More barfing. No, I'm not kidding. And some bad news.

My family would like to turn this year in for a refund, please. Though it all looked very bright and pretty right after the holidays, it is not performing very satisfactorily.

The day began reasonably well, with trips to Target (diapers) and the library (Boy Wonder and I have now read 70 books together this summer; 30 more and he will get FABULOUS PRIZES. Well, he'll get prizes, anyway, and he will certainly think they are fabulous). In between trips, I made pancakes for lunch. Some phone conversations indicated that my mother, currently in the hospital minus a kidney and various lymph nodes, was feeling reasonably well and up to a visit with Boy Wonder. Action Hero was sleeping, so he and Dragon held down the fort at home while Boy Wonder and I went to the hospital.

News on the hospital front was not great; reports are back on the kidney and lymph nodes, and it's NOT QUITE THE NEWS WE WERE HOPING FOR. Chemotherapy, perhaps even a bit on the aggressive side, will be required. My mother is not thrilled, but is feeling more ...comfortable? secure? something along those lines?...now that she knows what is going on. After having been a nurse for 40 years, the past three weeks of not knowing were driving her right up the wall. She is looking forward to getting all aggressive with the chemo. We managed to have a nice visit, and she was very happy to see Boy Wonder.

Who, as we were in the parking lot on our way to the car, suddenly said, "Mom! I'm COLD!" We had just walked under a shady overhang area and the wind had been blowing, so I didn't find anything odd about that. He also dozed off on the way home, which I also did not find odd; it was 4:00 and if he's going to doze off anywhere during the daytime, it's late afternoon in the car. But when he began rubbing his eyes and complaining of a headache, I started getting rather worried. He was really not acting like his usual self, or even his not-feeling-well self; he was acting really odd and was obviously in pain. He didn't have a fever. Had he bumped his head? Did he somehow have a concussion? Soon enough, all was revealed; at 4:56, I said, "Boy Wonder. Does your belly hurt?" and he nodded, got up, and said, "I think I am going to puke." Which he then trotted off to the bathroom and did, voluminously. Twice. Then his skin became hot to the touch.

So, once again, Dragon and Action Hero (now awake) held down the fort at home while Boy Wonder and I went to the hospital - a different one, with Urgent Care. A bit further away than the other one, but, as it's just opened and is probably not high on the local radar, absolutely lacking in other Urgent Care seekers. Thus, we had the staff to ourselves, and quite attentive they were, immediately ushering us into an exam room and presenting us with techs, nurses, and a doctor in short order. Visit in brief: temp of 102. Patient very drowsy, kept dozing off on gurney but would wake up periodically to say, "I don't want a shot!" Conclusion: there may still be some strep, or related bacteria, hanging around in there, as his throat and neck glands were still quite irritated. Different antibiotics were prescribed and acquired, along with new bottles of children's fever medicines, since in recent weeks we've killed the old bottles but good. Home at 7:30.

Current status: Boy Wonder dosed with antibiotic and "fever medicine"; he did perk up a bit but still requested an escort to bed shortly after we arrived home. I cannot visit the hospital tonight, in case I am carrying any Bad Sore Throat and Fever germs. I briefly wondered if I should visit the bar instead, but am instead visiting my couch, library books in tow.