Jingles = Shingles

Since our trip in to Children's and the long awaited iron infusion, the red blood cells are starting to be produced and Kourtney's skin is doing something it hasn't done for a long time . . . heal. Also, her monthly skin swabs have been negative for the MRSA. I still have a hard time believing this as we thought it would be around for ever. I also have come up with a new concoction of creams and dressings that seems to provide a balance with healing, itchiness, as well as having the dressings not stick to the wound. We saw Dr. Courtemanche today. He seemed to approve of our concoction and was more than happy to look after Kourtney's ongoing needs.  He was more than pleased with the way Kourtney was looking and admired his "work of art" on her mouth and was his usual pleasant self.  However, he was quite concerned about me and told me he didn't think I was doing ok, and to tell you the truth, I have been barely holding myself together.

I have been fighting a very strange virus for about 2 weeks now. Extreme muscle pain, muscle pain leaves and a very runny nose starts, then a cold sore, just when I started to feel better I woke up with a painful, swollen neck and little painful sores all over my scalp. I have shingles. I need rest, but yet as all mom's know there is no rest for the wicked or the weary (I have been told it could go either way). I always thought that when the girls would get to be older they would be less needy. Quite the opposite! I think emotionally they have become more needy and dependant on me to assure them that they are ok. Kourtney has not been sleeping well at all and earned herself a trip to the pshychiatrist today (either me or her, she could get in sooner then I). We have increased her Elavil and the pshychiarist has given me the freedom to increase it incrementally until we have found the sweet dreams without a hangover!

As well the Christmas holidays started out with what the T. Kujawa's do best, renovate. Todd started to patch walls and painted the girls rooms. Kourtney has the teenager room (pink and grey) and Shaelyn a very, very bright green.  When the rooms are decorated there will be pictures to follow. The attribute that I love about Todd the most is also what I resent about him as well. Once he starts a project, there is no stopping until the job is done. While this is great for project completion it leaves me as a single parent trying to referee the spats between the girls, dressing changes, trips to Children's, Christmas shopping, and trying to get ready for Christmas.

Shaelyn and Jennifer

Which brings me to today. We will be packing our van and heading to Kelowna to meet up with my brother and his family, and to see my parents. We will stay overnight and then bring my parents back to Abbotsford where my brother and his family will join us for Christmas. The girls are so excited to see their grandparents and their cousins, and are excited about the ongoing party the next week with family around. I actually feel once my parents are here I can finally get some rest. It's not like they can help with Kourtney's dressings, but they do meet an emotional need for all of us, just by their presence. (I feel that the older I get the more needier I become!) My dad loves to go swimming, or to Castle Fun Park. My mom loves to bake buns and watch movies with Kourtney. So tomorrow morning when the van is packed I feel I will be able to let out a big sigh of relief knowing that my parents are going to be around.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!