Oh no! Mono!

Preston came home from Family Palooza on Sunday feeling really bad. Our first clue was actually before we got home when Paul found him in the tip off circle of the gym floor laying flat on his back with kids and balls bouncing crazily all around him....while he slept!!! When we got him home we found that he had a temp of a whoppin 103. Monday evening someone mentioned something about a swine flu outbreak at TCU so we decided to take the boy to our doctor's after hours clinic. I hate seeing anyone but my own pediatrician but I had no other choice. She is amazing, awesome, and I think the only doctor in the world who knows anything. Maybe that's an overstatement, but not by much! Anyway we come home from the clinic with a diagnosis of strep, a bottle of amoxicillin, and a promise that we will have a new child within 24 hours. We are all giving each other high 5's because we have plans to leave for a very important reunion with 3 other families in Arkansas. These are couples we met when we were all newlyweds 16 years ago. None of us had kids and we hung out all the time and worked with the youth at our church. Now there are 19 kids between us and our reunions are a blast and a circus. We try to get together at least every other year, and this is one of those years!!! The planning has been in the works since winter.

Well, 36 hours pass and Pres is not only not a new child, but he is a deathly ill child. I call my beloved pediatrician and she says she wants to see him ASAP. Within minutes of seeing her, we have the dreaded diagnosis...MONO. Not only does he feel terrible now, he will feel terrible for a long time, and there is nothing we can do about it. Needless to say, we aren't going to the reunion.

Spiritually, this has been a rough week. We really felt like we needed this trip. These are people who have know us inside and out and have been a support for us throughout our whole marriage. We had been talking about the perfect timing of this reunion and looking forward to a time of renewal and encouragement. Obviously, God had other plans for us this weekend. He has other avenues to renew and encourage.

Here's a picture of my sweet patient. He never complains, never asks for anything, and apologized constantly. "Sorry I'm sick. Sorry we can't go to the reunion. Sorry I threw up in your bed." If only every male in this household could be like this when he is sick (hint hint Paul McKee)