Sick

Mr. Mister woke up with croup Tuesday night. Not fun. He had it a couple times last winter. The first time was so bad we had to take him to the ER in the middle of the night. The next few times were not as bad and taking him out into the cold air helped a lot. Tuesday was the first time this year he's had it and the outside air wasn't cold enough to do anything. We ended up at the doctor the next day, where they gave him a steroid medicine to help the swelling in his throat go down. It helped but he's not 100% yet, which means a lot of waking up at night, a lot of whining, and a lot of crazy tantrums.

But, I can't complain because I am SO THANKFUL for such easy access to doctors and medicine. That is one thing I will never forget from our time working in the garbage dumps and rural villages of Mexico City. Mothers were desperate for our doctors to see their children and inevitably we had to turn people away because there was always more need than time to treat it.

As I drove Mr. Mister to the doctor, listening to his wheezy breathing and getting a little more anxious as time passed, I felt so much relief knowing we were heading somewhere where they would help him breathe and feel better. Do you know how many people in this world don't have that luxury? Babies die from things far more common than croup, too. Fevers, diarrhea...things so easily treated here. It breaks my heart. I can't imagine those mothers' desperation.

This isn't a guilt trip. Or even a call to action in any way. Just a reminder to be so thankful, even for what seems so normal.