Even Less Sugar: Quietly Waiting

Things are quiet around here.

The kids are at Camp Kesem, and, by the pictures, seem to be having a marvelous time. They SO needed this, after the lousy summer we've had.

Ian is on week two of antibiotic treatments. (4 syringes, 3 times a day, for 6 weeks: This is mostly via Nurse Rachel, although Nurse Craig has blessed us by easing my workload. Thanks, Craig!) The steroids, which we're tapering, cause a great deal of heartburn and re-flux discomfort. Other than that, he's tired and tires easily. We try to get in some short walks, and he goes on food-based outings from time to time ... but we have to limit his activity to one event per day, as he spends a while napping to recuperate.

Rachel is depressed. Not the "of course you're down in the dumps, all this stuff is going on and you're run down and worried" "woe is me" kind of depressed....

This is "I've done this before where I go into crisis mode and kick hospital butt, then I go into the daily maintenance reality, and all of the feels come to get me at once, resulting in not wanting to get out of bed." This is clinical depression, back from the shadows to say, "Hello."

I was expecting this, so although it's disappointing and annoying, it's not catching me off guard. I'm working on my daily care plan ... basically I have to force myself to do things. But only a few things, and reward myself for doing them. And nap -- just not to the exclusion of all else. I've been here before; when the dust settles, and the long haul begins, there is no fight/flight energy. There is a vacuum (dig: I'm not using the non-metaphorical vacuum because of the metaphorical one. Ha.).

Yes, I know this is to be expected.
No, I don't need to "just get out of the house."
Yes, I am seeing a therapist.
No, I am not suicidal.
Yes, I am on medication.
No, I am not interested in oils or supplements.
Yes, I know I need to:

• connect with others
• exercise
• eat right
• get plenty of sleep
• pursue hobbies
• pursue relaxation

We're waiting

for the kids to come home

for school to start

for eight hours between antibiotic doses

for the antibiotic cycle to be over

to find out if we've beat the infection

for doctor appointments

for the wound to close tightly

for the chemo treatments to start again

for the next MRI to tell us what's going on in that brain

for a miracle