There is No Place Like Home

South Florida is the place I still consider home. Even though I moved away in 1995. I still call my parent’s house home even though I now have a home where I am paying the mortgage.

This Thanksgiving, I was very excited to be going back home and spending over a week at home. I would have plenty of time with family and friends and get see family who I only see a couple times a year and see friends who I see even less.

I had planned out my trip day to day, whom I would see, what I would be doing. Looking forward to each and every day. But, sometimes when you make plans, you have no control of how they go.

Eli has flown several times and we have never had problems. I believe this trip was his sixth flight. This was the first flight were he cried. The entire descent on the plane, my sweet little boy cried. He would not take the milk I offered him or the cookies. He was in pain and I was in pain for him.

The second day I was in Florida, I had planned to see a friend who I have known since elementary school and meet her “new” baby. Well, her son is now a year old but new to me since I have not met him before. Eli was not breathing as well as he should be so off to the pediatrician we went. I was really impressed that as a “visitor” and first time patient, I was able to get into the office right away. (Maybe it was the panic in my voice that my son needed a breathing treatment.)

Sure enough, my sweet Eli had an ear infection (his first one) and asthma like symptoms which put him on the neubulizer for a few days. Needless to say, plans were cancelled.

A few days later, sickness strikes again. Eli has a severe allergic reaction to something. His eyes are swollen and look like he has pink makeup on. He has hives all over his body so we go back to the pediatrician.

At the office, I all of a sudden feel nauseous and can’t make it to the bathroom and throw up all over the checkup room. I was embarrassed but felt better. We leave with new medication for Eli and hopes that we will not be returning to the office.

A couple of days later, my brother in law goes to the hospital for what we think is an appendicitis. He is still there currently. I am hoping he is all right. I am hoping between now and when I leave to go back to the home I live in that everyone else will remain healthy.