#22: Plan B

So, November has been an interesting health month in our house.  We were a bit taken back by the increased seizure activity in Lee, but we're dealing with it, and I feel that we're on the right road toward that whole thing calming down.  Thankfully.  But, have I mentioned The Virus?

The Virus.

OK.  The Backstory.  Last month, I discovered that Lee had broken out with a rash.  It was kind of lacy, like Fifth Disease, and that's what I thought he had.

Although it seemed for a moment that it came out of the blue, and from nowhere, my mind immediately took me back to the week prior the onset of the rash.  He had complained about having a sore throat and an overall feeling of yuckiness the week before, but at the time, I couldn't pinpoint any other trigger to his complaints.  I waited it out, thinking that he was either suffering from allergies, or the onset of a virus.  When he started complaining of itchy skin a few days later (again, this was before the rash broke out), I simply thought it was due to dry skin, and I slathered him with lotion for a couple of days.  Then, the rash happened.  It all made sense.

I took him to the doctor, and she said it was a virus.  Possibly even Measles, or Chicken Pox.  She explained that even if you have been immunized against these diseases (and Lee has been), you can still get a milder form of the illness, but the rashes don't appear as they would have without the immunization.  She explained that the rashes all kind of take on a mutated splotchy-lacy form, such as what we saw on Lee.  No matter, whatever it was that he had, it gave him a get out of school card for the week, as nobody wants a rashy kid hanging around their class room.

And, he got balloons from Papa (my dad).  You can see that Lee's face was red like he had been sun burned.  Even his eyes were swollen a little.

A week later, I developed severe joint pain.  It was so bad, in fact, that after a week of pain I consulted with my brother-in-law Scott, a Rheumatoid Arthritis sufferer, to see if what I was describing was similar to his symptoms.  I was ready to head off to a Rheumatologist for a diagnosis and drugs.  Then, I got a low grade fever.  Then, itchy hands and feet.  Then, Hugo got joint pain, and a higher fever than me.  No itchiness, though, and neither of us had a rash.

But, Tessa did.  Along with a low grade fever, joint pain, and itchy hands and feet.  I was seeing a pattern.

So, driving down the street one day, I noticed Adam's left ear draining gook from Mars (he has tubes in his ears, so when they're infected, they drain out...and it's gross).  He was in to see the doctor the next morning, and he was given a highly powerful antibiotic to kill the highly powerful infection residing in his ear canal.  No other symptoms.

Until almost a week later.  A high fever, and wheezing.  The fever lasted 4 days, and I took him back to the doctor.  His ear infection had cleared, his nose was fine, as was his throat.  She sent him over for a check x-ray to rule out pneumonia, and she gave him a Super-Duper shot in his right cheek.  The lower cheek.  The fever was gone by the end of the day, so I figured whatever the underlying infection had been, the antibiotic had killed, right?

Wrong.  Because there was never an underlying infection.  (Do you feel like we're in a House episode?!)
Why do I know that there was no infection?  Because the fever was brought on by a virus.  How do I know that?  Because yesterday Adam broke out in a rash.  A very familiar rash.

Today his joints hurt.

So.

So, today is Tuesday, Thanksgiving is in 2 days, and since this rash and I are so well acquainted, I know it well enough to know that it will be joining us for Thanksgiving...and we choose to not share the likes of it with the greater Tisor or Ambriz Families.

So.

So, the Hugo Ambriz Household will be celebrating Thanksgiving at home.  Under Quarantine.  Well, not official Quarantine.  It's just that we won't be hanging out with the extended family.

This is our Plan B:  Thanksgiving at home, just the 7 of us, with all the trimmings.  And a fire in the fireplace.  And a Christmas movie marathon.  And gingerbread house making (this is a Tisor Family tradition...the kids all make gingerbread houses together on Thanksgiving).

It will be the first time the Hugo Ambriz Family will celebrate a major holiday together, without extended family.  And it will be the first time I have made a Thanksgiving meal since coming home to California 6 years ago.  I used to make our Thanksgiving meal every year in Nebraska, and my ex-husband's sister and family used to come from Texas to celebrate with us.  I love making this meal, and I have to say, I'm looking forward to it.

We are all disappointed by the turn of events, but I am so, so, so thankful that our Plan B is so attractive.  It will be special, and magical being together alone this year.  Something we won't do again, since we wildly value our extended family time, and we would never, ever want to miss it, unless we had to.  Like this year.  But, since we have to, I am so thankful that I know that our day will be awesome, simply because we really, really like hanging out together.



How are you spending your Thanksgiving?  Even if you aren't an American, and even if you don't live in the United States, I urge you to take a day to recognize and acknowledge all of the things for which you are thankful.  Thanksgiving isn't just about the turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie.  OK, so it kinda is, to those of us in America who can't imagine Thanksgiving without The Feast.  But no matter what we eat, Thanksgiving is about setting aside a day to give thanks for the people and things for which we are grateful.  It's a beautiful tradition, and I sincerely hope that you are able to enjoy that aspect of it, no matter your circumstances.  Because there is always so much for which to be thankful, and stopping to pay attention to it all can be life changing.  I challenge you to open your hearts to this.  Give thanks.