You can have ALL our snow, Cindy. Believe me, I'm done with it.

Also, doesn't Motrin and/or Tylenol actually *raise* the temp a little bit before it lowers it? I don't know why I think that -- maybe I read it somewhere once? At least it's down some now. (Edited because done and down are not the same thing.)

Ben's fever troubles me. 103.-anything is pretty high. I hope the doctor calls back soon. As in, now.

It troubles me, too. The week before last though, Christopher had a virus where he had a temperature in the 103s, more days than not. When we took Chris to the doctor, she said there was a fever virus going around that lasted 3-5 days. Chris's lasted 6 or 7.

Ben went to the doctor last Monday, had a strep culture, it was positive. He was on a 5 day course of Zithromax, which he completed. He went back to the doctor on Friday, the throat looked good, but the chest still sounded a little junky.

He went to the E.R. on Sunday on account of the fever returning in conjunction with the fact that we didn't want to give him the script our doctor had pre-written for us, if it wasn't a bacterial thing And/Or if his hives were in reaction to the previous anti-biotic (which stays in the system for days after you stop taking it).

The E.R. did a chest Xray and his lungs were clear. They did a throat culture, too. We got the results, yesterday. It was negative for strep. His throat doesn't hurt. His ears don't hurt. His only real symptom other than fever is a very stuffy/runny nose.

I'm writing that all out because I do think there's a good chance this is just that awful virus, and that's he's getting hit so hard, because his immune system is low from the strep and congestion and the steroids he's had.

Okay, I'm going to stop taking over this thread. I'm being ridiculous, at this point.

Nora, I'm so glad to read about your new-old clothes! Go you!

Not ridiculous, Cindy. You've been through a lot the last few days, as has Ben. I hope you both get some relief soon.

Nora, I'm so glad to read about your new-old clothes! Go you!

Heh, I went back and deleted that part because I felt shallow posting it with all the worrying and bad stuff going down. Also, I am a guilty bragger.

So not to make Cindy look crazy, because really, her day is tough enough as it is, I had mentioned above that more and more of my older, smaller clothes are starting to re-fit me... I am wearing a very fetching turtleneck today due to this phenomenon! Also, am looking forward with glee to fit into my sexay jeans soon. Well, in a few months.

I'm taking it easy with this thing. I don't want to lose more than 5 pounds a month. I'm also trying to eat like I normally do, but... less, and choosing more deliberately. Having gone through a 60 pound loss and almost all regained (save 10-15 pounds) I just want to make sure I get healthy and stay that way this time.

If he can sit up, I reccommend the bathtub for Ben. When I had my week of 104 degree temperatures I lived in the bathtub - I could warm up or cool down the water as I was cold or hot. and it helps in bringing down the fever as well.

sj- if the day after class is always hard - plan for it - plan to stay in bed longer , expect to feel less than ideal ,etc. and you may end up feelign bad for less time. ma~~ to your firend

PC- babysteps - this sounds liek a compromise - and quite frankly if your basic profile doesn't attarct attention - well, I didn't think you were in a hurry anyway. and as long as contact is with you the real you will show through very quickly. I guess I am going to say something that I think is hard. Pick you battles. you fight with your mom over everything. You get worked up over it , and it ends in tears. the girl you marry - that matters. How you meet her, doesn't . If you ever do decide to break off contact with your mother - you want it to be over something that matters - but you have to figure out what that is first.

Nora, that's awesome! I'm glad you re-explained. Such a great feeling. It happened to me last summer, and I walked around grinning like a fool most of the time.

Cindy, I bet you're right about Ben's immune system being pooped. fevers over 102 just wig me a little.

IOridiculousN, I'm watching the I Love Lucy where they board the ship for Europe. They're talking about ship to shore phone calls, and now I'm wondering, how did that work back then? There were no cell phones back then, obviously. Was it a radio of some kind that they routed through extensions to the cabins?

I am an absolute Luddite when it comes to technology, even the old-fashioned kind.

Good for you Nora! I think that is a good plan . After reading Mindless Eating my idea is to lose 10 - 20 lbs over the course of a year. I think my biggest eating problem is not paying attention to how much I am eating - or eating without thought.

Everybody send some job ma~~ to Matt please. It looks like he will have a new job soon, but he is stressing so much over the transition that he just might worry himself to death

Lots and lots of job~ma to Matt, beth. He so deserves a new and better job, and definitely before he worries him into a frenzy about it.

You know, Cindy, now would be a good time to take advantage of the fact that you're an active member of a church and get a little help from that community. I'm sure you've done your share of do-gooding. Just having somebody stop by and help with a few things today or tomorrow would probably make a difference.

P-C, it could turn out to be an okay compromise. You can send out the P-Cish biodata after initial contact. It's not the first filter (which would be ideal), but it could be a useful second layer.

Sometimes in profile Matilda looks a lot like Harold of Purple Crayon fame. Sometimes full face she looks a lot like Emmett at this age.

the girl you marry - that matters. How you meet her, doesn't

Deserves to be said over and over again.

Though I'm still an advocate of finding the one person you know that your mother would most disapprove of, and introducing that person to her as your SO. (And I'm sure you'd have little trouble finding someone cooperative that your mother would thoroughly disapprove. Your area ATTRACTS people of whom parents disapprove.) Anyone you'd actually want to marry will seem ideal to her by comparison.