Our vacation is done – we got home yesterday afternoon. But I’m going to try to catch up what happened, albeit in order of noteworthiness rather than in chronological order.

Most noteworthy was having to get antibiotics for Benji, who developed a urinary tract infection while we were there. Actually, before the vacation, over the weekend he mentioned discomfort when peeing. I decided to wait and see if it stayed a problem in, and then with all the excitement, it slipped my mind. 

Fortunately, Benji has gotten better at expressing himself, because on Thursday after Colleen and Jordan caught their sea plane (!), Benji described very accurately the symptoms of a UTI: 

• Always feeling like he has to go, but then not having any pee because he just went;
• Pain during urination

I was pretty sure of his diagnosis, based on his symptoms. But of course we had to see a doctor to get antibiotics. That’s when it got interesting.

There were two medical offices on the island. We went to the bigger one, but the clinic couldn’t get him in until 2:50 pm, smack in the middle of what used to be nap time. It’s still quiet time, anyway. So we decided to go to the other doctor’s office, which was just 1/4 mile down the street, and see if they could get us in earlier.

Unfortunately, that 1/4 mile was through a construction zone. We waited for easily 15 minutes to finally have the flagger let us go. Then we couldn’t find the other office, driving in circles until mom finally asked a local where to go. That straightened us out.

That doctor could fit us in at 1:30 pm, so we took it. While we were there, Benji had to go potty, and they managed to get a urine sample-hooray! Because I really doubted we could get a sample on command.

 When we got back at 1:30, Benji found Happy Birthday to You, which we read twice. Their Dr. Seuss library was impressive. The nurse and doctor were both so nice! The nurse explained everything simply and clearly do Benji could understand. The doctor talked to Benji directly and was very kind and patient. He had 6 kids himself, so that probably helped. Benji told him:

If you remember when you were a little boy, it was afraiding to go to the doctor for the first time, so I brought my blankie so I wouldn’t be so scared.

The doctor solemnly agreed that he did remember how scary it was going to the doctor as a little boy.

Then it was time to get the antibiotics. I left Ian at the drug store-there was only one-and Benji and I went back to the house to rest.

Walking into the house, Benji tripped and smacked his head super hard on the cement driveway. I heard an audible thunk, never a good thing. 

So instead of going straight to nap, we iced Benji’s bruised head for half an hour.

After which he actually did nap, and we had to wake him up to administer the first dose, which was a 25-minute screaming disaster. 

We were all really glad for bedtime.

Friday Benji woke up feeling much better-I’m so grateful to have antibiotics!-and we’ve gotten better at taking medicine, too. But we were all happy for the end of Thursday.