Lost Weekend; Dad's Fault

The reason you haven't heard from us since last Wednesday is we've had another round of two of us down with illness at once. (In April, Tam spent two days in the hospital at the same time Sarah had strep.) Sarah's marginal fever, which I was a bit dismissive of on Wednesday, turned out on Thursday to be a low-grade walking pneumonia. Tam spent much of the day at the hospital (a chest X-Ray -- Sarah's first X-Ray -- took extra time) or at various pharmacies (our usual one didn't have one of the prescriptions; the second gave Tam the package, then called her cell-phone to tell her they'd left one out: I came home early, but got home an hour before they did).

I'd taken Wednesday off, and Tam Thursday. Friday's my normal day to work from home, so it was my turn.

As it happened, I had a rather sore knee. I suspected it was a gout attack. Hadn't had one for a year and a half or so, but I do have a tendency to high nitrogen in my system, and if I either overeat or overdrink certain things (smoked foods, beer,other stuff), or stub a toe or bang a knee, it can come back. I don't take regular medication for it because it occurs rarely and at least one doctor thought it might conflict with other medication I take. Foolishly, since I had Sarah with me and she was recovering, I decided not to call a doctor Fricay. (Also the knee hurt enough I didn't want to drive [it was my right knee]; Tam was at work; a cab, with Sarah, would be a major production ... etc.etc.) I decided I'd try to watch my diet, drink plenty of water, taking anti-inflammatory pills and brazen it out.

Mistake. By Saturday I needed a cane. I wrecked the family weekend because Dad was suddenly a crippled old guy. Finally today, Monday, Tam took the day off (I couldn't drive) and I saw the doctor. Oh no, says he, whenever it is already flared up, only drugs can help. Now they tell me. After a day of medication and a couple of needles in my knee, I'm almost normal; expect by tomorrow I will be. But I blew one of our summer weekends. If Sarah hadn't been home sick Friday I wouldn't have hesitated. But as it happened I wrecked a weekend. Bad choice. Also painful. By Monday morning, when I finally called the doctor, the pain was really bad.

Oh, and megabummer: Sarah can't go in a pool for two weeks. Fun July. Hope it gets better.