I don’t like Thanksgiving. It’s not just the vegetarian aversion to the mass slaughter of Turkeys, either. It’s just that invariably something bad always happens this time of year. This year, my sweet boy is sick. Not “I have a cold sick”. More like “fever for a week, not eating, ear infection, AND strep throat sick”.
Because he still can’t tell me that he’s not feeling well, and can projectile spew ANY oral medication like it’s an olympic sport, I didn’t know how sick he was until yesterday. After three days refusing to take his medication, I brought him back to our wonderful doctor’s office, Village Pediatrics, which is by far the best pediatric office in the Triangle area (to say the least). They always squeeze Peter in. They know how to handle a child with Autism, and how to be compassionate and understanding to his frazzled parents. Turns out he has strep, and the only way to get meds in him was to get a shot of penicillin.
When I was a kid. If you had strep you immediately got a shot of penicillin. These days kids seem to magically drink the “pink stuff”. Not mine, at least not anymore. He used to gulp down Augmenten (the WHITE stuff) like it was ice cream. In fact, he would request “ice cream” and be disappointed if it WASN’T the medicine. Yet alas, he is now traumatized by the mere concept of swallowing medication. I mixed it with milk, yogurt, juice, Coke (yes, Coke, judge if you will) – it was awful. I held him down and practically sat on his chest to shoot it down his throat. The carpet, oh the carpet, there are pink and white stains everywhere. Let’s just say, if social services or the apartment management stop by, we are totally screwed.
Anyway, we had to drive to the hospital to get the medication, and bring it back to our wonderful doctor’s office on “thanksgiving eve” so they could give it to him. He’s still pretty sick. But I can see that we’re going to be turning a corner. Me, I’m pretty sure I have it myself. I’ve been drinking the rejected “pink stuff”. Yes, I know that you shouldn’t take medication that wasn’t prescribed to you. But you know what, I don’t have insurance or the money (or the time) to go to the doctor. By the way, the “pink stuff” tastes HORRIBLE, I don’t blame him for spewing it all over my previously pristine household.
Oh yes, so thanksgiving. We had a nice day with our family. Watched the parade. My father in law ate the gizzards just to gross me out. It was perfectly quaint. Despite being exhausted and Peter being “super Autism” boy. Two weeks without therapy and one without school is quite telling.
It’s just a whole day about being “thankful”. It’s stupid. I think I’m pretty thankful every day of the year. Today, I’m ironically feeling sorry for myself and struggled to find something to say around the table. I ended up with “I’m thankful that none of us have swine flu…yet”. I try to be a realist.
But really, there’s so much to be grateful for. I know that. I’m thankful for a house (and a home), for a family that is healthy and who loves me unconditionally, for the wonderful friends I’ve made over the past two years – and the ones who have been around for many, for all of the talented therapists, doctors, volunteers, students, and social workers that have made our life what it is today. There are no words to thank you adequately. We love you. To my husband, who got on this roller coaster with me 5 years ago and has never looked back. The man who promised he’d never give up on me, and meant it. I know that the other shoe isn’t going to drop. I love you more every day.
And to my son, for being the reason I want to work harder, be better, and do more. You are my inspiration and my greatest joy.
