Stress

Stress caught up with me today in the form of a migraine. Fortunately, pain medication wiped out the headache, but I’ve been light and sound sensitive today and have spent most of the day in bed. I’m still not using my eyes; instead, I’m typing “blind” and will correct errors before I post.

Summer heat in the triple digits here in northeastern Oklahoma has been stressful for everyone. About six pm I checked a weather app, which said the heat index is 111.  I am very grateful for central air conditioning.

Cancer treatment fatigue from my August 6^th infusion has been the usual. Wanting to get out of the house, I went to pick up a few groceries at Aldi yesterday morning, which did me in. You’d think I’d learn!

My son’s part-time janitorial job ended two weeks ago. (Goodwill, his erstwhile employer, ended its contract with the office building that Joseph and another employee cleaned.) Joseph did receive a retention bonus for working up through the last day, but still, all I can say at this point is “ouch.”

But the biggest stress is Benjamin’s current situation. Shawn brought him home yesterday from the children’s hospital in Oklahoma City, where they’ve been since August 7^th.

It will take weeks to gradually make the change off his current anti-seizure meds and onto the new one (planned out by the neurologist, of course). And then it will take time until the new med takes full effect, which we hope will be to eliminate or at least lessen the frequency of his seizures.

In the meantime, Dana and Shawn are taking extra measures to keep him safe from falls. One is having him wear a protective helmet. Another is using a strap around his waist that they can on hold on to when he is up and around. After a week in a hospital bed, he needs to be up and moving to build up his strength. The very hard part, of course, is maintaining constant supervision. Shawn is exhausted after a week in the hospital with Benjamin 24/7, and Dana is exhausted from the week at home with the other five children. It’s been a hard time for everyone.

On Monday, Benjamin will go back to school (Paths to Independence, a private school for children and young adults with autism). The director will assign an aide to always be with him, which is an awesome thing in my book.

Please pray for all of us.