As you know, not all things can go perfectly, and that goes for summer break as well. Our first big hiccup of the summer was Briana getting her first bee sting. It happened after her first morning at soccer camp when she was swimming/playing at the pool with her friends...
Right when I was thinking of calling it a day, I saw the kids start to swarm around Bri in the pool. I realized there was something wrong when I saw her face. She said she got stung on her arm (while she was in the pool) and tears started streaming down her face. She was scared and hurting but handled it like a champ. My biggest fear was an allergic reaction, so we went home and I watched her closely. We iced it and put on medicated cream right away.
Days went by and she stayed a bit swollen. The site seemed to go down a bit and she stopped complaining about it, so I thought she was on the mend. The weekend hit and she complained to me again that her arm was really itchy. I looked at it and it was super swollen and hot. I thought it might just swelling again, so I iced it again and put more cream medication. By Monday evening (an entire week later), I just knew something was really wrong. I took her to the urgent care really late. She was super tired and her arm was really hurting and I felt just horrible for her...
She was diagnosed with cellulitis and put on strong antibiotics (oral and topical). We don't know why it turned into cellulitis - the doctor said it can just happen sometimes.
We prayed the infection would go away with medication so it didn't have to be drained. Bri really, really didn't want that to happen. Within a day, she started responding to treatment.
About a week later, she still had a little bit of a lump on her arm, so I took her to the pediatrician's office just to make sure she was good...
The doctor seemed to think that it was just some scar tissue. Her arm looks really good now. It was a shame that it had to happen at all ~ it was just a freak thing all around. Not fun at all.
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As for me, I've been struggling with some throat issues the past few weeks. Dealt with some swollen glands and a cold sore on my tonsil. Not fun. I never had strep - I went to urgent care to rule that out. It's hard to do stuff when your throat hurts...
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And I have lost 3 medical professionals in my life in just a matter of months...
It's actually four if you add in that I had to
change Bri's eye doctor last year.
First, I realized (by looking at the practice website) that Briana's pediatrician, who she had seen since she came home from China, retired from private practice quietly and suddenly. It broke my heart because we really liked and trusted him. I was very surprised he didn't say goodbye to his patients. I did take Bri to see someone else in the practice when I needed her arm checked and she and I both really liked her. We will be seeing the new doctor for Bri's 10 year checkup.
Then, Mei Mei's vet passed away suddenly at the end of May. I found out while I was on vacation. Another heartbreak because she was so young (my age). She had been Asia's vet for years. I tried to find a vet closer to home when I got Mei Mei, but it didn't work out. I
went back to her despite the travel time because I liked and trusted her so much. I don't know what happen to her, but my heart goes out her her family, friends and colleagues. She owned the practice, but it looks like her associate and a new doctor are going to continue on without her.
Lastly, my chiropractor, who I've been seeing for years and has done wonders with my back issues, is moving away. Yet another heartbreak. She sold her practice to her associate and he will continue on without her. I'm very happy for her, but sad for me of course.
I know things can't always stay the same and changes have to happen, but that is a lot of loss and change in just a few months.
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Summer has been great, but I am an overachiever when it comes to trying to get all sorts of things squeezed in to a short amount of time...
Some may think that nine weeks of summer break is a long time. But with all
the things I really wanted Bri to be able to do this summer, nine weeks gets filled up and goes by pretty quickly. I wanted Bri to enjoy some camps and also some down time. I also wanted her to touch base with as many friends/family that she could when summer hit because sometimes it is hard to find the time during the school year. Bri has luckily spent a lot of time with family and friends this summer. I don't want her to lose her connections because of time, distance or lack of effort.
I do a lot of reaching out, and I am very grateful to those local friends/family who reach out to me as well to make plans for our kids to get together. Staying connected really is a two-way street. To those of you that make the time, thank you so much. (((Hugs)))
Being an overachiever can make one a bit frazzled and tired though, and I am really beginning to feel it now.
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Of course, there is a lot of bad stuff going on in the world lately. Shootings, terrorism, nasty politics ~ it's just a lot. I have been absorbing in all the information and internalizing it. It all makes me feel incredibly helpless and hopeless. I feel like I want to make a difference somehow, but I just don't know how.
It happened again last night...
So when I complain about things like sore throats and being overtired, I feel so extremely shallow. How lucky am I really? I'm spending the entire summer having fun with my kid. In the grand scheme of things, I have nothing to complain about. I see so many people with problems and issues so much bigger than mine. I have a roof over my head, food on the table, relatively good health and people who love me. I guess complaining is just human. That is what I am ~ incredibly human.
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When I start to feel down, I try to remember the rainbows I saw a few weeks ago.
On Bri's referral day anniversary (June 6), we saw two rainbows...
And when we were on vacation the week before that, we saw another rainbow...
And of course, there was the rainbow I saw on the way to Michigan...
Rainbows make me feel hopeful. I like to think they are signs of my loved ones looking over me.
My sunrise cactus also bloomed a few weeks ago and had like 5 blooms on it. It hadn't bloomed in years ~ that was pretty uplifting too...
Overall, summer break has been terrific (despite the lows) - and there is still two more weeks of it! I'm going to really try to soak it all in and pray there are no more bumps until school starts!
