Starting the Summer Break with a "Pangit" (Ugly) Eye

This really should be a continuation of my last post. That's because this one starts off where I literally typed off in the previous entry. Last Tuesday evening, after downing three glasses of Margarita --- one at AJ's grad (we're coming up with excuses to dine out) dinner, and two more at home after the kids have slept --- I posted my entry, answered email and tied up loose ends with the my bill payments.

Afterwards, I joined my hubby in bed and by around 1 am, was getting ready to sleep. Then it hit me. Rather, it bit me. Funny thing is, I never felt a bite. Just a tiny itch in the corner of my left eye. Scratch, scratch. Uh-oh, I'm getting hives (I have seasonal allergies)! Dry-swallowed one Claritin and waited a bit for the itch to diminish. Fifteen minutes. Damn! Think that the hives are still there... or in this case, that single one on my eye. Downed another Claritin. Another twenty minutes. What the hell?! I freaked as I looked at my reflection in the mirror. The hive has swallowed my eye! Eeeek! Unbelievably, I calmly swallowed another dose of Benadryl this time.

Thirty minutes later. OH MY GOD!!! My eye is swollen shut! Have to go to the hospital! Do I ask my hubby to take me and we'll bring the kids? But it's three-freakin'-o'-clock in the morning! Finally, I decided to drive myself to the ER. I quickly woke up my blissfully snoring hubby and told him about what's happenning. I'm impressed that he didn't scream in horror when he saw who it was waking him up. I have turned uglier than Quasemodo!

As I drove to the hospital, I had to make sure that I was being extra careful driving with just one good eye and all. I didn't want to get pulled over and be cited for DUI (the Margaritas? the Benadryl?). Can't turn on the charm because it would surely look utterly pathetic with my swollen eye and morning breath.

Long story short, docs at the ER couldn't figure out what happened to me. Same story with the Opthalmologist the following day. They couldn't find a bite mark and it didn't seem to be an allergic reaction. I wonder what Gregory House would say? So far, their solution is to pump with steroids to reduce the swelling and come back if eye is still swollen by next week.

The afternoon following that wee hour ER visit, I asked my son AJ if he still loves me even if I'm pangit (ugly). And my sweet little son tells me, "I love you, Mommy and you're not pangit." Then he reconsiders, "But your eye is pangit!"

So this one goes to the books on how we welcomed AJ's summer break.

Somebody Tell Me That Dino Isn't Mine!

As Steve, or maybe Joe, bids his young audience goodbye, he breaks into a song, "Now it's time for so long/ But we'll sing just one more song!..." Indeed, something akin to it happened at my son AJ's last day of preschool. His wonderful teacher, Mrs. C., tried to simulate a classroom setting only this time there were about thirteen sets of parents in the room with their cameras on standby. So, these adorable tots sat in a circle trying hard not to fidget in their beautiful dresses and smart looking clothes. Then it was time to break into their songs. First up, a good morning song that would've been too cute for words if not for the poignancy of the fact that this would be the very last time that this song will be sung in the preschool ever (the preschool will shut down after this school year). As I didn't want to look too much like a sissy --- mom-crying-her-eyes-out-at-a-preschool-graduation --- I just covered up the tears welling up in my eyes by taking more pictures than usual. Right, better to be an obssessed mom than a basketcase one!

Next up, the kids sang a song about the days of the week. Only this time, AJ has decided that since he has a ready audience, he might as well up the ante five notches. He just started roaring and singing in a dinosaur voice. "Sunday, Monday/ Rrrrr. I'm a triceratops!/ Tuesday, Wednesday/ Aaaarrr!..." Ten bucks says that at least one parent is thinking that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!

Needless to say, when it was time to hand out the diplomas, only AJ didn't approach the teacher to get his. Instead, he just continued pretending to be a dinosaur. My son's two minutes of fame and he blows it by auditioning for Jurassic Park IV. But deep inside, I know that this is just his way of covering up for his embarrassment over all the attention that's focused on him, or rather, all the children. I just wish I could find another way to convince him how to get on with it. Can just imagine him on prom night, growling and roaring like a dinosaur that he wants to be. That'll score big points on his date for sure. Even worse, his date's parents might even call security from the get go! No date and no prom for my poor Triceratop!