Snore

Yesterday I went back to the office for the first time in a week. It was a busy day and I was really tired when I got home. When I put Ryan to bed; I got him set up, read him a story and promptly passed out. This kidney thing is no joke. Lise woke me up and thank goodness, the Tivo recorded Lost for me (don't ruin it Emily). Back to work from home I go... Kidney in tow. I feel better, but I have to get some stamina. On the up side... I lost 2 pounds. 186.5.... 1 1/2 lbs away from my goal. :)

Snakes, Grapes and the Super Models

Working from home has certain advantages, a moment of privacy is very much welcome in the environment that I come into on a daily basis. As I have posted before I share my office with 3 other full time residence, and 3 or 4 other folks who float through. It's a great place but you do miss a quiet moment to think, and the room has been deemed "an ADD sensory overload cell" by some folks.

Today, besides my work, I found out he following things. First off, one of my workmates asked me if I was drinking cranberry juice. I said yes, and then asked if I was drinking real cranberry or the "ocean spray stuff" and I just assumed... it said "100% Juice - Cranberry". On the back it said "a cranberry cocktail with grape juice". Just what the doctor specifically DIDNT order. I was told low to no sugar... I checked: 31Grams for every 8 oz... *gads... it may be natural sugar, but it's as bad as a Coke!! My poor kidney. So I added real cranberry juice to my shopping list. (Thanks Susan)

Lise and Ryan came home from dropping Connor off at school, and since Ryan's had Connor needs it, as he is coming down with Ryan's cough. Ryan needs it because he has been evil and the devil fears rested children. :) After good naps, Connor painted some eggs Lise had for Easter-like emergencies and Ryan his helicopter and a truck he had made earlier. I must say... still very proud of his creation. It's good to see my old boy back and having some fun. There are some glimmers of his old self mixed with flashes of his rotten self, but good is winning over evil, so we count our blessings.

At the end of a good day, I needed to go pick up my cranberry juice and some other things, so I left after putting Connor to bed. Lise called me at the store, and asked me to come back asap because Ryan wouldn't let her leave his sight. He has been telling me there is a snake in his room, and so tonight it took me from 7:45-9PM to get him to feel confident enough to go to sleep. I know it has something to do with his mental development,as well as age and his recent behavior. I know that this will pass and something will fill the void, but I hope it passes quickly. Lise and I will be doing some fun activities in his room during the day to help him get past it, and I hope tonight I gave him some skills to handle being frightened in bed.

"Did you say inflection or infection?"

Yup ... Kidney infection. I'm classic.(apparently) My Dr is less worried about how I got this than my pediatrician, and she seems to think that if I get more than 2 in my lifetime, that I should track down the cause. After getting some insight into what the tests are like... I'll pass for now. If I get another infection, or this one is tricky to get rid of, then I'll jump in both feet. When I asked how this could have happened, she said it wasn't common, but there are a few cases every year. So I'm OK
Then why the bear, you might ask... he's early. Today, Ryan was much improved. I think the amount of sleep he had, had a lot to do with it. But when we got to the end of the day, he was nice and asked me to go out for dinner. Lise looked soo tired, it was an easy decision to makeWe tried the "Killingworth Cafe" partly due to location, and partly because Lise had been there and thought they might have good Ribs. It was my first time and driven by Rib curiosity, I went. They ran out of Ribs that night (of course). That's OK, though... I had Spiderman and a Blue Power Ranger to join me for a 1/2 rack of lamb chops (was good.. not great) and a Lobster Bisque. I liked the townie-pubbiness of the place, but the food was kinda bland. A few other families came in, and there was very little to tell you. When I came out, there was a wooden bear that had been carved and I thought it made an interesting subject. It reminded me of a certain bear I gave my mom after coming home from California.. I wonder where she buried that one. :)

"Take my kidney... please."

Another day in the paradise I call home. I worked from home today heeding my RN's advice and "taking it easy". It was weird not being in the office today, but I think they survived without me. It was good, because much to my physician's chagrin, Ryan kept Lise and I up ALL freaking night last night. (-8 hours.. yes) At first it was coughing and then it turned into being afraid, and then he just couldn't sleep. Both Lise and I are pretty much at our wits end with him on this. Ryan is coming in to his own and he wants to test everything... I don't think the car will hit me if I am in the road, and I 'm not sure I believe Dad when he says I'll feel worse if I stay up all night, but it is scary, so I'll wake up the house. Needless to say, I have moments of great anger + restraint + guilt + frustration + no sleep = crabby boy+ crabby kidney = bad daddy. I finally told him last night, that we are going to hang up a sign when we have been in there one time, and we're not going to come back after that one call... so he'd better be 100% certain that he "needs" us. Now for the fitting punishment... I was thinking dunk tank, or having to clean up a fraternity house in Hartford, but Lise suggested something like putting a toy away for a week. Man... she's nice.

Anyway... we're dealing with it. I called the Dr. and set up an appointment tomorrow for a follow up. Seems these Kidney infections need some attention, so we'll give it a little session tomorrow and see what I brewed up over the weekend. At this house, we just love a good medical drama. Last year it was my liver... this year kidneys... the possibilities are endless!!

Amidst being a complete grump from lack of sleep, we also found out, that Ryan has a loose tooth.... at 4 1/2? Well, considering he is acting like a misplaced 3rd grader and is built like one, it only seems to make sense. Now we wiggle it for everyone. He showed me and I told him that Grandpa would tie a string around it and the other side to a door... and when your Mom came home, he'd slam the door.... Ryan made a face like I dipped his hot fudge in an oil can. Then told me "people DON'T DO THAT" and went the store with Lise. When they got back Lise had a glint in her eye, and Ryan looked like he'd seen a ghost. Apparently, he walked up to some stranger in the store and said "I got a loose tooth" to which the man replied.... "When I was your age, my Dad would tie a string to one end of my tooth and another to a doorknob..."