there is something 'different' about him? My kids have known little but chaos and trauma in their lives so far, so anywhere I can minimize the potential for that, I am grabbing onto the opportunity with both hands. As I said in another discussion, when it comes to my kids, she may be a perfectly lovely person, but I am rejecting her based on the information I have and what I fear she might do, not what I know she will do. All part of my grand plan to become a mom that causes people to whisper as I pass "Do not mess with her children, she will f***ing destroy you."

Fact is, she really would not be a good fit for my family and better to learn this before wasting her time and possibly bringing her into a miserable situation. I come from a large family and can remember (rare) incidents where the kids ganged up on the babysitter, and in retrospect, I think that must have been the hardest money they've ever earned. If my five year old does not like you, the last place you would want to be is stuck minding him for three hours....

Anyhow, Gwyn stuck gold. Not the head teacher in Aidan's room at the children's center, but a close second: Her best friend has a public school teaching job and is available the entire semester. She could have even made it tonight, but I was too exhausted to prep the house. I cannot wait to meet her. 

[cariad]

OK, just realised after finishing watching the Jimmy Neutron film with the boys that I not only forgot to log off, I forgot to say the most important part: CebuShan, I am sure you would be a fabulous babysitter for anyone's kids, including mine, regardless of your political views, because, as you say, you were taught to keep them to yourself and live and let live, agree to disagree, and so on. That would actually be really valuable information to me, as both Gwyn and I have had our run-ins with co-workers and acquaintances who just won't give their particular cause a rest, and I won't have that shite in my home. If I could be assured that she wouldn't impose her views or judge my family's lifestyle, then maybe.... well, no, that's not true. Bigotry is where I draw the line. Anyway, it's a moot point for now, as we seem to have found the person who can take the job. 

[CebuShan]

I did understand that her political views were probably the least of your worries. I was being facetious!     Glad to hear you found someone!     

[cariad]

I did understand that her political views were probably the least of your worries. I was being facetious!     Glad to hear you found someone!     

In that case: You cheeky monkey!

[cariad]

It's official: temperature at 100.5 and it hurts to breathe. I fear bronchitis.

[willowtreewren]

Ugh! Noooooooo!

 

 

[cariad]

Does anyone know a quick way to differentiate between bronchitis and pneumonia? Some cutesy song or rhyme that could help me decide if this is serious or not?

I have a cough and fever at around 100. Breathing is a little painful. Tired and I have slight chills. A trip to the ER will cost me over $100 and I have no one to watch the boys. I've been in bed most of the day but I have felt worse, so don't think this is ER-appropriate. I can most likely see my GP Monday.

Anyone had pneumonia and would I feel worse if that were what it was? Thx!

[MooseMom]

Perhaps this will help?

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/bronchitis-vs-pneumonia.html

I hope you feel better soon.  I'm quite concerned about you.

[CebuShan]

My husband has had pneumonia twice. Both times he had very sharp pains in his side when he would breathe, depending on which lung it was in. Don't know if that is a "normal" symptom or not.       Hope it's not serious and you feel better soon!

[cariad]

Perhaps this will help?

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/bronchitis-vs-pneumonia.html

I hope you feel better soon.  I'm quite concerned about you.

That actually helped a great deal, MM. I am usually all about the google, so I feel like a silly muddley-head for not thinking to throw that question out to the internet. I did search them individually and they were so similar I gave up in confusion. Thanks for finding that site for me.

CebuShan, thanks so much for that info. Your description makes it quite clear that these symptoms lean more toward bronchitis. The pain I felt yesterday when breathing was around my sternum, so probably just irritation of the air passages, not an infected lung. Whew! Massive relief there. And quite literally within a few hours of posting my plea, I finally took an Ibuprofen and it worked. I was outside yesterday gone 8PM shoveling snow with the boys, and we have a huge drive, so it was an effort. Snow was light and powdery, but it was bitter out. I felt fine and we got all the snow cleared.

I have a cough and other mild cold symptoms, but the crushing fatigue seems to have gone. Yay!

Gwyn may be visiting next weekend! I cannot believe we've already been apart 3 weeks. I think you guys are such good company, maybe a little too good. I come here when I am feeling a bit lonely, and it almost always works. Thanks, everyone!

[Chris]

I have had pnuemonia 6 times in my life so far, pre and post tx and non of the symptoms were the same with each diagnosis, except the trouble breathing. I have had the sharp pains, coughing and hurting spells, fever, chills (more than usual), a nose that would not unstop even for a few seconds, yada yada yada. I never had bronchitis so I do not know how that feels. I was incorrectly diagnosed with that when it was actually pneumonia..
 
So maybe those links will help, but maybe a visit to the ER is needed, but definately your GP/PCP.
 
Good Luck cariad.

[natnnnat]

I don't have anything sensible to say about bronchitis or pneumonia.  I just want you to feel worried about.     Hope you don't have either bronchitis OR pneumonia, for I think they are both a bit serious actually.  I've had them both, pneumonia sucked much much more.  See?  How i don't have anything sensible to say? 

[cariad]

I have had pnuemonia 6 times in my life so far

Good god!

I will try to see the GP tomorrow. One of the reasons I chose this doctor was that it takes forever to get in to see him for a first appointment, but once you are in, he reserves slots every day for his established patients. We have switched insurance yet again, and each time it seems the coverage gets a little worse. Can we just socialize medicine already? For god's sake, this system is so stupid. All the arguments we've had on this site about American medicine and I have not heard a single one that convinces me that healthcare should be anything but an inalienable right of all US residents.

But I digress.

Thanks for the info, Chris. My ears are plugged up and I have a drippy nose, but the occasional Ibuprofen seems to sort the low-grade fever out and also seems to help with the fatigue.

I don't have anything sensible to say about bronchitis or pneumonia.  I just want you to feel worried about.     Hope you don't have either bronchitis OR pneumonia, for I think they are both a bit serious actually.  I've had them both, pneumonia sucked much much more.  See?  How i don't have anything sensible to say? 

You are so humorous, my friend. Thank you for the laugh! In all seriousness, I actually got quite a bit out of your post, because I imagine from what you're saying that I would feel worse by several orders of magnitude if this were pneumonia. I will ring the GP first thing tomorrow. I need to chat vaccinations with him anyhow. I am uncharacteristically afraid of pneumonia. The first person I ever met on the streets as it were who had had a renal transplant was the 35-year-old father of a classmate of mine. When some kids in my class found out that I had had this surgery he walked up to me a few days later and shook my hand and was really excited to meet me. He died the following year of pneumonia and his kid did not take it too well. Last I heard his son was attending a religious boarding school for troubled boys.

I do also need to mention the breathtaking generosity of spirit of a certain member who PMed me last Friday when I was at my worst. Thank you once again for reaching out to me. I hope if you ever need anything that you will not hesitate to think of me, because I will gladly help in any way that I can.

The members on this site continually blow me away with their sincere care for each other. I don't think there's another group quite like it anywhere.