Not a good combination. Not that you were on the fence about that. Let's back up to the beginning. I woke up Friday morning feeling like I had a toddler sitting on my chest. After checking (twice) all said toddlers were still tucked in bed, and I couldn't shake this feeling. But I am a mom. And a business owner. And the world keeps turning. Move forward to Saturday morning, when now the toddler is still there, but there's also shooting pain in my chest and in my left shoulder. Too bad. It was our little foster girl Kahlee's second birthday party. Actually, probably her first birthday party, because she probably didn't get to have one before. So we got everything ready for the party, still debating whether to go to the park like the invitations announced, or move everything to home since the weather was so cold (remember, I'm a Floridian). We ended up deciding on the park, bundled up, and away we went. At the park, I couldn't even lift my girls in and out of the swings, and the pain was getting worse. But we played, we had cake, we tried to blow out candles (it was pretty windy), and we opened presents. Then we had some friends come back to our house, some to check out my craft room (that needs to be downsized - let me know if you're interested), and some just to hang out. Around dinner time everyone had left, and now it was hurting to breathe. Hubby stepped in and sent me off to the emergency room.
Let me just stop here and say thank goodness for my Aunt Cathy, who always steps up to take my hand and sit with me, shop with me, eat with me, cry with me . . . you get the idea. She came and picked me up and took me to the ER, and then stayed with me until way too late at night. Can I just ask why you always end up sitting in an emergency room half the night?? The people on tv are done and out in thirty minutes to an hour, tops. I'm just sayin'. Well, the doctor wanted to be sure - extra sure - it wasn't a problem with my heart. So he "recommended" I be admitted for the night. I didn't go down quietly, I can tell you that, but when the nurse came and snatched my shoes, I knew I had lost the battle.
So four doses of nitroglycerin, one sleepless night, one ER nurse who shouldn't be allowed to start IV's, several nurses way too chipper for the night shift, and one heroic doctor who had a wife with five kids at home and understood my dilemma of staying in the hospital for one more minute, and I was discharged with a diagnosis of pleurisy. By the way . . . I do wish I would have had a camera, as my husband came to get me with all three girls in tow, and I was wheeled out by a transporter who couldn't stop shaking his head and laughing as he pushed me with two girls in my lap - all the way to the truck. Oh yes. When you have children in your lap in the wheelchair, apparently you get vehicle-side service. No stopping at the curb then!
So here I am, still feeling like . . . well, you know . . . I have to thank my good friend Kelly, who's been working at the shop since before Christmas (and she's really good at it, I mean, she used to own the store and all, she taught me everything I know), for jumping right in and letting me get some much needed rest while the kiddos are at preschool. And if you came by the store today and found the lights off and the door locked, I am truly sorry. I found my way to my sofa and never moved again. Until my wonderful friend brought over a hot dinner. With warm bread. And gooey brownies. I am a happy girl.