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Well the week has not been without it’s drama.

After calling the doctor’s office all day last Wednesday it was late afternoon before I heard from the Doctor, herself. I had elevated lymphocytes, and the ultrasound doctor had recommended a biopsy. (Unfortunately, I only got half that story. The rest of it was that a biopsy was recommended if there were no other indicators of infection.) I told the doctor about Matt coming down with similar symptoms - surely, this must be viral? She said it was possible but she didn’t want to “wave me away just incase, God forbid….”I asked whether it was a Bad Idea to wait and see until Monday, she could check me again, and then if necessary I would do the biopsy on Tuesday. She agreed it was a capital idea.

I commenced a program of mild panic. In the meantime, Matt’s version of the illness got worse. His glands came up, his throat like painful sandpaper. My mind swung from “everything’s fine, viral, viral” to “good lord, I may have lymphoma and the last memory Fraser will have is of me being angry with him about something.” All Matt could express was anger that I’d put the biopsy off to the following week, and how bad his own throat felt.

On Friday afternoon he went to see my doctor about his own health. Thereby confirming, for her, that yes, we had some sort virus. She apologised for the alarm but she’d had a lymphoma patient last year. Things were ugly. I forgave her.

My blood has been sent for re-screening, and Matt’s blood was taken this morning, in efforts to narrow down what this illness is. Thoughts at this stage are glandular fever.

My glands are going down, the night sweats have stopped. I’m coming out the other side. Hopefully, Matt’s not far behind.

…a side order of botox for my concerned forehead, here!

I have a golf ball in my neck that I first discovered while Lincoln was in hospital. It was a bit smaller then. Given the conditions my body was working with, stress and sleep deprivation, I figured I was coming down with something and just let it sort itself out.

A couple of days later I was having nightsweats so I consulted Dr Google and decided my thyroid was acting up. I made an appointment for the following week (which is today) and was happy with my decision that it was No Big Deal. Over the weekend all the other lymph nodes in the neck began popping up and the pioneer lump had grown. But we were away in the Blue Mountains with some other families, so whilst I was a little preoccupied I didn’t want to get alarmed. We were busy having fun.

Lincoln was busy polishing his walking ability as he was surrounded by his peer group of other toddler-babies. There were cheese, crackers and alcoholic beverages; And let’s not forget the special hot chocolate.

As if you would put your questionable health before all that! I soldiered on.

Today I presented myself at the arranged doctors appointment. The GP was slightly alarmed as the inital lump felt quite hard and immobile and all the other nodes in the neck and close by are up but not painful. In other words, lymphoma was on her list of possibles.

I was ordered off for an Ultrasound, after having some blood taken. The Sonographer was quite convinced it’s nothing that a dose of ABs won’t fix. Tomorrow the bloods come back so will get the definitive answer then.

The golf balls in my neck are no more than a little annoying and apart from a sore throat, and a slightly elevated temp I actually feel quite fine.

• I finished the cot quilt. It’s obviously the product of a beginner, but I’m pleased nonetheless, with how it turned out. I’ve enjoyed having it on my lap whilst handstitching. It’s nice and warm.

• I have a new nappy bag. I’ve been using the old faithful Kapoochi bowling bag for 4.5 years and recently the snaps broke that clip the handle to the stroller. So that bag has been left stocked with disposables supplies and left permanently in the main car. My new nappy bag will be the one I use regularly and will be easily retired out of nappy carrying use in a year or two. I bought it from CafePress.

I love Charlie & Lola. My only beef is …given it’s a BBC show the Americans could stay true to the British spelling of ‘favourite’. I do still love it and may embellish it with some handpainted Lola butterflies.

• I bought some new jeans. I’ve always bought Jeans at Jeans West. Once I find comfortable, reasonably priced jeans I stick with the program. I went back there this week to buy the trusty old women’s button-fly in whatever style it was available in. Bitter disappointment. The button-fly is no more. I don’t trust zippers in jeans. Of course, everything seems ok, for a while. And then the zipper stops going all the way up, or is comes back down at random. Let’s not forget that everything only comes in hipster style these days, too. Call me old-fashioned but I don’t like my ass-crack hanging out when I bend over to put on my shoes, or pick up a child. Dejected but determined, I came away with two pairs of zipper fastening, hipster, Boyfriend style jeans. Prove me wrongs, zippers. I dare you.

We got a new car last week. New for us, anyway. A 2002 Mazda Tribute, in burgundy. So we took a little road trip to Moruya and Bateman’s Bay. It’s very comfortable. Now the fight is on as to who gets to drive it as their “main car”. Me, of course.

We came home Sunday afternoon to relax in front of the heater and as the afternoon wore on it started to snow. We’ve woken up to snow once before since living here but this is the first tiem we’ve seen it fall. Very exciting! Fraser got his jacket, beanie and boots on and went outside to stand under it and catch snowflakes. I didn’t get a photo but did take some video of it. To celebrate our ’snow day’ I showed Fraser how to make paper snowflakes.

 Lincoln is well this week. He’s had a clean bill of health from the doctor at his followup appointment on Monday. No rattles in his chest. So he’s back at school today and I’m crossing all my fingers that I don’t get the phone call to say he’s got something else. In any case, we’re now armed with ventolin should he develop a wheeze the next time he gets a cold.

He has more teeth already. Three at the top, three at the bottom.

Stacey’s blog post this week inspired me to make peanut butter, choc chip cookies. Yum, yum. Thanks, Stacey! And last Friday night we had guests so Matt suggested a Mexican theme. So I made Chicken and beef fajitas, and a Chilli con queso dip. That was so tasty. Even Fraser liked it. I accidentally bought an extra carton of Sour cream so I think it’s a perfect excuse to make another batch.

i have been tagged by Shel

Here are the rules …
1. Link to the person who “tagged” you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know your entry is up.

–

1. If I’m ever at the shops on a Sunday, I get both Sunday newspapers. Then, I don’t read them as such, I just flick through them and look at the pictures.
2. If there is nothing in the house to snack on I will sometimes resort to half a raw pastry sheet.
3. Spiders end up in the vacuum cleaner unless they’re smaller than a 5c piece.
4. Adam Spencer was my year 11 maths tutor.
5. I’ve never broken a bone. (I probably will now.)
6. I can’t drive a manual.
   

I hereby tag;

Musings on an Ordinary Life
Bugsy’s Blog
Footprint in the sand
Raising Willow…and Dexter
Tin Whistle
Aunty Cookie