Chris Becoming More Unstable

Very funny! The headline was referring to Tropical Storm Chris, brewing in the Atlantic, but it could've been me! Recap of this week, and it's only Wednesday:

Sunday - Decided the stone-washed-look on the porch wasn't for me. Didn't have any stone-coat left, didn't have enough time to go get more coating, get back, apply it and pick up Andrew from work, so, instead I took apart the interlock at the step, worked the base, added screening, leveled it out. John got home and finished it off. Step done. Decide to pass on the porch until there's no rain in the forecast and the temp drops below 35 degrees. In the meantime, Jessica was called to fill in for a team's missing goalie, which will mean back-to-back games if she decides to play. BBQ ran out of propane halfway thru cooking the roast....can't bear to use the oven, work-around found, dinner is served. Picked Jess up from work, home. She ate then loaded the car. She and John went to hockey.

Monday - Andrew's surgery. Arrive at hospital at 8:15 a.m. Leave hospital at 8:40 p.m. Got the knee x-rays done while I was there. Call Michelle and Lju to wish them Happy Anniversary, left room in the song for Andrew's happys.

Tuesday - Buy 2 more fans. Assemble them. Turn them on. Arrive hospital 10:30 a.m. Speak with Andrew's doc. Andrew discharged. Leave 1:30 p.m. Gently drive home, avoiding bumpy roads, manhole covers and announcing bumps so that Andrew can brace himself. Get his prescription filled. Get him into the house and settled. Take Jessica to work. Home. Convert living room into recovery room for Andrew. Call surgeon's office to arrange follow up for Andrew. Call to order meds for me. Find extra pillows for Andrew's knee, hip and arm. Michelle calls to see how we are faring. She's concerned about the newest patient and my hydration levels in the heat. This, as she is on her way to cut an acre of grass! I tell her to drink lots of water. She tells me to do the same. John home in time to pick Jessica up from work (9:30); oh, and if you're hungry, better pick up something to eat. Wish that I could take Andrew’s pain away.

Wednesday - Wake up tangled in IV tubing which John thinks is pretty amusing. Nurse calls (7:45) to say she's on her way. Nurse here, done. Meds delivered. Respond to TPN Clinic email that I'm fine. No problems. All's well. Anne's used to this. I recap the events of these past 2 days. She understands that I am coping.
Change Andrew's dressing.
Go to Home Healthcare store to get supplies we need for Andrew. Drop skates off to be sharpened (because only Al can do the goalie hollow the right way). Go to pick up floor stripper (long saga to get this stuff) and find out they've moved since Saturday. Regret decision made earlier that it's too hot to wear a belt: my shorts are hanging gangsta'-style. Pick up skates. A spell of being unwell at Al's. Go to new location of flooring store. Pick up some essential groceries. Home. Messages.
Jessica is called into work early. While she dons the uniform, I bring IV pole/pump to living room. Take meds out of fridge. Disconnect propane tank from BBQ and put into car. Since I'm taking Jess to work, I might as well get this while I'm out. I know I'm dry, but drinking isn't working out so well. I try a popsicle.
So Jess is at work, I've got the propane tank filled. While I'm out I pick up dog food from the vet. Get movies at Blockbuster. Home.
Who's around to carry this stuff out of the car? Andrew can't do it. Neighbors on both sides are on vacation. I leave the dog food for John (50 lbs and I did it once, thank you.) Connect the tank to the BBQ. Start to watch a matinee with Andrew. Run meds. Sit down. Start a bag of saline for hydration. Picture: Andrew in bed bandaged up, me with the IV.
Movie's still running. I feed the dog. Bbq fish for dinner. Join Andrew for dinner. John gets home. I get another gallon of stone-coat for porch (I know it's going to rain, but I'm thinking Friday, then John can seal it on Sunday). Gotta get the IV pole back upstairs, but have to wait for John to get home again.
I'm online writing this when I hear an "Oh, no!" from Andrew upstairs. Go to see what's what. His Pudding-Pop had fallen onto his chest, rolled to his abdomen, slipped off onto the bed, and settled on one of the pillows. So we can add remove chocolate pudding from the boy to things I’ve done today. I have a headache, my calves are cramping up. I get the vitamin solution out of the fridge. Gather up the tubing and syringes I need. I’m going to bed.
Well, you know what that’s like: I’ll put away the dishes, grab whatever half-drink I’ve left in the fridge, let the dog out, give Andrew his meds, and see if he needs anything else. Let the dog in. Then it’s upstairs to add the vitamins to the TPN, mix the bag, hang the bag, prime the line, load the pump…

If Chris is becoming more unstable, I don’t blame her a bit!

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