EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Okay, so the news is:

Mini-Me DOES NOT have pneumonia as we & her Doctor had feared.

You're probably thinking, "What the wha?!?"

Actually I was simply afraid she had strep or the flu.

We spent the better part of yesterday in our favorite urgent care clinic.  Upon further examination & listening to a slight 'crackle' in her lungs, her doc was afraid it was the beginnings of pneumonia. 

Bloodwork & an xray was ordered.

Getting the blood was quite an ordeal.  Despite all our best efforts to keep Mini-Me hydrated the past several days, her fluid levels were still not ideal.  Took the nurse several attempts on the left arm before she gave up.  Mini-me's veins were too inaccessible.  Keep in mind, Mini-Me cannot stand needles of any sort.  And no matter how I reassured her that having blood taken was far better than getting an IV or receiving an injection, Mini-Me was fit-to-be-tied!  She said, "I don't care if it's an injection or an ejection, needles are STILL involved!" 

I couldn't help but laugh.  I reminded her that, "We eject a CD or DVD or VHS tape.....and we even eject a pilot from a crashing airplane!  As far as blood was concerned, it is cautiously and gently withdrawn." 

She wasn't having any of it. 

Even the nurse's attempts to keep her mind off of it with a stand-up comedy routine were futile. 
BTW, our favorite jokes she cracked?

"What do you think of my Halloween costume idea for tomorrow, Mini-Me?  I'm going to wear a long buckskin dress with fringe, a headdress, and take with me a large syringe...and go as: 

'Poke-Your-Hontas'...what do you think?!?"

And this one...

"How can you tell the difference between a good mom & a great mom?

Give up?

A good mom will let you lick the beaters.

A great mom will turn them off first!"

Not gonna lie, she was THAT good!  I was practically in stitches, but Mini-Me could not be distracted.  Once the nurse moved on to the right arm, however, it was a one-shot-one-kill. 

Mini-Me was then taken to radiology.

Her doctor entered the room shortly thereafter telling us the good news that our worst fears were in fact a non-issue at this time.  He still wasn't convinced though that this was ENTIRELY viral, so he issued RX's for a codeine syrup for her throat & cough....as well as some Anti-B's "just in case."  We were ok with that.  According to the doc however, if the Anti-B's are going to work, she should be feeling better in approximately 36 hours....which meant she's quarantined at least through the end of Monday.  And he stated "Absolutely NO trick or treating, or else it WILL become pneumonia."  

So, Happy stranded-at-home-Halloween to us. 

I have thought of still dressing her up in her punk fairy costume and emailing a picture to all our family members with the title "Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet...2010."  We'll see if she's feeling up to it.  This way she can at least enjoy SOMETHING Halloweenish, even without physically leaving the house!

So, the consequences from this that have carried over to myself? 
Well, today makes it the THIRD Sunday in a row I've been MIA from church.  And actually the FOURTH Sunday in a row from my own ward! 

I'm sure people are wondering if I've gone inactive, lol. 

As for our lonely Halloween fears here in the country? 
Looks like there are still some kids dressed up, making the rounds in the tiny little town that's across the road from us.  So that's a good sign.  Will be nice to at least enjoy some of the others' festivities! 

So, Happy Sabbath & Halloween to you and yours.  Stay safe.  Stay healthy.

Toodles!
(I'm off to throw in some Charlie Brown & the Great Pumpkin....and then possibly some early Christmas movies as well-like another annual Santa Clause-athon like last year [1, 2, 3]...maybe even Holiday Inn or White Christmas)!!! 

Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
::insert diabolical tone here::