Happy Independence Day a little late. We were actually traveling at the moment which is a shocker to me. We have not taken a family vacation in 2 years or is it 3? Regardless, Curtis was very sick last week, then Dominic got a nasty virus with a fever for several days so we weren’t sure this trip was going to happen. Plus it was a very last-minute decision. We met my sister-in-law and father-in-law with their families in Branson, Missouri for a family vacation. We left on the 4th and it took us 12 hours to drive from Austin to Branson.
Monday, July 4th, marked a very, very big milestone for Anna… it was 2 years since her last big seizure. I’m sure she has had seizure activity since then but I have not witnessed a tonic-clonic seizure since July 4th, 2009. 2 years. That is an amazing thing and something I just want to take a moment to honor. Living with epilepsy is a scary endeavor for a parent and I’m sure an unsettling and frightening experience for a child. I still find myself on guard when she’s sick, stressed, or sleep-deprived, but I have finally begun to relax a little. Anna’s seizures are very hard on her; they wipe her out, she stays unconscious for at least 45 minutes after, she gets agitated and fragile emotionally for about a week, and sometimes experiences temporary paralysis in her hand. You can see her face is droopy on the left too. So I am so very happy these wicked things are gone. 2 years is also when the neurologist says that a child can stop taking medication… though Anna has not been on anti-seizure meds since she was five, this also pleases me that this timeframe has this significance. Happy Seizure-versary, my sweet Booski! I’m hoping that they never, ever return for you.
So here we are, chilling at our hotel at the moment in Branson. The drive here went better than I hoped… Dominic entertained himself so very well in the back bench seat of the van. Though there are still remnants of food back there that are a little disturbing. Ewww. Anna asked, “Are we there yet?” approximately five thousand, three hundred and seventeen times. Curtis and I tuned her out by listening to comedy on Pandora and sharing headphones. (By the way, I loooove Louis CK… I think he’s the funniest comedian around.) Yesterday was spent at Silver Dollar City, a huge amusement park. Anna started not feeling well with some cough and congestion so she was a bit puny. Dominic didn’t want to ride any rides and turned into an Eeyore. We were a group of 12 people and it was difficult to make everyone happy, but Pickle just wasn’t budging on anything. Grandpa and Mick promised Anna a trip to Walmart to buy a gift for her birthday (that was in March) so she started perseverating about when she was getting to go to Walmart. She must’ve asked, “Can we go to Walmart now?” approximately nine hundred and eighty-seven times. She won a basketball and some stuffed animals at some Boardwalk-type game booths and Dominic finally rode a ride he liked, the Elephant March. Overall, it was hot, a lot of walking (and hilly too!), but it was shady and everyone was in good spirits. The day ended with Anna throwing up after dinner and not getting to go to Walmart. Daddy went instead and got her a toy dog… thanks, Grandpa, Mick, and Daddy. I just have to say that my kids are pretty darn difficult, especially compared to their cousins. Anna gets freaked out in public restrooms, talks and hugs strangers, and repeats herself endlessly. Dominic is just unhappy. Insert *sigh* here.
Today was more relaxed and we did a little shopping and eating. We’re getting ready to go the indoor water park here at the hotel and I thought it would be a good time to say hi and give a little update. Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July! We’ll be back this weekend and I’ll share some photos then.
