Friday, August 18, 2017

A long two weeks......

  
Well my friends it has been a long two weeks.  Funny how just a few things happening can completely wipe you off the blogging grid.  How are you?  Any News?  What is happening in your life?

First things first, look who is now officially a kindergartner.  Little Buddy is very much enjoying his new class and new teacher.  He has the same assistant as last year.  I sent many a letter this summer to the administrators in our school district recommending they stay together.  She is loving but tough and frankly does not let him get away with anything.  That is just how I want it as a cute little one that is catered to because he has special needs will not be a productive in middle or high school.  He is capable of learning and performing at the same rate as his peers and should be encouraged to do so.  She understands this and I just love how much she loves him.  Little Buddy is so lucky to have her.


The surprise baby blanket is finished.  I ended up having an abundance of time to crochet last weekend, more on that in a bit.  This baby blanket is called the surprise baby blanket because my next door neighbor is having a granddaughter that was a bit of a surprise.   All is well with Mom and baby and after the shock the whole family is getting more and more excited.  Obviously I am also because this baby blanket was made with this beautiful baby in mind.  Every stitch has a little prayer in it in hopes this little one has a wonderful life.  


The body of the blanket is made with Ella Rae Cozy Soft in the color 21, gray.  I used 3.5 skeins of yarn for the body and the last row of the border pattern, so approximately 750 yards.  I used left overs of various Simplicity by Hikoo and CoBaSi by Hikoo for the border.  I am estimating the shawl to have used 950 yards of yarn, and it was made with a size H hook. The main body and the border are based on the Sunday Shawl pattern I used to make my very own Sunday Shawl which you can find on this link to my Ravelry page.  I only made eight rows of the border as frankly this blanket was just getting to be too big.  I think it ended up the perfect size with just the right amount of border.


Ah, now the reason for so much crochet time.  Mr. 20 got very ill last week and ended up in the hospital for four long days and nights.  Bless him he had not been feeling well for several days until Thursday when he went to the doctor for intense abdominal pain and feeling things were not right in that area.  She felt he might be getting an ulcer and sent him home on all kinds of medication.  By Friday AM, very, very early he was in a lot of distress so I sent him to the hospital with his girlfriend with me quick on the trail after I dropped off Little Buddy at school.  After hours of tests and several shots of pain medication we were sent home on anti spasm drugs, pain medication and a diagnosis of mesenteric lymphadentitis.  Well my friends I had never heard of this before but I won't soon forget it.   We were back at the ER 3 hours after discharge as the pain meds were not helping and my son was in extreme pain, he reminded me of a woman in labor with no break between contractions.  He was admitted, put on morphine, and had to let his intestines recover before he could ingest anything, even water.    By Monday morning his pain was lower and he was able to start taking fluids, then a liquid diet and by evening he had eggs!  Whoop, whoop I have never been so happy to hear that my boy ate eggs.  He was able to come home Monday night and is recovering nicely although does not seem to be to pleased with his bland diet.  He is headed off to school in Orlando this weekend so we have to get him healthy enough to go.  
   

Last but not least, actually he should have been first, my darling Max is now 13.  I am just so thrilled he is still doing relatively well.  Yes he has a bit of a hard time getting up and sleeps all the time.  He can't hear well but then neither can I.  He is still happy, loves his family, loves to eat fruit and still hates to have his picture taken.  We are so blessed he is still with us.


So I can be honest with you all can't I?  I am exhausted.  I mean really, really tired, with work, worry about my son, making sure Little Buddy is taken care of, and endless hours in the hospital.  The events of the last week politically have also left me feeling depressed, more so than ever about the current state of our country, and the manic hands it has been left in.  We should not be surprised, he has been telling us who he is for a very long time.  Firing his chief strategist is just for show,  the fact that this man and several others have been allowed near The White House is a travesty.  

Hope you are all well.  There is just no way I can catch up from two weeks off blogging but I hope to visit you soon.  Have a good weekend.

