Our First Remembrance Day at the Fine Arts School

This year, Ben and Janae started attending a fine arts school. We'd heard over and over again that the Remembrance Day assembly at this school was incredible and that it was something we shouldn't miss. Ben told us that some of the Grade 12 students were planning to build a trench for people to walk through to get into the gym, which sounded kind of intense, and then Janae had been given a part in her class's play--she'd be singing a solo of "Memory Eternal"--so we had even more incentive to go.

When we got there, we saw art that the students had created based on a World War I theme, including Ben's French flag collage.

We lined up with a huge crowd of parents to walk through the trench into the gym,

and then we watched and listened to the songs, poems, dances, slideshows and skits the students had prepared. 

Janae portrayed an angel who was singing to a prisoner of war. Afterwards her teacher sent me an email saying, "Janae was stunning on stage. . . . Your daughter is a phenomenal student with so much creative talent."

Soon after the Grade 6 play, the school's fire alarm went off because of some of the smoke effects being used on the stage (although Ben told me later they'd used similar effects before without any problem). The entire school had to be evacuated, and everyone waited outside for the fire truck to come. Luckily, Janae had already changed out of her white dress, because it was cold and rainy outside.

Aside from all the added drama, I left the assembly marveling at the opportunities this school has provided for Ben and Janae. They have so many chances to be creative. Janae's teacher has combined art, science and English, having them create extended metaphors while building anatomically correct representations of human lungs using flowers.

Janae plays the piano in the hallway after school, takes classes in music, art, dance, and drama, and enjoys going to school. Jason actually got to go to the school's fall music concert while I was in the hospital, where Janae's class played the ukulele, and he thought it was spectacular, as well. 

Ben has also found everyone really friendly and welcoming, and he has many chances to be creative in his art and English classes. He has great teachers, and he's happy with the school.

I'm so glad that they're both happy there, and I'm looking forward to all the wonderful performances we'll get to see in the months and years to come.

I'll Be Home for ... Halloween

A few years ago, Eric was in the hospital with the flu a few days before Halloween,

but this year it was my turn.

A few weeks ago, I started having some strange symptoms. I felt like I had the flu one morning and was so nauseous that I had to have Jason drive the kids to school. A week later, I had chills that got worse and worse throughout the evening--I was shaking so much I thought I was having a seizure, and I couldn't warm up even with a heating pad and several layers of fleece and blankets. 

Then about a week after that, I had such intense abdominal pain that I thought I'd try to make a doctor's appointment. I carried on with my day, though, making cookies and picking up my kids and Alaina's friend from school, taking Janae to her violin lesson and watching the kids play at the park.

By the time I got home, I was in so much pain I had to lie down. After Alaina's friend got picked up, I called Jason and asked him to come home and take me to the hospital. While I was waiting for him (only 15-20 minutes or so), I almost called an ambulance because I was in unbearable pain.

Jason took me to Emergency, and they found through a CT scan (with me throwing up all the while) that I had a large kidney stone, which had created an infection. The ER doctor was going to send me home with pain killers, but then I told him about my previous chills, and he decided to keep me in the hospital overnight.

During the night, my blood pressure dropped very low (60/40), and the nurses realized my infection was sepsis. They were already giving me antibiotics through IV, and they started giving fluids to try to raise my blood pressure. They also arranged for me to have surgery as soon as possible to remove the kidney stone in hopes of clearing out the infection. The doctor put in a central line (in addition to the IVs I already had in both arms!) and sent me to intensive care while I waited for the surgery.

The surgery went well, and the infection cleared up quickly, but I was in the hospital for six days. 

The sixth day, October 30, I told my nurse that I REALLY had things I needed to do at home, and she arranged for me to leave on a "day pass," with an appointment with a specialist that afternoon. I was supposed to return to the hospital that evening to find out if I could be discharged.

I still had an IV port in my hand, but the nurse covered it up with a meshy cloth. I had to pick up Ben for an appointment that afternoon, and I was worried the school secretary would be suspicious of the plastic tubing coming out of my coat sleeve, but she hardly looked up, and things were fine.

I was so happy to be able to pick up my kids from school, and when we got home I quickly dyed Janae's hair red for her Halloween costume (just in case I'd have to stay one more night at the hospital).

The specialist ended up saying I could be discharged, so I went back to the hospital to get my antibiotics prescription and went home to sleep in my own bed.

The next day was Halloween!

I was so relieved to be home to help the kids carve their pumpkins and get ready.

All but the smallest of these were from our own garden!

We'd already put together Eric's Bilbo Baggins costume,

but he wasn't allowed to wear a costume to school, so he just wore his skeleton pajamas :)

Ben was the Riddler, Janae Black Widow, and Alaina Anne of Green Gables.

That night it was trick-or-treating as usual, with Ben even joining in (since his cousin Luke was coming, too).

 

I stayed home to give out candy and then got to see what everyone had in their bags when they got back.

I'm glad I didn't have to miss it!