The Post-Thanksgiving Post

I am thankful we have such nice family and friends to spend Thanksgiving with.

I am thankful for P and C's wonderful hospitality.

I am thankful for all the delicious food we ate.

I am thankful for high-speed trains.

I am thankful for kind German doctors who have Saturday office hours and who speak English.

I am thankful that Geo is finally feeling better.

Wednesday morning, we woke up after a very bad night in a bit of a dilemma. Geo was still coughing and had had a low-grade fever in the night. To go to Germany, or not to go, was the question.

I called Geo's pediatrician and told him what the family practice doctor had told me Tuesday-- no sign of a throat infection, left ear a bit pink but not infected, lungs fine. The doctor, after asking me if I was going to darkest Mongolia, assured me it would be fine to take our trip. The fever was gone, so we packed very quickly and sprinted to the train station.

We made it safely, had a wonderful dinner at P and C's favorite restaurant, Gabriella's, then went to bed. It was a rough night, with lots of coughing. No one got much sleep.

Thursday, we had a very leisurely morning, then dressed and went to Sally and Rick's house for a delicious Thanksgiving dinner, full of food, good company and great conversation. Geo had so much fun playing with the big kids that he did not want to go home. (I'm not sure the big kids felt the same way, but that's another thing I'm grateful for: Sally and Rick's lovely kids, who are so kind to Geo!).

Another bad night, lots of coughing.

Friday we went on base to go to the grocery store and pick up mail. Geo was supposed to get to play on the awesome playground, but right as we arrived it started raining, so he got to go to the commissary instead. I stocked up on peanut butter and salsa and peppermint food extract. We headed home, ate lunch, rested, and watched "40 years of Sesame Street". That night, we went to Gabriella's for dinner. Mmmmmm, so good. As we were getting ready to leave the restaurant, Geo started telling us that his ear was hurting. Not a good sign!

Friday night was bad, Geo was feverish and in pain.

Saturday morning, I decided we needed to see a doctor. We thought briefly about changing our tickets, but we still wouldn't have gotten back to Paris in time to see Geo's pediatrician. And waiting until Sunday night was too long. So P and C called around and found the name of the doctor who held Saturday office hours. C took us and waited patiently 1.5 hours with us to see the doctor. After much checking and examining, the doctor told us that Geo didn't have an ear infection, but that he did have a sinus infection, which was causing the pain in his ear. He gave us antibiotics, but told us not to use them unless the fever got worse or Geo felt much worse. He prescribed nasal sprays, expectorants and pain reducers.

We had a quiet rest of the day-- it was raining out, again, and yes, ate dinner at Gabriella's. What can I say? Her food is awesome.

Saturday night was GREAT. Geo slept soundly, there was no coughing and no fever. He awoke bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and the SUN was out! I was a little sad that we were leaving right as things were looking better, but it was time to lug all that peanut butter home. We packed up, met Sally and Rick and their kids for a yummy lunch (not at Gabriella's which is closed on Sundays), then we went to the train station. It began to rain. Geo started telling us that his ear was hurting. It was time to go home.

Geo slept the whole way home, we unpacked (carefully, as Anna and Granddad had sent a big box of Christmas goodies that someone was not supposed to see!) and put Geo to bed. Despite the 2-hr nap, he fell asleep quickly and slept really soundly and peacefully all night. This morning, he seems much better. No fever, still coughing, but bouncing around cheerfully. I won't call the doctor again unless things seem much worse.

So it was a quiet, rather subdued Thanksgiving weekend, but I am so thankful we had it after all.