Stefan

This week all our thoughts are with Erin, Hogie, Riley, and little Stefan. Stefan is our nephew. He has been very sick for some months and has not been getting any better. Lately, he took a turn for the worse. I visited Erin and Stefan in hospital yesterday. Words cannot express how deeply and unbearably moved I was. I am in awe of Erin's amazing strength and courage. And I am devastated by poor little Stefan's struggle and the suffering he has had to endure. He is just 7 years old. In addition to other health problems, not long after I left the hospital he was diagnosed with a rare condition called a Dystonic Storm. This is an intensely painful condition that has exhausted him and  his poor body. It is also life-threatening for Stefan and he was taken to ICU to be sedated for a couple of days in the hopes that his body can try to recover and he can get some rest. And perhaps Erin and Hogie can get a bit of respite too. I cannot hold back my tears when I think of them and what they have been through, and continue to go through. And when I think of that beautiful little boy. We have to be strong for them, and we have to hope. He is fighter.

Trouble

A week of ailments,  healing, and nursing. My poor babbies. Non-stop coughing...struck down by flu...followed up ear infections (yes, both Bronwyn and River). Bronwyn's ear infection was quite bad. I had to take a screaming, crying little girl to the medical clinic. Whatever happened to home visits from doctors? Anyway, it as if Bronwyn and River are trying to outdo each other. River upped the anti yesterday and got conjunctivitis. "Take that Bronwyn...my eyes are crusted over...haha!" Both kids are on antibiotics - and numerous other drugs. The kitchen counter looks like a pharmacy. I (hope) think they're gradually getting better. The coughing seems endless.

So not much to say about this week really. Pretty boring. The kids have been home from school. (Mind you, there are so many "District Closure Days" and "Professional Days"...that they hardly do a full week anyway.

I let Bronwyn go to school yesterday. There was a field trip to a theatre production. Apparently, Bronwyn was trouble. When I went to pick her up from school the teacher pulled me aside to talk about Bronwyn's behaviour. Apparently, when asked to do something by the teacher, or the teacher's assistant, Bronwyn had asked, "Why?" Neither teacher appreciated this "open defiance". At one point she ran ahead of the class line down the hallway and was called back. Bronwyn said, "You didn't call me back the last times I did that". Then there were a couple of other things (the teacher had made a mental note). I found it amusing. Should have gone Mr. T. and said, "Don't give me no Jibba Jabba". Surely, we want to raise children who ask "Why?" and not children who act with bovine acceptance of everything they are told to do. And the bar is set too high for "good kids", they are not permitted to act out now and again. Especially "good girls"...sitting quietly, raising their hands, helping their friends, doing what they are told. Mostly ignored, patted on the head, and reprimanded for stepping out of their role. By grade 6 they have figured out there's no point to it and by then they are the "behaviour problems" and it's hard to get them back. Okay...off my soap box. I would home-school if it was feasible...and if Bronwyn would learn anything from me. Which she won't because she will argue night is day and day is night with me.

New Radiohead album out today....yes!