The "What Else?" Week

Have you ever had one of those weeks where you just throw your hands up in the air and say, "What else?"

That's been me for the last seven days.

It started last Tuesday when my son's girlfriend, a college student in the nursing program, told me he had a pilonidal cyst he was too embarrassed to talk about. I called the dermatologist the next morning and got him a same-day appointment. The doctor confirmed it was a pilonidal cyst and referred him to a general surgeon, noting it was close to his spine. I tried to stay calm, but of course, I started to worry.

That evening, my son said the pain was getting worse. The next morning, he could barely stand or walk. I looked and saw that the cyst had tripled in size and was inflamed. We ended up in the emergency room, where they admitted him immediately and drained the cyst. There's nothing worse than seeing your child in pain, and even with the pain meds, the procedure hurt. I could see it on his face. The doctor advised us to keep the surgeon's appointment, as these cysts often return and need to be fully removed. We were discharged, grabbed some food, and I passed out the minute we got home, completely exhausted in body and mind.

Later that same night, I was about to go to bed for the second time when I got a text from my 15-year-old daughter, Brianna. She asked if I was awake, and when I said yes, she asked if we could talk. I walked into her room, and she started crying, telling me her boyfriend had broken up with her. I climbed into bed with her and spent the next hour letting her cry on my chest while I rubbed her hair. Again, nothing is worse than seeing your child in pain. This was my daughter's first heartbreak, and hearing her doubt herself truly broke my heart. I'm not a fighter, but I really wanted to kick a 15-year-old boy's butt that night. Now she doesn't want to talk about it, which I hope is a good sign. I'm crossing my fingers she gets over him quickly since they only dated for a month.  On a side note, my son's girlfriend is so thoughtful. After working a 12-hour shift (7 p.m. to 7 a.m.), she dropped off flowers, a shirt, and cookies for Brianna to cheer her up.

Yesterday was Riley's follow-up with the surgeon, who confirmed he'll need surgery to remove the full cyst—a two-inch-deep incision and about 1 inch wide. Ouch! The surgeon said he'll need about five days to recover before he can resume light activities.

And just to top it all off, this morning I woke up with a cold. I don't have time for this right now, but it is what it is.

While the last week has been intense, I always try to focus on the positives. I had a great long weekend. I got to relax, get my nails done, and do some shopping. I have a good job with great benefits, so my son's medical costs will be minimal. I have over 400 hours of sick time saved up, so I can take time off to help him recover and work from home if needed. My daughter came to me for comfort, and while what she's going through sucks, she knows she can count on me. I'm not sure there's a positive to having a cold, but I'm still feeling blessed.

I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed week! XOXO!