44 comments:

Jo said...

It's no wonder you're exhausted, you need some time to recover from all the stress you've been under. You must have been so worried about Mr 20, sending good wishes his way for a speedy recovery. Glad to hear that Little Buddy is enjoying school and that Max is still doing well, and love the baby blanket, it's turned out so well.

Fiona said...

Dear Meredith, I'm so sorry to hear about your middle son, it must have been very worrying for you. Thank goodness he is on the mend. Sending you hugs for a better week to come and prayers for an end to the madness happening in the world at the moment. Fiona x

Mac n' Janet said...

What a rough time you've had, so scary when our kids are sick. Little Buddy looks so cute, hope he has a great year.
With our daughter living in Japan all this mess with North Korea has been making me sick. Dear Lord why doesn't this man resign before he destroys this country.

Karen said...

What a time you've had of it, Meredith. The past week has been a doozy for me as well. And, I hear you, about how tiring it all can be and then the world situation on top of it. I've never wanted a vacation -- from the planet -- as much as I do now! Hang in there, my friend!

Araignee said...

Good gracious what a week you had!!! Sick kids are no fun. That must have been really scary. Your blanket is absolutely gorgeous. I wish I had the talent to whip up something so pretty, so quickly. Any baby would be lucky to be wrapped up in it.
I know I have gained 10 pounds this week from stress eating. I can't walk away from the news for 10 minutes without missing a major news cycle. I am very proud of Maryland for just pulling those confederate statues without any discourse. There shouldn't be any conversation about it. It's just wrong to have them if they cause citizens pain. Good riddance.

AnnieOBTextiles said...

So sorry to hear Mr 20 has been ill and hope he recovers his health and strength quickly. It must have been so stressful for you all and I hope the coming days and weeks are smoother and more calm. It is great that Little Buddy will have the support of his usual assistant who knows and understands him. He is such a cutie and who can resist that smile! Take care and look after yourself.

Mylittlepieceofengland said...

You really have had a lot going on. Hope you get some quality time to unwind and just enjoy life xx

Teresa Kasner said...

Goodness, Meredith.. what a time you all have had! I've never heard of such an illness! How did he get it? I'm so glad he's better and I do hope he'll be cleared to start his college classes on time. Poor guy! I loved seeing your youngest little man standing tall and happy. I'm glad he got to keep his teacher friend this year. Your baby blanket is a wonderful gift! I started a new baby blanket too, for my son's friend's new baby to come. As for the political scene.. egads... what mess this country is in due to electing this maniac! I'm just glad that demon Bannon is our of the White House. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

Melanie said...

When I had read Claudia's blog about your son and how he was in the hospital, I knew you'd be exhausted. The stress and worry and lack of sleep...and then your job and things with LB on top of it all. You need a vacation! I hope your son is resting and getting stronger every day. And I hope your weekend is peaceful and that you get some rest.

Pradeepa said...

Good to hear that your son is recovering from his illness. The surprise baby blanket is gorgeous. Max looks well and it's great that Little Buddy will continue with his usual assistant. Take care of yourself.

Anonymous said...

That's the first time I've seen Little Buddy standing without his walker! WOW! He looks like such a big boy too....he must be growing like a weed.

So sorry to hear that Mr. 20 was not well. Hope whatever it is clears up so that he can go back to school too.

As for the political situation ... I think it has us ALL on edge. I've never in my life felt this level of stress.

Hope your next week gives you a little down time so you can decompress!

Betsy said...

Such a sweet picture of Little Buddy and he's now officially a "big boy" in kindergarten. I'm glad one worry is alieved for you in him having his same assistant. I've been praying for your middle "big boy" and I'm glad to hear he is on the mend. Hopefully he will be able to go to school as planned. Your blanket is stunning and I really like the border. That is one lucky baby! :-). Max is his usual sweet self. I would love to give him a big birthday hug. Chloe sends her best. She's 11 now and still acts and runs like a puppy since she started her arthritis meds. She just can't run as long...but neither can I so we match well! Ha! Much love and prayers my friend. I hope you can relax some this weekend.
Blessings,
Betsy

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

Hugs Meredith - sweet Little Buddy and kindergarten - so good that the same assistant will be with him. Always scary when an unknown reason for severe pain happens, hope your son is feeling better each hour/day. Lovely baby blanket, so soft.

