When It Rains...

it pours, apparently. I think our family has been sick for a few months now, taking turns, all at once, a break here, a sunny day there, but over all it's feels like it's been three months of fighting off something. We all know about my two babies with four ear infections between them, but that just wasn't enough pain and antibiotics for our house. Nope, now you can add me to the list. Last night after a special treat of a dinner with dear Wendy I came home and casually mentioned my ear was bothering me. Two hours later I was writhing in pain, literally writhing. Rocking back and forth, tensing up, shaking, pulling my ear just like my 6 month old. It was awful. I even threw out a few desperate emails at 1am to Carrie hoping her nursing advise and personal experience with ear issues would cure me. Because I have this ridiculous mindset that ER's are for extreme emergencies I didn't go, although I probably should have. I held out until I could make it into the Urgent Care this morning.

Remember a year or two ago when I got my first ever earache and I thought my ear was going to explode but the doctor told me it was only "slightly" infected? I get that now. I get that it was only "slightly" because now not only does my ear feel like it's going to explode but so does my jaw, cheek, neck and half of the right side of my brain. This is not slightly. My writhing was justified this time because when the doctor looked in my ear this morning he said, "Oh my, that must really hurt. Ouch, no wonder you didn't sleep at all last night." THAT'S MORE LIKE IT. It had already ruptured a bit, but not much. That part didn't happen until later this afternoon when a saw blood in the fluid that's been draining out all day. I ditched the ear drops and went straight for the Vicodin at that point.

Remember a couple of days ago when I wrote about all the noise surrounding my house because of the construction going on next door and how Troy was screaming and wouldn't sleep? I have a new compassion and an apologetic heart towards that boy. If he was feeling half of what I'm feeling then his tears were absolutely real. Poor baby. And now when Addison complains about her ears hurting that that she "needs medsin" you bet I'm going to give it to her.

The gracious God that I love saw all this coming and sent my MIL for a visit on Tuesday. Little did any of us know she'd end up totally taking care of my kids today while I wallowed in pain. Thanks for your provision Lord! And thank you Tina for loving me and my kids!!

And you know the part that really gets me, the part that I feel most defeated about? The doctor said I'd be sore, uncomfortable and in some pain for about three more days while the antibiotics kill the infection. So that puts me at feeling pretty good on Sunday, right? Just in time for me to get my wisdom teeth pulled on MONDAY. Wonderful.

Sorry about the downcast post. I have some happy things to write about too, like Ben checking out a preschool that he'll hopefully start in the fall. And how I bought fabric softener for the first time ever and now when I open the dryer I take a big whiff and think of Lolly. I got my hair colored a beautiful shade of dark. I have a cool new thing I like to do with the kids before bedtime. See, all happy things. But I don't want to lose the sadness potency by writing a bunch of warm fuzzies.

Oh, one last thing. Mark and I put our house on the market and we're moving to Australia. Goodbye!