Back to Posting...

...after a really rough week and a half.

My son ended up in the hospital from Mon.-Wednesday. When he's sick, he tends to withdraw and not eat or drink, especially if it makes him sick to his stomach to do it. It tends to go round in a vicious cycle...and he ended up being under observation for severe dehydration. His pediatrician had taken one look at him when I brought him over and told me to take him uptown. After some I.V. fluids, he was a lot more like himself, but since he's non-verbal autistic, it was difficult to know when he hurting or what he was feeling.

He was released on Wed. after he began eating and drinking independently, off the I.V. Unfortunately, by that time, Hubs and I had both become sick with flu, and the girls had caught another round of it as well. Not the greatest of weeks at all. Son was finally cleared to go back to school tomorrow, and Hubs is now on a business trip in New Jersey.

In other words, things have settled down. Somewhat. Kind of.

Time to play catch-up on everything...so please be patient as I try to pick up whatever's left of my sanity and try to assume a more regular posting schedule.


All original writing and art copyright A. Dameron 2000-2011

Rolling with the Punches...

It's been a hectic week here at la Chez Anne. My son's had the flu since this past Friday, so the weekend (and Valentine's Day) were mostly spent at home. He's on the mend now, thank goodness. Whatever this bug is, it's pretty nasty. Christina had it a few weeks ago, so I guess having it make the rounds was inevitable.

Even now, I'm playing catch-up, with art and writing and other more mundane stuff (like laundry and dishes). There have been some glimmers of enjoyment amid the coughing and the headaches. The new season of Top Gear on BBC America, for example. Getting a new pair of headphones for my laptop after my last one was stepped on (and broken). Chocolate Ghiraradelli brownies for V-Day. Squeezing in some colorful Artist Trading Cards late last night.

It's those glimmers that keep you going, especially when the going gets really tough. Otherwise, it's all too easy to throw in the towel before you should.

All original writing and art copyright A. Dameron 2000-2011

Sickness Affects Your Outlook (and your Productivity)

Yes, I'm back after a few days of being sick. I'm still tired as all get out, but at least I've got coffee.

A flare-up of my rheumatoid arthritis made my hands so swollen I couldn't type, draw or paint. The medicine I take for RA saps my strength and makes me just want to curl up and sleep. That doesn't do wonders for the productivity factor. My brain tries to push my body into doing something, anything, but my joints inform me, "I'm not going to cooperate. Go to bed. Thank you."

Frustrations abound, big time. Even now, I get impatient at my body's limitations. "Okay, now that you've had your little R&R, I've got to play catch-up." And the Muse shoots back with, "There really isn't any good time to have a breakdown. I don't care if you're Human or a car. Live with it."

Live with it. Writing, at least, is flexible enough that I can do it anywhere, even when I'm stuck in bed. Even if I scratch out a few words, it's better than not having written at all. A little writing goes a long way, and my mind says, "At least I'm getting something done and it doesn't matter if it looks like chicken scratch. I'm a linguist, I can handle it." And when I'm better, I can transcribe it to the computer.

But still, I've never been one who did well just being sick. And it's true that if you don't give your body the rest it needs, it'll take that much longer to recover. It's like a chain of dominoes...when one falls, they all fall and you can't do anything to stop the process. When it's all over, you just pick 'em up and set them up again.

Isn't that how life goes anyway?

All original writing and art copyright A. Dameron 2000-2010