Count your blessings- no pictures required

So while we were in Knoxville over the weekend, Clay was sick, like sore throat, cold kind of sick. It got worse as the weekend went on with his throat swelling more and more. So on Monday morning we went to the Emergency Room in Ktown. They diagnosed it as bronchitis and sent us home with amoxilcillin and loritab (a pain killer). We drove back to Atlanta last night but Clay still had a fever, chills, sweats and his throat seemed to be getting worse. He was up all night and this morning couldn't even swallow the pills. He tried to swallow water and it came out his nose. That is how swollen his throat was, all the way up the side of his neck and to his ear.
So we went to see his doctor here. He was awesome and immediately sent us to St Joe's Hospital where we saw an Ear, Nose and Throat guy who diagnosed that Clay had an abcess behind his tonsil. Pretty much like a having a big big puss ball back there that has to be popped b/c the fluid build up was what was making everything swell. So he put a large needle in Clay's throat and numbed it as best he could. Then, he took a knife and made an incision and all the stuff came out. It was disgusting and horrifying and I would rather give birth again than watch that! Clay was a champ.

We then sat at the hospital while he got a couple bags of IV fluid since he hadn't eaten in 3 days. To get the iv fluid, we were sent to the St Joe's Cancer Center in a large room with lots of recliners and IV machines. It is where people come to get chemo on a regular basis. All day long I had been so worried about Clay's throat, who would take care of Jack if we had to spend the night in the hospital, how I would pump and get it home and how tired I was b/c of the last few sleepless nights. Sitting in one of those recliners, looking at these frail people, realizing that we were only there to replenish fluids to a healthy body was very humbling. Clay and I both realized how blessed we are. It put things in perspective in a big way. While Clay is still in pain, the vicodin is numbing it (making him quite silly) and he will heal in a couple of days. We came home to a happy Jack (thanks to the Shaws) sitting up all by himself (this is a first) and laughing and smiling at us. That is priceless!

Count your blessings!
Love- Clay, Jennie and Jack