Saturday, March 10, 2007

Week of Random Events

This week has been a crazy week. Today is the first time I've had an opportunity to sit and write. And it feels good to be here by the fire with a cup of coffee. And yes, my golden retriever is sleeping at my feet. Sort of a Norman Rockwell moment. If Norman had a laptop and wireless, broadband internet access! Anyway, this is just sort of a ramble about my week, so fasten your seatbelts and put your tray tables in their upright and locked position.

At the beginning of the week, the 'check engine' light in my wife's car started flashing. Now I know nothing about cars. This seemed ominous. So I called the garage and they said bring it in. We did. They got about three dozen error messages when they hooked it up to the computer, but only found one little problem. One cable that had shorted or something. So they replaced it. And it was inexpensive. Good deal. Until yesterday. My wife called me while I was at work to report that her car was sitting in the driveway, all alone, with the lights flashing and the horn blowing. Started all by itself. I appreciated the report, but there was little I could do. And since I know so much about cars, little that I could suggest for her to do! But while we were talking, it stopped. Well that means the car fixed itself, right? LOL Nope. It did that little series of events once again about 15 minutes later. So my wife hopped in the car and drove it to the garage. And that silly little 'check engine' light came on again while she was driving. The garage boys started it, drove it, scratched their heads, double-checked to make sure that we really did not even have an alarm system on the car, and suggested we make an appointment to bring it in for more work. Ya think? But my wife has a theory. The car only seems possessed if we lock the doors. So far....her theory is sound! No locking...no more beeping and flashing. Maybe that will get us through until the garage spends another day with it.

The next big event of the week....Son16 took his CAPT tests this week. This is a standardized test that you must pass in order to graduate from high school in our state. And you take them in the tenth grade. That way, if you don't pass, you get two more years to try again. And the test is so long that they break it up into parts. He has had five parts with one more part to go. So every day this week, he arrived at school and headed into a testing room where he would take two parts of the test. This lasted about 2 and a half hours. Then he would follow his regular schedule for that day, except every class was condensed to only about 25 minutes. Now I've not written much about my son's disabilities. I guess I should at some point. But a key component of asperger's syndrome is difficulty with 'executive functions'. That's the part of the brain that deals with organization and structure. Son16 needs routine. Structure. Predictability. His schedule is very, very important. Very. So for this CAPT testing, every aspect of his day has been different. The testing block in the morning. Classes squeezed into short bursts. It has been that aspect of the whole testing ordeal that has created huge amounts of anxiety. And it forces him to check a million times a day to find out what happens next, what time will something be, will it be just like this tomorrow, etc, etc. A very long week for him. And a long week for us.

My friend Mike is back at work. They have identified some irregular heartbeat but not exactly sure what causes it yet. He did go in for a couple of more tests this week. And they have him wearing one of those little gizmos that monitors his heart rate and records it. And every time he goes above 85 beats per minute, it beeps like crazy (sort of like my wife's car!) and he has to call in and play the recording over the phone. Really, 85 beats a minute is not that high. Can you just imagine how tempting it is at work to set that little bugger off! We can just get him laughing really hard and he sounds off the warning. Oh...it is cruel to have fun at the expense of a sick man. Cruel. And yet....

Son16 was scheduled for a big lock-in this weekend at our church with all the other high school youth. He is not a very social kid, but he did attend the fall lock-in and really loved it. We were thrilled it went well and happy he wanted to go again. Really wanted to go. Has been talking about the games they play, all the snack food, etc, etc. And it got canceled yesterday due to illness among some of the adult sponsors. A last minute cancellation. Have I mentioned.... Son16 needs a predictable schedule and consistency???? Not anyone's fault. But just one more layer of stress in his life.

Yesterday was my second visit (out of a series of four) to the periodontist. I'm going through a process caused scaling and root planing. Just the name should tip you off here. I mean, it isn't good to do things to the ROOT of your tooth, right? That hurts. And they are doing stuff to the root of EVERY tooth! With merely a topical anesthetic. So go ahead...imagine how you think that would feel. Then take two steps deeper into hell. And you've got it. Mashed potatoes and pudding are my friends.

Okay, that's my ramble for the week. Now I'm gonna go read your stuff...cause I'm sure it will be way more interesting!

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

Poor Em, a lot of patience was needed from your part to get through last week!
The car story, though annoying for your wife, made me smile. It made me think of an old movie directed by John Carpenter...

I am envious of your fireplace. Never had one.

Bardouble29 said...

Poor guy, you had a really long week.

It funny, I had a really long week and just reading about your made me feel a little better.

I like the scene of you at your fireplace,drinking your coffee. I love just getting comfy and relaxing like that.

Jenster said...

Hey! I found you from radioactive girl, I think.

I feel your pain - or your wife's pain - with the car thing. We went through similar trials last fall and winter. It's no fun!

I'm so sorry about your son's lock in being cancelled. I have two kids in the church youth group and it's the biggest and best part of their lives so I know how disappointing things like that are for kids who don't have schedule issues. My husband and I work with the youth group and I DO have scheduling issues so I can understand your son's frustrations.