Hope you can have some peace and time to refresh after a very worrying week.

Joy

Grandmabeckyl.blogspot said...

I'm glad Buddy is a happy kindergarten student and Mr 20 is well enough to head back to school. Intestinal issues are no fun, especially when they can't figure it all out. Been there. Done that! The surprise baby blanket is pretty! Good job! I'm sure the momma will like it! Rest well and hope things all get better. Happy weekend!

Babajeza said...

There is much going on at your place. Take care! Hugs, Regula

Between Me and You said...

Glad the worst is over for your Son and for you! We never stop worrying about them, no matter what age they are. Lovely blanket, lucky Baby! LB is looking extremely well. Well done on you, Meredith, for keeping it all ticking along. Have a good weekend.xxx

Anonymous said...

I hope you'll get some rest very soon! Your baby blanket is terrific, I love the colours, the edging,...everything about it! You've inspired me :-)
Glad to hear little B is still having the best assistant! I think he is also lucky to have the best mom in the world...
Take care, Sigrid

Christina said...

Dear Meredith. I have written you an email moments before this post popped up in my feed. I am not surprised you are exhausted, what a stressful two weeks you have had! I am glad to read that your son is recovering from what sounds like a really scary disease. I wish him well on his road to recovery. I hope that making this beautiful blanket has taken some of the worry away for a few minutes at the time at least. I am pleased that Little Buddy was able to keep his teacher this year. I always find it takes little ones a good long while to get to know a new teacher and that they can find it really difficult to settle with someone new. I am glad Max is still doing well, what a good soul he is. I hope you get some rest this weekend. xx

kathy b said...

Mere, we are all here for you. Mr 20 managed to have the health crises with his MOM nearby . So hooray for that. I bet you are super tired. I wish you strength and a few good naps. NO worries catching up on my blog. Get there when you can and when you wish . I wish I could play with lil buddy for the day so you could relax and rest.
Zach has challenged us not to watch any news for a day. He feels we are over newsed and thinks we should take a break. I know I could. IF something happened someone would get ahold of me. I don't think of it as putting my head in the sand, I think of it as wearing those solar protective glasses. I need to see it and not get injured. Just looking at the person who is currently in office seems to burn my retinas.

Tanna said...

Oh, Meredith! You have had your hands full. I'm so glad Little Buddy is going to have his same person. He's so handsome and ready!

Thank goodness Mr.20 is on the road to recovery!! I'm glad he was close by.

Max is looking good! And, I love your blanket. I recognized the Sunday Shawl border right away, one of my favorites!! That baby will be wrapped in hours of love and prayerful blessings.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for Johnny and Milha. I will be praying for you and yours as well. blessings ~ tanna

Joyful said...

Oh my dear, I'm so sorry you've been going through so much. Our bodies and minds can only take so much and I hope you will now have a time of recovery and bouncing back. It must have been such a worry to have Mr. 20 being so sick. Thankfully he was diagnosed and seems to be on the road to recovery. What a relief little buddy has the same assistant. I know how important it is for some consistency with these special ones. Finally, I do hope the next few weeks are not as hectic so you can regain some equilibrium. The events politically all around the world are very worrisome and what is happening in your country is also very worrisome. I hope things can get better but certainly prayers are needed. Big hugs. xx

Linda @ A La Carte said...

So glad Mr 20 is doing better and heading to school. Little Buddy is growing so fast and yay for Kindergarten. I'm not surprised you are exhausted and I hope you get some time to just rest and get back that energy that you need just to survive your life. I've been so upset over the events in our country and it has me feeling so down. Will this never end? I pray it will and in a good way! Hugs!

