End of Summer holidays….

Ok so technically its not…. The Greenville school system starts back next tuesday, and my boys have an hours induction on the friday, then 2 half days on the following Monday and Tuesday, before being in full time (till Labor day weekend, the first week in September).

But…. Oliver has his reconstructive surgery tomorrow.  You may remember back in February when he had the cholesteatoma in has right ear and had to have it removed during a tympanomastoidectomy. We have to be at the hospital for 11.15 tomorrow.  The doctors plan is to put him under, open the ear up through the same incision, and remove the plastic that is behind his ear currently.  His ear drum is starting to curve into his ear canal slightly, so the doctor may need to take some cartilage from his ear to stop it protruding any more.  As long as the cholesteatoma has not returned, three small titanium plates will be placed into his ear canal, to mimic the bones that had to be removed last time round.  Then it should be as simple as closing him up, and letting him come round.  

As horrible as all this is, we are very fortunate.  Dr Alexander is awesome, and I have every faith in the staff at the hospital.  I was able to request this particular date, as it means Oliver barely misses any school.  His follow up appointment is on the 2nd half day of school.  He won't even miss any recess.  When I explained my reasons for this particular week, Dr Alexander was very understanding.  He says he will probably just glue it this time, with no need for bandage strips.  Purely cosmetic, thinking of his return to school.  I just hope that 1) the doctor is running on schedule, 2) the cholesteatoma has not returned and 3) that Oliver doesn't feel as rotten the next day.  We will see…..

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This summer has felt incredibly long, and hard.  I was thinking about it, and comparing it to last year.  Last year we had Paul's parents visit at the beginning of June, Oliver did a week of camp, we went on holiday at the beginning of July, then my dad came in August.  This year we have had no-one!!!!  Yes, Oliver did camp again, and we went on holiday.  But our holiday was very active to say the least.  

I have struggled this year keeping the boys amused, but I think I have managed it ok.  What with the big holiday, money has been a little tight around here, so there have been no visits to soft play etc.  We have mainly been doing cheap/free things.  Because the boys completed their summer reading log with the library, they got free tickets to the baseball.  It was good fun, but very hot!!! 

We have done lots of park trips and getting together with friends.  I don't think the falafel with school has helped my positive attitude towards the holidays either.  But it is sorted, and I shall try and enjoy next week of doing very little with the boys.  I foresee lots of watching films and playing computer games.  

What has also made it hard is my OU work.  Although I made a big effort to get ahead before holiday, since then it has been tricky to dedicate myself, and find the motivation.  I have 7 weeks left, and in that time I have another assignment due 10th September, and an end of module assessment (EMA) due 2nd October.  The assignment I am not too worried about.  My EMA though….It is a website of up to 3000 words on a project of my choosing (I am about half way through in rough, gonna have to watch my word count!) , then review my webpage, then write a 2000 word report on a document the OU have chosen.  This is not easy.  I have been doing well to keep up with the work load, but will be glad when the boys return to school and I can fully knuckle down.  But in the long term, this is my last big OU course, almost like a dissertation module, I only have 2 more short course to do and I will have a BSc Open Degree (Hons) in Chemistry, Psychology and Environmental Studies.  There is light at the end of the tunnel…….

Will update again next week about how the operation goes, and the boys return to school...