Love the blog. Think I'll stay and play a little while longer. Feel free to visit mine, but I'll warn you. I'm in a whiny phase right now. LOL

Redneck Mommy said...

You had me up until the teeth thing. I'm a pansy when it comes to pain and especially when it involves my mouth...

Ouchers. I feel for ya.

The possessed car could make for some interesting blog fodder. Do you remember that movie Christine? I think that is what it was called...

I hope your son's week gets better. How frustrating for him.

Chicky Pea said...

Well that means the car fixed itself, right? LOL, you made me laugh because we've all had that thought. Have you still not gotten my invite, because you haven't accepted it.

Elle said...

Whoa what a week you had! GL to your Son16.

Missed reading your posts! Welcome back!

Rainbow dreams said...

What a week! Enjoy your weekend. I'm so pleased your son has his tests behind him now - may next week be much easier all round for you, thanks for your comments to me too, cheers, katie

Chickie said...

Oh man, reading that bit about your teeth made mine hurt like I was chewing tinfoil.

y.Wendy.y said...

Actually that was a very interesting post - thank you....I like reading about peoples days and weeks....beats the political/dogmatic/boring stuff on so many blogs.

I cannot imagine the patience you must need to cope with Son16...it seems like something that would have me in tears regularly out of sheer frustration - hats off to yo and your wife.

Melody said...

It seems as if every second person has tooth problems this week...and of course you know all about my Monet and her problem!!! Urgh.

Glad son16 is doing well. He must be making you proud so that is terrific!

And car problems, I bet you can do without that that. I know I could!

Anonymous said...

And I was going to rant about my week... But relatively, it was a piece of cake.

Keep us posted on the haunted and possessed car. Very strange...

The vision of your Norman Rockwell moment needs one thing to be complete. You need a straight stem pipe in one hand. It may be politically incorrect, but adds a touch of Rockwellian authenticity...

thethinker said...

The procedure sounds painful. Good luck with that. I'm a big wimp when it comes to pain, but thankfully I haven't had to go through anything without anesthetics (so far).

Anonymous said...

Mrs. Joe had been complaining of a check engine light going off sporadically. Lucky for us, nothing checked out. Yet

MarmiteToasty said...

you ramble I twaddle lmfao ;)

x

whimsical brainpan said...

I hope next week is much better for you and your family.

Angel said...

wow, there was so much in your post, I hope I can remember it all.

First, maybe your freind needs to be hooked up to the computer that your car was hooked up to....ya know, just to see what's wrong! ;)

My daughter tutored kids like son16....I'm surprised he's not exempt from taking the test.

I love dogs. I don't know why I just said that.....just popped into my head.

Michelle said...

My husband is in the auto industry so if something goes wrong with one of our cars, he tends to over analyze anything that is wrong...oooooomg....lol I kinda wish he didn't know much about them...hehe

That must have been so difficult for your son (and for you and your wife!) with all those changes at school, and the weekend thing.

My mouth hurt just reading about your procedure....*shiver* All I can say is better you than me..hehe ;)

Jazz said...

Whoa! Long week... And that teeth thing? Shudder....

Radioactive Tori said...

What a rough week! Yuck to all of it!

Teena in Toronto said...

Wow! What a busy week!!!!!

Helen said...

Wow, what a hectic week you've had! I've just had a very busy week myself, and am just needing a holiday right now!
Helen

Jill said...

Sounds like a stressful week for everybody. I recommend demanding narcotics from the dentist. They have them and there's no reason not to hand them out.

tkkerouac said...

What is Aspergers syndrome? I understand your root canal pain!

CS said...

It does seem like there ought to be some adjustments allowed under the special ed act for your son during the standardized testing. Even if it was just him in the same room for the same amount of time with the same proctor each day, it would add an element of structure to that week. Hope he did okay with it.

Kati said...

Oooh, yucky!!!! I hope that you heal quickly from your de-scaling appts!!!

Kati said...

Oh, and I hope that your son can get his schedualed, steady life back soon.

And that the problems with your wife's car aren't to expensive in the fixing.

velvet said...

Cars sure were more simple before they were computerized. Sigh. I feel for you both.

As for the periodontal work, yipes! The thought of even the dentist gets me going, but don't even talk about the heavy stuff!
*Shudder*

-velvet

Em said...

So many of you sharing sympathy about me teeth! Thank you.

And several comments and questions about Son16 and asperger's syndrome. I'll definitely blog about this in the near future...and try not to be too boring about it all. :)

Unknown said...

The Car Talk guys do have a solution to the check engine light: get a small piece of electrical tape, and tape it in front of the light. No more light!

That does sound odd, though.

Crashdummie said...

Gosh, all these things happening no wonder you hadn't had any time for blogging.

Feel for ya mate, but do remmeber, after winter must come spring (even if it seems a looooong way there).

OhTheJoys said...

Geez'm crow! That is a lot going on friend!!

K has to go to the Peridontist too - his implant is buggin'. Arg.