My Absence on Friday

I went to wake up Buddy at the usual time on Friday morning - around 6:30/6:40A - and noticed that he had dried blood on his face.

This is not unusual, since I had frequent nosebleeds as a child and he has inherited that lovely malady. It's also cold here and the dry air doesn't help much. I had them until I was about 18 or 19. He has become used to the ordeal and it doesn't freak him out - it always looks like a lot more blood than it really is.

So, I don't know - he had a nosebleed at some point during the night or early morning. I get him up and run a wash cloth under some warm water to clean off the dried stuff on his face. While touching his face, I notice his skin is very warm and he looks a little green around the gills. He put his head down on the towel bar in the bathroom, then took a few steps back into the hallway.

He started to fall, collapse. I tried to hold him up, but he's too heavy for me to lift anymore. His head hit the linen closet door and he was unresponsive and his forearms were all twitchy. I screamed for the Evil Twin who was downstairs in his office. I shook Buddy and called his name. No response.

I hopped over Buddy and ran downstairs as fast as I could. By the time the Evil Twin and I got back up the stairs, Buddy was on his feet - in the kitchen. He said he felt dizzy and nauseous, and just wanted to lay down.

I took his temperature (99.9 - nothing serious) and called his pediatrician. We spoke and she said because he had been sick, then the loss of blood and possible dehydration, those all added up to something that would trigger a fainting spell.

I gave him ice water, which he wanted and kept an eye on him. I woke him every half hour or so to make sure he didn't have a concussion. His doctor said she'd be glad to see him if he got worse or I was too worried, but it didn't seem like anything out of the ordinary. He had blood loss, a fever, (possibly a virus), but needed rest and fluids. So, that's what we did all day.

By about noon-ish, he was looking much perkier and was sitting up, drinking ice water and watching TV. It was scary for yours truly because while I personally have fainted (due to dehydration and being over heated), I have never witnessed another person fainting.

I have since ordered wireless intercoms for our house. It's only 2700 square feet, but it is laid out in an unusual manner and the insulation is serious biz. Not much can be heard from one end to the other or one floor to the other.

So, that's where I've been: Freaking out about my 13 year old all weekend, because Buddy will always cause me a heart attack when he is sick.

Happy Daylight Savings Time, my hooligans! Enjoy your Sunday, get a nap and come back to visit me soon! Rowwwrrr.

Love,