You Can't Even Make This Stuff Up!

A week ago I was retelling- oh okay, whining to a friend of mine about our past four weeks since my husband has been gone.  When I finished my tale of woe, her words were-

You can't even make this stuff up!

No kidding!  Thankfully I am beginning to be able to laugh about some of it.  Not all, mind you. That may not come.  And as another friend suggested, I am going to start yelling PLOT TWIST and see if that helps me feel better.  At the very least it will entertain the troops here at home.

Let me just give you a taste of things... it may make you feel better! ;)

Week 1-The night of my husband's departure, my 7 year old began running a high temperature.  This is the kiddo who doesn't do sick well and therefore freaks out and asks if he is going to die every few minutes.  Fun times.  The good news is that it is hard to be too emotional in saying good bye when you are sleep deprived and distracted.

Two days later he got better and my daughter and I got sick.  We headed to the doctor to be told she had a virus, me- bronchitis and pneumonia.  Four weeks later, I am still coughing.

Week 2-  Back to doctor! Daughter got better, but oldest son was down for the count and diagnosed with pneumonia.  I was put on a second round of antibiotics because I was not getting better.  Oh, and the mice moved in while mom was in bed for 6 days straight!  YUCK!

Week 3- Back to doctor! Next daughter started feeling badly.  At the very least she is worn out and the allergy thing is still not worked out.  She is not feeling well, not sleeping and generally feels like dirt!  Hmmm, could be from taking care of a sick family, stress of finishing her degree and working a job, plus college/church ministry and on and on!

Plus while we were at the doctor's office the doctor turned on me, I mean turned to me, and said, "I notice you are STILL coughing.  That is not good!"  Add a steroid to my list of medicines.  This is the family who does not like to take medicines, I remind you!  Plus, we came home with more cough medicine with codeine, which my daughter begged him not to give me since it makes me cry. A lot!  Funny how codeine works!  For the sake of the family, I have refrained from taking it.  I am nice like that.

We also went back to the doctor the following day with the youngest because he too has developed a cough and the doctor is either concerned or just likes seeing us frequently.  Medicine for him.  Is it any surprise to you that the gal in the pharmacy actually called me by my first name, pondered out loud why we were back AGAIN and told me how sorry she was for us?!

Then just to add to the fun, while I was out my 13 year old was "fixing" a pen that exploded blue ink on our bedroom carpet.  I am still working on that matter.  And yes, the same day as the doctor visit! Then I had to take the car in to get the oil changed and Farmer Dan's wife (who has had car issues of her own) said she could take me to pick it up.  My chariot arrived, we chatted for a few minutes and then out to her car we went- yep, it was dead!   You would have been proud of us- we just laughed.  We should have yelled PLOT TWIST!  With the help of another sweet friend, we got car picked up and I safely delivered 7 people to church for a few hours.  I drug myself home for a few hours of quiet to only walk through the door to find the dogs had opened a glass bottle of natural supplements intended for the college daughter and had eaten 86 out of 90 of them!  Brand new bottle!  I spent the next hour calling vets and making the dogs throw up.  And just possibly saying not so nice things to the dogs. More fun times.

Then, I tried to put a storage crate away in the garage only to have it about fall on top of my head.  Managed to duck in time, but my back may not be the same for weeks.

Oh, and I fell in a store nights ago.  Yep, embarrassed everyone and bruised my knee.

Week 4- Today you will find us back at the doctor.  Yes, you did count that right- four weeks in a row.  More tests  and various blood work for the oldest who is not getting better.

See,  you can't even make this stuff up.

BUT, before you feel sorry for me, let me share some words of wisdom from a dear friend who has been there done that with this deployment thing recently.  I had shared with her that I was afraid people were going to start to wonder about us and why so many things seem to be crashing around us.  And trust me, I was beginning to wonder the same thing.  Here's what she shared-

Such is the life of a military wife.  Or any other spouse for that matter whose does life alone at times.  Things just happen.  Whether a significant other is around or not.  The difference is we are suddenly doing it alone.  There is no one to rescue us at the end of the day.  No one to pass the baton to.  No one to whine to.  And so our friends see and hear much more than they normally would.  We just air our dirty laundry more (you can thank us later) and therefore you see our lives as an open book.  We probably have no more craziness than any other person reading this, it just can seem like it because it is center stage.

Well, thank goodness.  Not that our mess is center stage, but that our mess is no worse than your mess.  

At least I hope.

I am however looking for the nearest vacation spot!  You are welcome to come with me.

Blessings,