my how time changes the perspective

Just two days ago, my blog almost started with these words:

Stu has the flu. How can four tiny words, just twelve letters hold such significance?

And yesterday, my blog almost started with these words:

Why is it that when my kids were little and they got a scraped knee or bumped elbow, I could ask them if it would be better in a while and they always tearfully nodded yes and my amazing mom skills were always correct and they were better sooner rather than later. Do mom skills take longer to work as kids get older? So instead of a few minutes of healing time, it takes months or years to heal?

But today, my blog is starting with these words:

Stu has been at the hospital for a day now and will likely go home tomorrow. His temperature went up to almost 102 a couple of days ago and he had nearly nonstop poopers, which is the surest recipe for dehydration ever invented. Sunday morning, he went to the ER where they tested and checked and rehydrated him for nearly 12 hours before sending him home. And Monday morning, he went back and checked in for more testing and fluids. I could not help but think sad thoughts, wondering if this was his life--something more like that to be expected by someone far older than even I am, but certainly not someone under 30.

But then today, Stu called and I could tell from the sound of his voice that he felt better. I mean really better. Physically and emotionally better. BETTER! And the words he said made me understand why he felt better.

"The doctor says I have giardia. I don't know how or where I got it, but I have giardia."

Maybe you have to be here to understand the huge relief it is to hear that your kid has giardia. Something that anybody can get, something that is not related to his new liver or the fact that he has no colon. True, his body will probably always have more intense reactions to viruses or infections or giardia, but this diagnosis, this giardia is something that requires a bit of medicine and he can go home tomorrow in time for Thanksgiving with his family. It is a parasite that would lay a perfectly healthy person low, let alone somebody who is 2 1/2 months post-transplant.

Giardia. Who would have guessed.

Giardia. What a relief.