August 31

I usually try to post on my blog on Monday and Friday ( or close).
This past Monday was a holiday but that is not the reason that there was no post.
I don't usually get this personal, but here goes.
Sunday was the anniversary of our son's death, so we had 18 family members for supper on Saturday, to start the weekend.
I began to get sick as Saturday evening wore on and was very sick in the night- large swelling on my neck, high fever and terrible headache.  With the house full of people, I stayed in bed for three days.  When they realized how sick I was they went to other locations.
My sickness had all the symptoms of mumps and I decided to wait it out, but after three days in bed, unable to eat at all, or drink much, I was just too lifeless, and the pain in my ear was unbearable as the swelling got larger.  And so we headed for Emergency.

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Kathy had made some entries into the Paris Fall Fair competitions- many are beautiful quilts, but she also entered in the storyboard category- photos that tell a story. Here is the one that she prepared in honour of her brother's journey.

Some friends and family members hiked along the Grand River early Sunday morning, also in memory of our son, and were shocked to find his initials, written in paint on a rock. Not one of them knew it was there.  They just happened on it by chance.  Or not chance?

Other family members hiked around Chicopee Park.  I haven't heard if they saw anything extraordinary.

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Everyone has gone home, and I just got back from the hospital, with more tests planned and doctor's appointments to attend. I will also need time to gain my strength in order to begin feeling well and strong. The lump is still there but the pain is gone -thanks to the intervenous I received at the hospital.    It wasn't mumps, but what was it?  Some virus- from where?