The Backstory...January & February 2018

JANUARY CONTINUES....INTO FEBRUARY 2018

- Now let's just pause for a moment and remember that this point I have been sick for over 7 months and I am only 8 weeks out of treatment...so months and months of recovery are stacked up in front of me still to go thru.  I had also been fighting that blasted staph infection even longer....so to say I was not at my best as I sat and planned the GRAND BABY TOUR...I was honestly way more out of my mind then I realized at the time....not my best maneuver...but as they say..."birthing babies wait for no one" so off I trudged....fingers crossed, intentions good, hopes high and energy reserves well...just not there..but with faith that all would go well off I went on the first 3 wks of the Tour.  Honestly I thought I was tired before I left...."Just you wait Henry Higgins, just you wait" (thank you My Fair Lady) 

- My first plan of attack was to (as it happened) get on a plane and surprise Random Wisdom a couple of weeks before she delivered baby #2.  There had been lots of HUGE changes in her little family's life so I thought I could swoop in and be a help to her... HA HA....again, not really thinking that thru. Now moral support... I came loaded down with vats of that & hours to spend with her adorable toddler (grandbaby) . The exciting thing was that I was there for the birth of her baby #2 and it was AMAZING!!!  My experiences in birth coaching made it so I was able to be a solid help to her as she went thru the birthing process...a tender mercy for me for sure!! I have now been blessed to be with both my daughters when they delivered a child.  Random Wisdom was such a trooper and her doctor was a blessing, just exactly who she needed and it was just a really beautiful experience for everyone involved.

- I spent time with Pragmatically Speaking and my next grand baby who is growing into the most amazing child.  It was so much fun just being there.  I was told that the expectation was that I was to sit on the couch and relax and rest and not worry about not being up to doing anything.  You can't imagine what a boon that was to my spirit and the stress it relieved.  It was a really wonderful trip but it did significantly drain more out of the energy reserves...it's just the nature of travelling and being away from your own home.  

- In the end the fatigue won out but the weather was beautiful, the family time was priceless & a beautiful brand new baby....doesn't get much better then that.

- I have a month before I leave on part 2 of the tour and I am gonna need every single one of them.  VoR had caught this NASTY throat virus & the most uncontrollable & painful cough (like coughing shards of broken glass) while I was gone but loved me enough to share with me. He's always looking for new treats for me...but this one???  YUP...I picked it up and took up residence back in my old faithful recliner with a cool mist steamer running 24/7 right beside me.  I woke up Sunday morning
it was stuck shut and oozing greenish/yellow muck out of it (sorry those weaker stomach people...but you're right..GROSS!! So off we went to emergency.  When they heard me coughing they sent me for a bunch of tests but all clear so this virus just needs to run it's course and "its a doozie that will just hang on forever"...fluids and sleep and time is all you can do.  SLEEP....really?!?!!?  Coughing took care of any chance for that.  The eye cleared up in a few days but the virus...seems to have taken up permanent residence in my throat...sigh

-Etta May-