from the Saturday Night files

Hello, friends.  I have been waiting for this relaxing Saturday night all week.  It was a LONG one.  I was off campus more than I was on, and now I'm officially in the throes of "working two jobs".  It has been -- and will continue to be -- a whirlwind. 

On top of the busy business that was actually scheduled for the past week, Sara added her own dose of excitement when, on Thursday, her school called to say that she wouldn't eat, wouldn't play, and that she just wasn't being herself.  By the time I picked her up to take her to the pediatrician on Thursday afternoon, she was wheezing heavily.  The doctor immediately gave her a breathing treatment which she thoroughly and passionately lamented.  However, it worked, and most of her wheezing subsided.  The doctor called her condition "bronchiolitis," which is not quite asthma (like her daddy suffered from as a kid), but which is very similar to something I struggled with pretty consistently twice a year (spring and fall during heavy allergy seasons) for many of my childhood years.  Doc sent us home with steroids (again...ugh), an antibiotic for infected ears (again...double ugh), and our very own shiny new nebulizer to use every six hours around the clock.

Sara and I went back to the doctor this morning for a re-check.  While we were there, she did another breathing treatment.  After listening to her breathing and noticing her improved state thanks to the treatment, the doctor shared this tidbit: "The good news is that it's not related to any viral infection.  The bad news is that it's hereditary and you're probably looking at dealing with this for ... a while."  The last part of the statement is pretty generic, but we have no way of knowing when - if - she'll quit being a wheezer.  Given her genes and the fact that she is the product of two childhood wheezers, chances are this could last into her teen years.  The doctor did say that if we're having to use the nebulizer frequently without improvement in her condition, he may look into a long-term medication to help the situation, though I obviously hope to completely avoid this option if at all possible.  Honestly, best case scenario based on what we know at this point is that Sara will come down with this bronchial condition only a couple times a year as a result of allergies, and I think that is fairly common.  Worst case scenario is that we're relying on the nebulizer regularly, at which point she'd basically fall into the asthmatic category. Still, the chance remains that Sara's scenario will be neither of those things and that her condition this week has been a total fluke that will never arise again.  Anyway, in the meantime, we're continuing the breathing treatments and seeing the doctor again shortly.

Our friends Craig and Isaac came to town this weekend in honor of the NFL draft.  Craig had to leave earlier today, and now Steve and Isaac are out and about somewhere.  Which brings me to my relaxing evening.  Sara, Higgins, and I took a nice long walk and then played in the backyard.  While Sara worked on her mowing skills, I pulled some weeds from the flower bed.  At one point, Sara noticed what I was doing, and decided she'd help.  Before I knew it, she'd taken my weed-collecting bucket to the middle of the yard and was taking trip after trip from the flower bed to the bucket with handfuls of mulch (which is apparently what she thought I was putting in the bucket).  She thought she was being such a big helper, so I took the opportunity to encourage her and thank her for helping me.  (In hindsight, should I have taken the opportunity to teach her the difference between weeds and mulch?  Did I miss an opportunity?  Am I instead teaching my daughter that I'll praise her for doing anything, even when it's not the right thing?  I can't help but be a little bit obsessive -- and fearful -- about missing teachable moments.  Anyone with me?) When we were done, I asked her to put the bucket back on the porch, and she did so happily.  By that time, she was back to wheezing so we headed inside for another dreaded treatment, and then bath, books, and bed.

I've spent the last hour or so doing laundry and working on some school stuff.  I know that doesn't sound super relaxing, but just having the time to be home to do those things relaxes me, if that makes sense.  Plus, I enjoyed some wine while doing my chores, so that helps.  Now I'm going to read my book.  That will be, without a doubt, relaxing.