This year's Christmas was not the best. Don't get me wrong, it was enjoyable, but because my sister's family was sick, so they stayed home. It was the first time in my life that I did not have my whole family with me for Christmas. Michael is doing very well, and for that I am extremely glad.
Just a few days before Christmas Michael and I finally got a tree. It was sitting all by itself, sad and wet, in the corner of Home Depot. Poor thing, it probably thought it would end up in the burn pile without ever knowing it's true beauty. We saw it! It has been the most beautiful tree we've ever had. I really don't want to take it down...
We had a good Christmas with Devon and my folks. There is no feeling like being in warm jammies, opening presents, laughing and just having fun. I don't know about Michael, but it did a lot for me.
I'm glad, because after Christmas some side effects started. Michael is getting the metallic taste in his mouth and he has dry mouth like whoa! He has little energy, and is fatigued so easy. He's sleeping well, so that's a blessing, and his appetite is going strong. Even though he is doing well, I know his immunity is crap. Thus, my sister missing Christmas. We have to keep the germs away.
Then after Christmas Devon got sick. Gah!
I followed him around the house with anti-bacterial wipes. Sorry, Dev! He's such a sweet kid, he pretty much quarantined himself in his room for days so as not to get Michael sick. The flu is on the rise in St. Louis. My sister's family was germy. Now my kid was sick. I wanted to wrap Michael in bubble wrap and stick him on a high shelf.
The 29th was my mom's birthday. Devon was feeling better so we set up a dinner date with my mom and dad that evening. She was spending the day with my sister's family, so that would give them time to clean up and meet us. I was still leary, so I sat between him and Michael as a buffer. My mom and dad showed up... with my sister's family.
Great, so instead of three people who can potentially make Michael sick, I now had seven. I wanted to give everyone a Purell shower. Don't touch anything, don't talk to Michael, don't even breathe!
I've become obsessed with clean surfaces. I watch Michael's every move (much to his chagrin). I try to fix meals that are high in calories and healthy at the same time (not as easy as I thought). I wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep until I know he's sleeping. I feed the snakes and scoop the cat poop because Michael shouldn't do it. I feel like my grandmother with how hot I keep the house and car (roasting!).
Others don't know. They don't live with it. It hasn't changed their lives. Their day-to-day routines are the same. They don't spend hours at doctor's offices. They don't listen to the good news and bad. They don't see the others going through the same thing. It's an exclusive club, one with no privileges. Michael and I are doing very well, and for that I am very thankful. But outsiders just don't know. They can't.
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