What's it going to take for you to stay in school?

That apparently was the talk J's Chemistry teacher was trying to have with her Thursday, her first day back after battling a 102 degree temp. and a sinus infection for four days.

Jennifer called me at 8:30 am that morn (I was going into work late)and I could tell she was crying.

"What's us," says I, wondering how thing could have gone so wrong in the first half-hour of the school day.

Apparently the Chemistry teacher, who has a rep for being a little PMSy, took Jennifer aside, asked her about the absences and all the times she'd been gone during the year.

"All the times?"

Opening up her class calendar page, she pointed out where Jennifer had been absent 36 days since September.

I personally was speechless, and I knew she hadn't been gone that long or that much. But then the truth came out. Each time she missed an entire day, that counts as 6 absences (one per class) and each time she was late to first period (yes, I know, some of that is my bad for letting us stop by Starbucks first) that too was counted as a full absence in her book.

"But you're getting an A in her class," I sputtered.

SHe told the same tale to her dad, who promptly (after I proofed it) shot of an e-mail to said teacher saying in essence - look, our daughter is a straight A student who happens to love science..what's up? Let's talk.

We got a short reply back saying that Jennifer didn't seem to want to do the catch up homework, which again seemed in error, as she brought it home last night.

To be continued....

Mom, are you coming home yet?

I set off to work today, after checking my daughter's temp. Still hot, but not roasting, so off to work I go, with strict instructions that she call me if she gets worse.

She didn't. And I know she was feeling better last night when she began texting way in her bedroom, and has now asked for her fav. Starbucks drink on the way home. She's still not going to school tomorrow if she still has a fever. But again, another sign she's getting better - she's bored and wants to go back to school.

Back to work, after playing concierge

Well, it's back to work tomorrow after two days of playing Dr. Mom, writer, editor, boss from afar and trying to mind the next door neighbor's dogs, who promised just maybe I'd get some of those hot red Canadian Olympic mittens for watching their house.

They are back now, and asleep, so we'll see about the mittens.

Jennifer's temperature is down, but she's still staying home from school one..more...day.

I however, am leaving her well-stocked with drugs and Sunny D. and heading in tomorrow.

Not meningitis

The doc. at St Joe's in Tacoma almost scoffed when I asked him directly if Jennifer might have meningitis, bacteria (not good) or viral (better).

No, I think she has a sinus infection, says he. And the nurse was sympathetic, but gave me a look that seemed to ask why I felt the need to drag my daughter out of bed when she should be at home. Ok, fine, neurotic mom.

But when she went to bed with a screaming headache last night, and woke up with said headache and a high temp (even without drugs it was 101.7 at the doc's office), oh, and a sore neck, that was a default position.

So called work, rescheduled all appointments to tomorrow.

Wait on the phone to get an appointment for about 15 minutes. Make the mistake of hanging up, so I'm on the phone for another 10.


From noon on waited in docs office, with daughter sleeping in my lap (I know she was feeling bad when she didn't fiddle with the radio channel on the way down to Tacoma) and spent another 20 minutes waiting for drugs.

Stop by her fav. coffee store.

She starts fiddling with the radio. I know she's feeling a little better now.

Digging herself out of a hole

Next time I might think twice before allowing J to be sick for 4 days (as if I had a choice), It's only now, a week later, that she's taking her last make up test. And some of the teachers are grumpy about it, some aren't.

The flu

OK everyone, if you're scare the begeebers out of us with the H1N1 scare, would you please have the vaccine available. I've been calling J's doc for 3 days in a row now, hoping to squeeze in for an appointment, and lo, nothing.

Yesterday she called (could barely hear here) and begged me to come home with supplies - mainly chicken soup and sunny D - and to come home some. Oh, and some ice cream would be nice. Luckily I work for a great and flexible boss, so I set up shop at home.

She's just gotten over some crud (was out of school yesterday and today) and will give school a try again tomorrow. But I'm not sure how I feel about that since the virus is probably binging from kid to kid.

Note to self: Call doc's office again tomorrow. As for myself, for the first time, I've gotten a general flu shot, but since I'm not in any risk group, I"ll just have to tough it out.

Mom my throat hurts

Alas, there was little I could do about this, since Jennifer is 200 miles away in b-ham, at a basketball camp.

I told her to ask the coach for a throat lozenge, but aside from that I was stuck. Apparently Gary has been texting her several times a day (Dad just can't stay out of touch for long) and she has been texting him back, prob.when she doesn't think her friends are looking.

I think she misses us, although she'd never admit it.

Mom, can you move over?

This request came at about 2 am last night, when my daughter finally decided to go to bed.

But she wasn't feeling well, and so she crawled in the single bed in the spare bedroom(gary had snored me out of our bedroom, again), and nestled under the tangle of covers with me and planted her cold feet on mine.

The book I was reading was digging into my ribs. Sometimes I put it on the floor, and sometimes I just stuff it against the walls (don't ask). I wrapped my arms around her, and she quickly fell asleep, and started turning into a 100-lb, 5.1 heating pad.

Then Gary woke up and noticed that the b-room light had been left on, along with the fish tank. I could hear him mumbling to himself as he turned them off, and then poked his head into her bedroom. I could almost feel the panic begin to crawl up from his stomach.

"Gary, she's in here," I chirp out helpfully. In pokes his head, and he asks how she's feeling. Then he goes back into our room and I can hear him snoring in about 5 minutes.

"Do you think dad would get me a drink?"

Too late for that honey. I'll get you one, but first, let me out of this bed.

Water in hand, she falls back to sleep and I head into her room.

Home sick

Up at 6 am, deciding what to do. I feel like crap, but am ready to try and muscle into work, since have a to-do list that doesn't seem to want to stop at PLU.

But once Jennifer pops up in bed, the decision's made. She's burning up, and while she's older (at 15), with that temp, I don't to leave her home alone/ So I tell work I'll be in after lunch,once Jennifer gets up again. So about 10:30 am, she rattles out of bed. And she's still hot. And now I'm getting the chills.

Debating if she feels good enough to take a few aspirin, watch tivo'd American Idol and stay at home by herself. She gives me a pathetic look. Okay, I'm home. And beside, since I'm feeling crappy, won't do well to break my own rules and march into work sick, spreading germs. So we're both home, watching AI.

Will be making comfort food run soon.