Caffeine Girl said...

Oh, Mere, how scary with your son! Those hours must have been just torture. I am so glad to hear that he is o the mends. I certainly he's 100% in time to go to school.
But there is always LB to bring out the smiles. I'm glad his aide went with him. My nephew, who has autism, has had the same aide since kindergarten, and now he's going into 7th grade. My brother days this aide has been amazing, As a special ed teacher, I know that good aides are invaluable!
I have no words to say about Trump. But I'm even more disgusted with his Jewish son-in-law who isn't speaking out.

Wanderingcatstudio said...

I think you deserve a break - hope you get a decent breather!

CJ said...

So sorry your son has been so ill, that sounds really nasty, I can well understand how exhausted you are. I do hope he is completely better very soon. Good news that your sweet Little Buddy gets to stay with the same assistant, she sounds perfect. I agree with the state of politics in the US right now. One thing after another. Do try to look after yourself my friend. I hope you are able to relax a little at some stage this weekend. Sending you a cyber hug. CJ xx

busybusybeejay said...

You are amazing.How you manage all these things,I do not know.You must be absolutely exhausted physically and mentally.Have you any chance of a holiday/ break coming up?

Jo said...

Catch up with yourself Meredith not us. You have had a few weeks of turmoil. The blanket is beautiful and may I say an idea I will of course copy. I have some grey to use up and I always have little balls of left overs. Rest up and take care. Jo x

The Well Fed Wheel said...

Oh my gosh. How scary! So glad he's ok now. It's bad enough that this country of ours is in the struggle of it's life....then to have your son take ill too....just to much! Your baby blanket is adorable and Little B is so darn cute. He's looking pretty impressed with his big boy Kindergarden self. LOL! I'm so glad your Max is doing so good too. At least it all seems to be back on track for you now and that's a good thing my friend! Now if only the country could get there!

Gracie Saylor said...

Thanks for posting and catching us up on your latest, Meredith. I love the blanket, and knowing that your boys, human and/furry are doing well or better! May you and yours have a restful weekend and have an even better week ahead. xxxxx

Anonymous said...

Happy that Mr.20 is doing better. Max sure is a cutie. Glad tha the is doing well in Kindergarten.
Marilyn

Christine W said...

I hope that everybody now is well.
What a beautiful babyblanket! Very nice.

Una said...

I really feel for what you are having to cope with. Our jaws drop here whenever we receive the latest news from the USA. Hopefully it will all turn out ok one day. All you can do is to take care of your little part of it, and it seems like you are doing a very good job.

Annemarie's Haakblog said...

Oh my, you had such a rough time. I hope everything will be fine. I love the blanket you made. And your dog looks so cute. Thanks for joining my link party. Best wishes to you and your family from The Netherlands, Annemarie

mamasmercantile said...

what a week of it you have had, hope all goes well with your son and that he recovers soon. Little Buddy is growing up so quickly, such a lovely photo of him. The news is so depressing at the moment so I have been avoiding it whilst I was away but now that I am back I have to face reality. Beautiful blanket.

Lilbitbrit said...

I am sure you are worn out. Glad your Boy is over the terrible pain and on the road to recovery. Happy that Little Buddy has the same assistant, that's a positive. The blanket is lovely. Now if only mum could step back for a rest, but life doesn't work that way. Thinking of you.

Bridget said...

OK, since Mr. 20 is going to be OK, I'll say this first:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAX!!!!! I hope your mom will give you thirteen kisses from me, you sweet boy. I love you.

I had no idea that Little Buddy was going to be kindergartner - that makes him quite a big shot, no? And good for you for making sure he has the kind of teacher he really needs.

Your sister mentioned on her blog that Mr. 20 was sick, and please know I was keeping him and all of you in my thoughts and prayers. I am so happy to learn he is well on the road to recovery.

