First ER Visit

Stephen Laughing At Emergency Room

Stephen's New Cast

Broken ankle (fibula) and big toe bone growth plate. Stephen was playing and jumping when he suddenly started crying. We took him to the ER and they confirmed that he broke his foot in two places, although not too seriously. We'll have to follow up with another doctor on Monday and get a more permanent cast. He has not slowed down at all and wanted to keep walking on it even before he got is padded cast put on.

That night, Stephen started crying for the first time. He had fallen asleep in the car and got put to bed without dinner. He woke up and was crying that his foot hurt. It took us several minutes before we convinced him to eat something, but once he started, he kept going until he felt better, and then went happily to sleep.

What's Up With The Antibiotics Doctor

Stephen got an infection in his pee-pee and the doctor prescribed him two antibiotics - one oral and one topical.

I'm not even a doctor and know that giving oral antibiotics to a kid under 2 years old TRIPLES his risk of developing asthma later in life. Besides other serious side effects. So why would a doctor even prescribe them?

The doctor, of course, did not even mention any risks to us, and neither did the pharmacist who filled the prescription.

It's a good thing that I had happened to remember reading something about this issue previously and Stephen was protected from possible lifelong complications of what I can only call medical malpractice.

By the way, we are using the topical application only and the problem is resolving nicely.

Chili

Papa made a big batch of chili the other day. Not sure which ingredient it was but it made us all ill (or so we believe). It did tast pretty good, though. Last night Mama and Papa worked together to make a new batch.

However, nothing compared to Mama's own apple cake recipe she prepared for us last week. Mostly apples with a little bit of breading. Yum!

Silly Mama

The other day when Mama wasn't feeling so well, she was throwing up in the bathroom. Stephen thought it was hilarious. He followed her in, gave her a silly look and started laughing. Luckily, Mama took it well and it made her laugh, too.

Sick

I lost count of how many times Stephen threw up last night. But I think he never stopped smiling the whole time. What a kid.

The One-Second Poo

The other day poor Sarah urgently needed to go to the bathroom. She sat down and in less than one noisy second released a "big mountain" of poo, and was done. "Can you clean me?"

She has not been feeling well and had a little bit of owie in her tummy. (The flu is going around.)

Raining

Hey Bring That Wooden Chair Back Inside!

It's been raining the last couple of days in Phoenix. Stephen wanted to go outside so I let him, even though Mama would not approve. He mostly stayed in the doorway and out of the range of direct rain. Then he came inside, I dried him off, and he ate and went to sleep in my arms for a couple of hours while Mama tried to rest off a lingering cold. 

Trip Stats

Total drive time: 36 hours
Total miles: 2016
Total fuel cost: $183
Total other costs: ~$85
Fuel economy: 32.0 mpg
Average speed: 56 mph
Cheapest gas: $2.77
Most expensive gas: $3.39
Total number of overturned semis: 2 (plus 2 on trip from AZ to OH)
Average hours driven per overturned semi: 18
Sick kids: 1
Happy kids: 2 (most of the time)
Accidents / maintenance problems with our car: 0 :)

Trip Log

4:30 am Leave Chardon with a car overloaded with Christmas presents
4:35 am Sarah: Silly Christmas tree, it’s outside! (Sees lights on pine tree)
9:19 am leave Ohio, enter Indiana

Almost Thought It Was St. Louis

9:45 am Gas up in Spiceland, IN, birthplace of all of the Spice Girls. Gas $3.11/gal
10:00 am Eating the world’s worst truck stop corn dogs in recorded human history. Stephen rightfully refuses them.
11:00 am Indianapolis, IN

Shots Trauma

Sarah, many times for several days after she got her shots, with emotion and accompanied with sad face:

"Me picaron!" (They pricked me!)

(Stephen's only, one-time comment: Aaah!)

Shots

Both Sarah and Stephen had to have some vaccinations this morning. Stephen had one while poor Sarah had FIVE needle pricks! She was pretty brave about it. She did cry of course but didn't have fits as she could have. Stephen simply said AAA for a moment and then was fine. They are still taking their amoxicillin from last week when they were diagnosed with strep throat.