two things you never want to see as a parent

I started off today with grandiose plans. Physical therapy followed by lunch and yarn fondling with Sara.

On my way to PT I was clearly spacing off, as I drove right past it and realized a couple of miles later- I turned around and got their late. It was then that I realized I forgot my phone. If you've ever loitered with me in person, you know I'm neurotic about my cell. Must have it, must be working. Or I twitch.

After PT, it had begun to snow. Big, fluffy gorgeous flakes. I get back to my apartment and leave the van running... I'm intending on grabbing my phone and putting on jeans and a sweater. I see I've missed... eleven calls. The last one is my mom... so I call her back. She answers the phone yelling at me for not answering... I tell her I've been without a phone for just over an hour... how 'bout less yelling and more telling me what the problem is.

School called. Sprout threw up twice. Ok. Sick. Mom leaves work and goes to pick her up because I'm not answering. By the time my mom gets to the school... Sprout is "lethargic". I called mom just as they were leaving the school... mom brings Sprout to the apartment, I call the neurologist (we started a new med last Thusday), and I call Sara and cancel lunch... I see Sprout she looks droopy and I'm nervous.

We decide to go spend the day sick at Grandma’s house (my back won't tolerate any possible lifting that might need done). Drive to mom's house, I'm holding Sprout's hand and she asks me if I will "take care of her" I say of course. We get to my mom's... mom is putting the ramps down to get into her house... Sprout drops my hand. I turn around... and she is completely limp and folded over... she's unconcious, but breathing She then starts... vomitting blood.. While she's unconscious. She is non-responsive, non-communicative and spewing blood.

I yell at my mom to get in the car. Start driving to the emergency room. Did I mention the snow? Sprout fades in and out.. and finally goes.. OUT. My mom crawls into the back of the van with her.. and I'm white knuckling it.. while yelling at people doing 25mph (20 under) they were totally over compensating. If I had known how long it was going to take to drive, I would have called for an ambulance.

By the time we got there mom and I and Sprout were covered in blood vomit (nothing but a small plastic snack bag to puke in)... after the doc came in to see her, she asked about 3 questions before she turned and silently left the room, coming back a couple of minutes later.. in a gown, hat, mask, gloves.. etc. I said "do we need bubble wrapped?" after several hours of hell.. Sprout has been diagnosed with some freak variant of a gastroincitis influenza strain 189yu98QAAZB or some junk. Its making headlines and national news due to the scale of outbreaks its causing.

I've told you before I was the 12th plague monkey of the apocalypse.
Apparently Sprout is the 13th.

I found a grey hair this afternoon while antibacterial'ing myself for the 4000th time.
I dare say these two events are related.


There should be a rule that no parent's child is allowed to:
- lose consciousness
- vomit blood

oh, best part? When we were leaving, the doctor looked at me and said "When you get this, get in bed.. and stay there"..

not "if".. "when"