Fall has arrived...with a bang.

Life is full of surprises...I just wish mine were not all bad ones.

Had the meeting with the Infectious Disease Doctor, Lyric's Oncologist, the Social Worker and myself.. the Infectious Disease Doc says she is not concerned at all with the mold in our basement. She said that in Lyric's condition he will get an infection from walking on the street, and even will get one while being in an isolated room. She said to keep him out of the basement, and to get a HEPA filter (in fact she said everyone should have one..) on my furnace. The mold in the basement she thinks is not a BAD mold and would not pose a huge issue. Then I was told to go home! ... ya! woohoo! I was a little agitated thought that it took me being at the Ronald Macdonald house for a week to wait for this meeting when she could have easily said this to me a week ago so I could be HOME for the week... sigh... just another glitch in our medical system.

I go back and pack up at the house, anxious to get the hell home. It's been almost a month since I've slept in my own sheets and bathed in my own tub. Lyric and I hop in the car, and are close to the highway... he says he doesn't feel so well. He feels nauseous... which is fine, common side effect. i give him something to help. Then I feel his forehead.. fever. Shit. Shit... shit! I call the on call Oncologist and she tells me to return to the hospital. BUT, the wards are all full and we need to go to emerg. No... no. This is THE WORSE place to take a child who has NO immune system in the middle of a stupid H1N1 pandemic here in Hamilton. We arrive to emerg and stay there until just after midnight, as they have shuffled kids around and have a room for us.

The fever disappears around midnight, but he has pain in his left cheek. His face is swollen and the Doc thinks he may have an infection. He's on a round of Penicillin, and feels fine but only complains of his cheek. Because he is neutropenic his body cannot process the infection like you and me. We get reactions to being sick where Lyric's are slow to develop. When his blood counts are down his body doesn't feel the actual pain of an infection. And as his counts go up he will start to get more symptoms and pain. Looks like we are going to be in the hospital again for awhile. Sighhhh....

I am for SURE fighting a cold now. Throat sore, sneezing... runny nose. So he will more than likely catch that on top of it too.

Tired is an understatement. I feel like a hobo, carting my belongings with me from place to place. Lyric is getting tired and frustrated with it all too. He was so looking forward to going home. I went shopping and bought him some new "thinking" toys.. so he is feeling a bit better being preoccupied with things.

Everyone is getting sick, this time of year seems to get us all. The kid next door to us in the hospital was at the Ron house with us and is now in with H1N1... praying now Lyric won't catch it. The whole ward is jammed full with signs posted on the doors stating you need to wear protective gear to enter the rooms...

The media has blown the H1N1 out of proportion.. it is no different than any other flu, it reacts to people the same way... the elderly and immuno compromised are most severely affected. So the emerg departments are overrun..

On a good note, I think my adrenal issue is gone. I feel a hell of a lot better being on this stuff from Jane.

Avery is wonderful, Paul is doing well. Life is going on.. I just can't wait until I get some GOOD happenings...