A Story of Children, Pain, and the Never Ending Cough

After my appendix removal at the beginning of March, I was placed on some antibiotics. During the two weeks following, my family ran through a little cold, each of the boys and Kari were affected. They were all better when I took my last antibiotic pill. As soon as it wore off I could feel my throat swelling and my nose running.
Crap, I thought. Three days of a cold were in the cards. Not a big deal. I've had quite a good deal of colds in the past. Then, on day three of my spat with the germs, I helped work a controlled burn forest fire at the park. I spent all day in the smoke. And the cough began...
For the last 8or9 days, I have had a ferocious cough. Bad enough at night that I have had to sleep in the other room while Kari sleeps in our room with the boys. A sleeping arrangement that we will have to utilize for a while after my surgery next week.
I went to our doc yesterday and she said I was not infected with anything still, but that the cough was just lingering from the irritation. She prescribed some major cough medicine/knock you out at night syrup. It doesn't even touch the cough, and if it indicates it's "knock you outness", it is 10pm and I took it 3 hours ago and I am typing this blog at about 300 miles an hour.
Earlier tonight, when I laid River down in our bed so he could go to sleep I laid down beside him for a minute. He wanted some kisses, then, as he pulled up his covers and made himself comfortable, he reached over and grabbed two of my fingers with his little three year old hand. He whispered "hand", and proceeded to not let go. He laid like that until he started to fall asleep and couldn't keep his grip.
Moments like that are more than special. They are precious and fleeting. We have to enjoy them completely while we have them and keep them tucked away in our memories for when we don't.
I have surgery again next week. I hope to be rid of this cough, and I hope to be rid of the abdominal pain and precancerous cells soon. I hope to be back to normal ASAP! I know there are a lot of people out there much more sick than I am, but only one month in and I am sick of being the sick guy. I can't sleep in bed with my family, I can't throw my kids around or wrestle with them. I'm not supposed to even be picking them up, but I do it anyway. I have been over doing it at home and at work the last week or so in a desperate attempt for some normalcy before next week. The cost has been more pain than I expected. But it is all worth it for moments like tonight with River.