Birthday with Friends

 Some days I feel like I've woken up to some sort of weird experiment or at best, a kooky Japanese game show.  Just when I think challenging times are behind me, wham-o!  "Let's see what happens when we do this!"  What does this all mean, you ask?  Let me explain...Middle of last week we had a new sectional delivered.  Woohoo!  The Kid and I were home and were positioning into, well, position! I went upstairs for a moment when suddenly I heard a sickening, thud.  Then, the silent cry that only mom ears can hear.  (something like the dog whistle thing.) I raced downstairs and realized The Kid was testing out the bounciness of the cushions, and since I hadn't pushed the mammoth thing against the wall, his face tested out the hardness of the window ledge.  Yeah, it's hard.  His forehead grew an egg in front of my eyes and by the time we were upstairs, his right eye was looking like he took a left hook in a prize fight.  His nose was slowing matching the rest in swollen size.  Ugh.  Somehow one of the japanese judges was on my side (remember how I'm on a game show?) and had me infuse the child right before the chaos began.  I'm sure I have a lot of kharma to make up for that favor!  All in all, life went on.  Nurses were called, extra infusions were given along with ice, kisses, hugs and a few sweet treats.  Fast forward a couple days. (still infusing...) The Kid had turned the big 3.  This meant the annual well check.  All went well until the doc freaked out over his being 42 solid lbs.  Personally it's no big deal.  Height and weight all evened out and when I asked her to check out the Captain at age 3, uh yeah, he was about 40.  Eventually they stop gorging themselves and stretch.  Why do I bother with this obscure moment of well checks, weight, and shots?  Yeah, shots.  Oh because, the one shot The Kid DID get, left him with CELLULITIS! Cellulitis is a bacterial infection that can become extremely life threatening if not treated. Sunday morning The Kid woke up with an arm almost twice it's normal size!  What the hell?!  Any parent would freak out over this right?  Yes.  But I was not freaking out from the usual, "what's-wrong'with-my-kid's-arm!" parent reaction.  I was freaking out because his birthday party was in 4 hours and a call to the nurse was sending us to the ER to confirm the cellulitis.  Seriously?!  I want off this damn game show RIGHT NOW.  I forfeit!  This was not ANY old birthday party.  This was The Kid's first "real" birthday party WITH FRIENDS.  I made a fancy cake and cupcakes.  Oh no, this was not going down this way.  So with encouragement from our nurse who said we can make it we raced off to Seattle.  I'm pretty sure I told every medical personnel I came in contact with that it was The Kid's birthday party with friends.  When the countdown was zero minus 20 minutes and we were still in the exam room waiting for "Mr. attending doctor" to give us his pope-like blessing to leave, it was time for me to take charge.  Somehow I found the guy and convinced him to let us leave while I promised to give the antibiotics that very day from home.  Yeah, yeah, sounds good but we have a party to go to!  Not sure how we managed it but The Kid and I made it to that party only about 5 minutes late!  Take THAT you jerky little bacteria!  And your game show!

Post Script:  The Kid had a blast.  The party was a success and cake and ice cream were happily had by all!