Just a quick update. Heather saw the Dr the other morning. She had 2 throat swabs and 2 sinus swabs to look for bacteria and infections. She didn't even make a peep through them, she was so sick. They were all negative. Her Dr said her lungs sounded awful and sent us to the hospital. She was so good having her x-rays done that the tech called in the other tech to see her. She could not believe that Heather could stay positioned alone and do what they asked. Heather was scared, but I think she just felt too yucky to complain. :( The Dr said she has something going on in the lower lobe in her lung. She decided we could go home. Her cough is still awful, but she is acting more like herself and her fever is down. So I am watching it carefully and hoping that the medicines get rid of it quickly. I think we will attempt therapy tomorrow, where we missed 2 last week.

So what else could possibly go wrong this week(I know Aimee will slap me for saying that since it always makes even more things go wrong!) But seriously..come on now. I need a break. I have been in this house with 2 sick kids for 48 hours straight now. Without even stepping outside.

Alison stayed home yesterday and was vomiting all day long. She was home again today since she looks like death and was bordering on dehydration. Heather has had the same awful head cold/virus we all did, but hers turned into croup and has progressively gotten worse. I know, most kids get croup and are fine. But this is Heather. Who has a narrow, floppy airway that likes to collapse. Anyone close to Heather remembers the many times she was very sick and the many times I spent in the hospital holding her. We have managed to avoid the hospital for a long time and hopefully it will continue through croup too. She looks awful, feels awful and is just a sick girl. :( I am watching her tonight and hoping we can stay home tonight and see the Dr in the morning.

Have I mentioned that Bob is now working 65 hours a week? Meaning I am a single mom while technically being married? Lovely week for these hours to begin, huh? So cross those fingers that Heather recovers easily and quickly(and hopefully without re-starting steroids.) And I promise to not complain so much in the future. ;O)

It is freezing here. Actually it is even colder than that. The wind was so fierce today that even fully bundled, I had to carry Heather and she had to hide her face in my coat. Her cheeks still got chapped some. Move over Tracey, Austin here we come.

I spoke with Alison's pediatrician today in depth. Have I mentioned how I love this Dr? She is amazing. I am so lucky to have found her. She is honest, caring, great with the girls and listens to my opinions without dismissing them right away like most Dr's. Anyhow.. I had really hoped that she was going to tell me there may be a chance this is a wrong diagnosis. No such luck. She said Tourette's is a very black and white thing. And Alison has it. She was very helpful though with some tips and advice on dealing with the bullying and the school. She slightly disagrees with the psychiatrist though and thinks that we may want to try medication for the tics. She said that if they can control some of them and reduce the pain they cause, then it is worth it. I will bring it up again when we see the psychiatrist in 2 weeks. I hate medication. Hate it. I don't like to take it or give it to my kids unless I am totally convinced it is worth it to them. We will see what he says about it though. I am waiting on a call back from Alison's school to see what they have to say. I am dreading dealing with them.

In other Balducci news, Bob started a second job last week. He decided he would rather work more than stay with the kids nights and weekends while I work.(insert eye roll here...) So now he will see the girls about 2 hours a week. I know we need the money, but I also need a break every now and then. Especially on days like today where we are all sick and I have been with the kids for 12 hours now.

I had no intention on coming online at all today. But I wanted to post about my mom. She had her surgery this morning. I haven't seen her, but my father called to say she is recovering and doing well. He said that the Dr said it didn't appear to be anything bad. Thank god. Hopefully the biopsy says the same thing.

I can't lie and say that I am feeling much more upbeat than I was last time I posted. I'm not. There is just so much on my plate and I am not sure I am equipped to handle it. Bob ignores it all and is totally unwilling to help make any type of decisions. He does this for everything and always has, but I am just not sure I want to put up with it much longer. It isn't fair to me and it isn't fair to the kids.