The Madness continues!

Friday I had to attend Mary Farrell’s funeral. She is the mother of my Uncle Tom. She passed away earlier in the week. I got to the funeral just as the congregation processed into the church. I sat down with my Uncle Tom Wenderoth. I could not see my parents during the mass so I figured they were just out of my view. While in the communion line I looked around and did not see them. I began to wonder what was going on. No one had motioned to me or my sister Mary Ann, so I thought everything was ok.

Once the mass was over we began to ask questions and all we knew was my mom called the funeral to leave a message for my uncle that my dad was sick. The fact that both of them weren’t there had me wondering. My sister and I began calling their cell phones, home, and our sister Sharon. No one knew anything. Mary Ann and I missed the funeral procession. Just as we were about to leave my Mom called and said my Dad was in Fairview with a suspected heart attack. They were doing tests to determine the problem at the time we first talked. This was our father’s 4^th heart attack, so he knew what it felt like. He at first thought maybe it was a side effect of a cortizon shot he had the previous day. As he was getting ready to head to the funeral he realized what it was so he went straight to the hospital. Smart move dad! He ended up having a few stints put in his arteries Saturday morning. He has to have 1 or 2 more done Monday, based on what they see. Dad was doing well Sunday so that was good to see! Get well Dad!

To add the events, a family acquaintance, Mike O’Malley, owner of a fine restaurant called the Rockcliffe, passed away Saturday. Mike was quite popular with the West Side Irish for the catering he used to run at the Irish American Club. His brother Pat does a fine job at it now and Jill, who has known Pat for a long time, has been working for Pat’s catering business lately. So, Monday we have another wake to attend.

Liam’s weekend has been much the same routine as of late. Several tantrums a day and a few incidents of anxiety when events did not go his way. His anxiety and tantrums have been made worse by the fact that he and his brothers have not been napping during the day. By then end of the day they are all crying over little thing that occurs. It gets to be quite draining when all 4 are crying at the same time and wanting their way. One thing I have noticed a little more is Liam has been picking at his gums a little more. I keep reminding him to keep his fingers out of his mouth.

Saturday Liam and his brother’s swam at our neighbor’s house all afternoon while I cut the grass and then visited my dad at the hospital. All the boy’s had a great time. Liam was thrilled to practice his swimming in their pool. The little pool we have in our driveway is no longer adequate for the boys we began to ponder getting a pool of our own. The first thing the boys wanted to do Sunday after breakfast was go swimming at our neighbor’s. Our neighbor’s are great people, but we don’t want to wear out our welcome. We came across an ad at Toys r Us that showed a good deal on a 12’ 36” deep pool. We decided to get the next size up as it came with most of the accessories we would need to buy elsewhere. Adding them up we would spent only $20 less then the pool in the ad. As soon as Liam heard us talking about it, he got very excited and was just started talking about it over and over. At this point, telling him no would be quite difficult. We decided to get it since he loves to swim, and plus, we can use it when we want. We hope to get at least 3 years out of this pool.

In the evening the boys again were extremely tired and the crying and fits continued. Liam finally looked at me around 8:45, and said “I’m tired daddy”. In we went to get ready for bed. Prior to coming in, our neighbors left their stroller in our driveway as they walked down the street. Liam did not see baby Levi in the stroller and he began to get very anxious looking all over for Levi. Jill had to explain where he was. Liam then settled down and went back to playing.

Here we go into Monday June 13^th. We will see what this week holds in store. Liam’s medication will be increased starting Tuesday to 2 tablets of risperdal during the day, and then at night. His next appointment is scheduled for June 24^th with the neurologist. We’ll see then what our next move is.