Hawaiian Paradise: Day 8 and after

On Friday, we packed up, played a couple games, and headed to the airport.  It was bitter sweet.  We were all excited to see our kids again, but leaving Hawaii was very difficult to do.  It truly is paradise.  I'm know my sister sometimes has to pinch herself to make sure she's not dreaming, and she's been there for 8 years. 

We loved our trip.  All of it.  It was incredible and so wonderful to be there with family.  Thank you mom and dad for taking us all! 

Our trip home was not devoid of glitches, but in the end it all worked out and we were reunited with our girls.  It was so good to hold them again and see their excitement.  After we got home and started settling into life again, we discovered that our absence had been very difficult for Avery.  She started wetting and messing her pants a few times a day, which lasted for about a week.  I'm sure it was scary for her not knowing where we were or if we were coming back.  She was extra clingy for a few days, but she seems to have gotten over it well.

My mom was able to stay with us an extra day, for which I am SO grateful!  On Sunday night, she noticed my eyes were really red, which I figured was just tiredness.  When I woke up the next day, my eyes burned.  In fact, they hurt so much during the night that I couldn't sleep.  I had to get up in the night to put drops in because they felt like sandpaper.  They hurt open and they hurt closed, so I just tried to find sleep somehow.  As I drove Keara to school, I couldn't even open my eyes.  It was the most dangerous drive I've ever been on.  My eyes burned so badly.  They felt horrible but I couldn't find relief.  Opened or closed, it was agony. 

Miraculously, I made it home and told my mom what was going on.  I went straight back to bed because any light burned so badly.  I had to be in the dark and I tried to find some sort of relief while she took care of the girls.  Unfortunately, she had an airplane to catch and I was supposed to take her.  Oh no!  There was no way I could drive 1 1/2 hours each way, when I couldn't even open my eyes for a second.  She is amazing and called an airport shuttle AND WALKED 3 miles to the pick up spot.  I felt horrible that she did that (thankfully, Braden got home and picked her up a few blocks from the pick up spot, so at least I felt better knowing she had made it).  She's wonder woman!

I went to the doctor that afternoon and he found I had keratitis...a staph infection caused by contacts.  I cannot tell you how grateful I am that this did not happen while we were in Hawaii.  I can't imagine.  Truly, if you can imagine how it would feel if someone pried your eyes open, forced you to stare at the sun for an hour, all the while rubbing your eyes with sandpaper...that's exactly what it felt like.  All light, but especially sunlight, was excrutiating.  I got on an antibiotic which brought swift relief.  By the next morning, the sandpaper feeling was gone.  But it took about a week before the light sensitivity went away.  It still is a little sensitive, but nothing like it was.  I also had to get a new prescription, and I can't wear contacts yet.  So I've been in glasses for 2 weeks, which is nice for a change, but also dizzying.  I'm not quite used to them still.

And so our Hawaiian Adventure ended.  It was the trip of a life time and the memories are so sweet.  Thanks for joining us on our journey!!