I don't know how people pack up and move away from all of their family. What do they do when disaster strikes? For me, disaster struck yesterday. I woke up with the kind of unbearable sore throat that makes you shudder to breathe, refuse to yawn, and stifle a cough if it kills you. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's a sore throat. I made it through the day on Advil and Halls. Neil had called between work and school asked his Mom to keep Hayden overnight. She agreed, but in the end, I thought it would be easier to just keep him here. By about 3:00 his morning, I knew I had to go to the doctor. It was that bad. If there's one thing I hate more than a sore throat, it's a throat culture to test for strep throat. I have deep wounds from a childhood filled with strep throat and cotton swabs gouging my irritated tonsils, making me gag and writhe at the same time. My throat was to blame for many missed field trips, even a vacation. But, I was willing to undergo the horrible procedure if it would lead to antibiotics that would stop the pain...the unbearable pain.

Neil had things at work he absolutely could not miss today, so he got up at like 4:30 this morning to get on the phone to try to arrange for someone to make my appointment (since I can't speak), to watch Hayden, and to get me to the doctor. Neil called my Mom at her office at 6:30 - she had just gotten in. He barely had to explain the situation and she was on her way. She was here before 8:00 this morning, getting Hayden's breakfast, and calling the doctor for me. Then, she drove me to the doctor, entertained Hayden in the waiting room, drove me home, then went to the pharmacy for my prescriptions. She then fed Hayden lunch, and then took him with her back to work ALL DAY. In fact, it is now 5:30 and I have been to the doctor, have had my antibiotics, and have slept most of the day, and am sitting here with a lozenge, realizing how impossible it would have been today without her. Neil's Mom just called to see if she should come by and pick up Hayden on her way home from work. I told her I would be okay, and she told me over and over to call her if I felt too sick or too tired, no matter what time, and she would be right here.

People were meant to have family close by. I am so grateful for my mother and mother in law today. And for my husband who coordinated the whole thing while working a fifteen hour day with school afterward.