Well adventure, adventure. As I've posted before we have all been fighting sickness since we went into Fairbanks last month for the kids "well child" checkups. Last Wednesday night Lisa'sfever spiked at 104.5*F. This of coarse is durring the not so lovely and not so little wind storm that we had. The next day after much debate and deliberation I loaded the kids in the car and we headed to the clinic in Minto. The clinic in Manley Hot Springs is closed right now because the public health nurse quit and moved to Florida. The roads were like polished glass and there were a few small drifts. It was scary but we made it in just over an hour. I pulled in just as the Village Safety Officer was getting ready to comer out searching for me after people started calling the clinicto make sure that I had made it ok. For some reason a couple people thought that I had left about an hour before I actually had. An hour is a perfectly reasonable drive time given the weather conditions. We got into the Minto clinic just after 11am. We ended up spending most of the day there. Lisa's temp was fine when we got there but went up after we had been there a while. She was given Ibuprofen and the temp continued to climb before going down. Lisa was also complaining of a sore/stiff neck. Her throte was a little red but a strep test was negative. They also tested her urin and told us that there was "something in it". Concearns at this point were possible bladder/kidney infection and possible meningitis. We were getting really hungry and both Ken and the nurses said that we could go get a bite to eat at the lodge right next door. When I went in I was told that we could not sit in there. I asked if we could get something to eat to go. I was told to talk to another lady that was behind the counter. I stood at the counter and was ignored so I took the kids back over to the clinic. All I had to feed them were some really old granola bars that had been in the diaper bag for who knows how long. I felt really bad that I couldn't feed the kids a meal. (Our denial at the lodge was because we are white by the way, this is a native village) Even the nurse said it wasn't right that they wouldn't serve us. They gave her two shots of Rocephin in her butt cheeks and some oral Amoxicillin. They wanted me to take her into Fairbanks that day, but with blowing snow and drifts being reported that were anywere from a few inches to several feet, I was not comfortable with the idea of driving in alone. We ended up waiting for Ken to get to Minto driving the bus at around 4pm and followed him on the way home. I did fine the whole way home even though I slid around a bit in a few spots. That is until Ken stoped the bus just before the driveway so instead of being able to just slow down and turn in I had to try to come to a complete stop inorder to avoid coliding with the bus. This of coarse threw me into a spin and landed me in the snow filled ditch. We had to hook my car up to the bus to pull it out.
Friday we all drove into Fairbanks even the dogs because we did not have time to arrange care for them. They were still advising that folks only drive the highway between 10am-3pm while the plow trucks are running. It was still windy and very ICY. We were stoped at the top of the hill just past the Minto turn off while a plow truck cleared a large drift. The cleared drift areas were single lane trails carved through the drifts. We made it to Hilltop Truckstop just after the lunch rush and grapped a bite to eat. I must say we have not had very good experiances going out to eat in Fairbanks. Hilltop was an exeption. The food was great and there was a good amount for your money. The Clam chowder was extra Yummy! and so were the onion rings. Then we went on in to the First Care urgent care clinic. They checked out all the kids and me. They did a strep test on me that was negative. They also did another urin test and blood work on Lisa. They showed blood in her urin and some odd things in her white blood cells and ordered us to followup with the pediatrics department the next day. We got out of there a little after 4pm. We had made a reservation to stay the night at the 7 Gables(they accept the medicaid voucher). When we got there and went to check in the room was under renovation and ot ready yet. We did some running around and picked up something for supper. When we went back now 7:30pm it still was not ready and they didn't know when it would be. So we called the other hotels that accept the vouchers and couldn't find a place to stay. We ended up at the Comfort Inn and an out of pocket expense of over $100 in money that we of coarse don't have so on the credit card. We were able to at least take the dogs into the room with us.
The next day we took the kids into the Pediatrics office at the
Tanana Valley Clinic. They looked over the urin test and bloodwork. their biggest concearn was her stiff/sore neck. The possability of meningitis still on the table they were talking about partially treated meningitis. The only way to effectively diagnose the meningitis is with a spinal tap. Then the cure is IV antibiotics over 7-14 days. They ordered us to stay in town and go back in Monday morning. We were able to get a room at the 7 gables under the vouchers. After we checked in we met up with Connie the other bus driver (the bus drivers stay at the 7 Gables). We made arrangements for a shift trade. Ken would drive the bus home on Sunday and take our dogs home. Then he would drive the bus back on Monday. That way after the appointment he could drive home with us and then Connie could drive the bus back on Tuesday. Assuming of coarse all was well and they don't order the spinal tap. Connie said that on her way in most of the ice had melted and the roads were clearning.
Sunday we ran a few errands then went back to the hotel. After Ken left Connie the kids and I all went out to Vallue Village and Fred Meyer. Then we had supper at Taco Bell thanks to Connie and then went out for icecream with some Fairbanks friends. We wanted to go to Cold Stone but the line was out the door and it was already getting late. We ended up going to McDonalds instead and the kids got to play in the play yard. Lisa was doing well all day back to her crazy self. Ken called and said the roads were clear almost the entire way.
Monday we went to the appointment at 8:15am. They didn't really tell us much just said to finish out the amoxocilin and keep an eye on her neck complaints and temp. Then we ran by Walmart and Alaska Feeds. We bought 10 more baby chicks at the feed store. Then we went back to the Hotel and hung out in Connie's room since check out was at 11am for our room. When Ken got in with the bus around 3:30pm we all got into the car to head home. We made one last gas stop and headed home. It was a pretty smooth ride with just a couple of spots that still had some ice. The rest of the road was down to dirt. We got home a little after 7pm and that is including a couple stops to pick up bits of strap off the side of the road.
Tuesday was spent trying to clean the house after the long absence. I still have piles of dishes as I'm out of water and piles of Laundry that I will need to haul into the washateria.
Today (wed) we had a visit from Gina a developmental specailist who came to check on the boys speech. Oak seems to have trouble forming words and Wyatt while he speaks very clearly and forms good sentances is starting to stutter. This has been very upsetting for Ken. He feels like it's his fault because he stutters and he worries about Wyatt going through the same hard time that he did. I told him not to worry because at least Wyatt has a daddy who will understand. Tomorrow I'll be heading in to do laundry and maybe take Lisa to school since she hasen't been in a while.
Saturday Manley Hot Springs Crafters Guild are putting on an Easter egg hunt for the kids so we are hoping to attend. I need to make some memory room on my camera and get the battery charged so I can take some pictures.
I may add more details to this If I get some time later. Otherwise you'll here more from me after the Egg Hunt :)
Blessings this Easter,
Sarah Sue and Crew
