The end of summer

Sorry for the radio silence, but this has been a pretty action packed few months. We went from finishing up a challenging school year to looking forward with caution to see what the new school year, new classmates and starting school would bring. In the meantime we also had a war with Gaza during summer vacation which limited outside activities. 

Karen only spent three weeks in camp. The rest of the time she spent being really lazy at home, and staying with relatives to "help" out with younger cousins and babies. She really enjoyed being a mother's helper. She spent a couple of days with an aunt who had infant twins and a 5 yr old son. When an incoming rocket alert would sound, Karen was able to help her get both infants and the younger boy into the stairwell before the boom/s. Karen got to feel very useful and mature with her "responsibilities". 

I was waiting for the school year was to start, when an aching back suddenly turned into a full blown orthopedic disaster. I woke up one morning, tried to stand when an excruciating bolt of pain went down my entire left leg. I couldn't stand. I couldn't sit. I had a severely herniated lumbar disc which was inflamed and pressing on the primary nerve the goes from hip to foot. There was numbness and weakness, and a horrifying pain that nothing could blunt. After a month of tests, procedures and lying flat on my back per medical instructions, I hope to finally be able to work again, next week. It will be limited, but at least I'll start getting back to normal.

While I was debilitated, Dudu took more than a week off work and got the kids into the new school year. It was a really tough time for him too. But Karen had gone through a genuine metamorphosis, and was really helpful when I was in bed for most of the month. 

Next blog post will elaborate on the huge changes in both children, and the exciting new school year they've both begun.

Advertisement