60 Days....

 The summers seem to go by faster and faster as the years go by. I wish I could say that July and August were spent beachside with minimal work and lots of snacking, but that would be a lie.

A great big stinking lie. 

July started with a cough.

Oldest, continuing to decline into a bronchial state, finally went to the doctor, where they found a touch of pneumonia.  Antibiotics were secured, and after a few weeks he rebounded.

Youngest also got the cough, but prefers herbal remedies, so he ended up only needing antibiotics for the double ear infections that resulted.

When I started to feel yucky, I went to the doctor and since I had no cough, it was deemed just a virus and was sent on my way. This spiraled into a 5 day 102 degree fever, which ineveitably landed me in the hospital, with double lung pneumonia. I honestly can't even tell you what happened those five days I was rendered unconscious on the couch. The boys and Hubs stepped up, handling everything around the house, and I just laid there, sleeping, hallucinating, and occasionaly getting up to pee.

I attempted to go back to work once I was feeling better, but the extreme heat and unstable blood sugar levels, left me standing at a mail unit losing my sight in one eye. After a bit of sugar, I regained my sight, finished my workday, and returned to the hospital where I was admitted to check for signs of stroke.

Thankfully it was just low oxygen and blood sugar levels, I was discharged, and was given a few more days at home to recoup. I was finally feeling better by the end of the month, just in time for the Hubs to have his surgery, and then I was back home taking care of him for four days. 

With all the chaos in the house we assumed that the dog was just out of routine. The Hubs is her person and for the first week he couldn't do much for her. So when she stared having accidents we assumed it was just stress and a UTI, and got her on antibiotics pronto.  But when she wasn't getting better we knew it was something much bigger. That's when we discovered the bladder stones on the pee pads. 

So, two days after Hubs returned to work from his 3 week recovery, she went in for surgery. Her bladder was full of sand like gravel, topped off with 6 quarter sized calcium stones that pushed out her bladder walls. The inflamation after the surgery pushed on her spine, rendering her unable to walk, lay down, or do anything really for two days. Given that I am currently going through a two week pay re-evaluation, Hubs stayed home with her until she was back on her feet. Literally. 

She's doing well now. No more accidents, walking better,  and much more agile. Hubs had his post surgery check up and his prognosis is good. The boys and I are feeling much better despite the seasonal allergy congestion. 

Fall clean up around the yard is in full swing. I have moved nearly all the bulbs and rock from the side yard so when our retaining wall is rebuilt in the spring,  yet another large project I must find the money for, we won't lose them. 

And that brings us to today and the first week of September. 

My favorite time of year.

Much better than the sweltering, antibiotic, comatosed, surgery state of summer.

Back soon, God willing, with better stuff.