And finally - what a beautiful blanket, and what a lucky baby!

Here's hoping your life gets back to the same old routine stuff soon. Take care.

Amy at love made my home said...

I will comment in reverse to your order of posting! Max is as always adorable, happy birthday to him, I hope that he keeps going for a good while yet. So sorry to hear about poor Mr 20! I am glad that he is home and eating again, hope he can get back to college and that all will be well. Glad that Buddy - not so little any more these days! - is doing well and that he is back at school, hope that it goes well! Lovely crochet my dear as always. Hugs to you!!!

Nance said...

I'm sorry for all of your turmoil. I feel like we're all living under a dark cloud of chaos. Thankfully, you've not lost your ability to find the beauty and goodness amidst it all.

The blanket is lovely, of course, and it will be a treasured gift, like so many of the things you have made, including the fine people in your family.

elns said...

Oh Mere, I'm exhausted for you! I hope you are reading this and finding some relief/relaxation. It's hard to worry about someone else and not know what is going on. It's so hard to see anyone you care about in pain let alone your child. I'm glad he's through the worst of it. I am wishing a speedy recovery for both of you.

The baby blanket looks great! ella rae is so soft.

LB is a kinder now! Unbelievable but wonderful. How'd that happen? I am of your philosophy that it takes time and training to create the best of habits and expectations when learning for all children. I think it's hard for us as parents b/c by nature you want them to be comfortable and happy and when they struggle and don't like something we just want to make it better. The best gift is to teach them they are more capable and can work through more than they think. Anyways I'm glad that LB is getting the kind of structure and support that's best for him!

Judy S. said...

You are way overdue for a peaceful weekend! Glad to hear you son is on the mend. It's hard to believe LB is in kindergarten! We have a young grandson that will be one also. Time surely flies. Love that baby blanket; it's beautiful. Hope you find some time to take it easy! Hugs!

Needles and Wool said...

I am happy to hear that Buddy has a wonderful aid to assist him during the day at school. The baby blanket looks amazing! I love the details around the edges. I am sorry to hear your son was in so much pain, but it is good he is feeling better. Max is a cutie! he looks like such a sweet dog.

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

The baby blanket is lovely. Thank goodness for handcrafts when we are waiting and worrying. It's good that they were able to diagnose what was wrong with your son. Abdominal pain can be caused by so many things and symptoms can be so similar. Bless that Max. He really is doing well for a dog of his size. Best wishes to Little B on his kindergarten days. :)

Annette T. said...

Sorry I've been so absent lately. Been remodeLing for five mths and almost over. Your counter tops are lovely. Just noticed as I had my kitchen gutted and new cabinets and counters. Buddy is getting so tall and that stand thing is great for him. Love he likes working in the kitchen with his Dad! Scary stuff for your family and son. Here's to a great new year for him. I looked up your crochet pattern and actually like the looks of the cardigan in crochet rather than knit! It will be lovely. We are having 106 deg weather this wk and can't get into knitting while hot. Big hugs to you💕

Jodiebodie said...

Hi Meredith,

You wrote: "Funny how just a few things happening can completely wipe you off the blogging grid." That's kind of what it has been like for me too. I did read this post on my phone when you posted it and I thought I had replied but then noticed it wasn't here. Maybe I was so tired that I composed my response to you in my head without sending it! Or maybe I haven't quite got the hang of blogging by phone.

Anyway, I was shocked to read that Mr 20 had been so ill and was concerned about how he would go travelling so soon after that acute episode. I do hope it will settle down and that he can eat well away from home. Thank goodness you found out what was going on. I wonder what the initial trigger was. Poor boy!

Congratulations to LB at Kindy. another chapter open; and Max - what a darling. He is such a beautiful looking dog.

It is no wonder you are exhausted with all of the emergencies and activity. I hope this message finds you better rested and safe. I am concerned that there is another big storm heading your way. Take care and many hugs to you and best wishes to all of your special boys. xx