Meds and More

And I thought I had a lot of meds-information to absorb when it came to Abilify. Heh. Welcome to the JoyFamily infirmary.

I started feeling achy a week ago Thursday, and Joy began fighting a cold that week. We went downhill from there, and JoyDad eventually joined us on the slide. Monday Joy got diagnosed with an ear infection (and got a not-strong-enough antibiotic that we had to replace later); I got diagnosed with pneumonia. JoyDad joined us on antibiotics later in the week. Much doctor-appointment-ing, wearing of masks, chest-X-raying, etc.

Meds, meds, and more meds! Analgesics for the aches and fevers and chills; codeine-laced syrup for the cough; antibiotics for the infections; laxatives for constipation side effects; sleep aids for brain-racing side effects; more analgesics for headache side effects. Then there were the merely annoying side effects that didn't rise to the level of further medication: loss of appetite, bad taste in the mouth, mild nausea, a diuretic effect. (Not all effects were experienced by all JoyFamily sickos, by the way, as we had different med-cocktails.)

And we thought we were maybe going to be able to sort out the effects / non-effects / side-effects of Abilify? Again I say: Heh.

Fortunately we are all doing better, well enough to go out trick-or-treating tonight. We managed to buy and carve pumpkins yesterday, and I *so* wish I could post the photos! but I'm going to stick to my pseudonymous bloggy principles after all. Joy posed like a pro, hugged the jack-o-lanterns, leaned in next to Rose and gave a wonderful cheesy smile right into the camera. [E-mail me or drop a note in the comments, and I'll send a copy via e-mail. Unless you've never commented before or some such.]

Joy and I also got to go out adventuring on a nearby patch of short-grass prairie. The sun shone with that amazing slant-light you get in northern climes as days get short, and she had such fun zooming around on the paths and in the grass. It's one of those few places where she can run safely as much as she likes, and I don't have to be right on top of her. Plus there was nobody nearby for her to cough on. Just us and the hawk that frequents that area of town, way above our heads. As Rose would say, "Mama, that's FRIGHTFUL!" Because the hawk's name is, in fact, Frightful.

Anyway.