How to battle pneumonia in toddlers

That day that I went down to the ice with Jason Ahmaogak and the others was such a great day that I had decided that, even though I had only five days before I was scheduled to leave for India, I would push it and hangout in Wainwright for a day or two more.

But, before going to bed, I called Margie and she told me that Kalib had pneumonia, that his temperature had gone all the way up to 105.

This frightened me, and so I came home.

I found him looking a bit weak and peaked, but his spirits were good. I am told that from the time he was diagnosed until I got home, he had done little but sleep, whereas everybody else had hardly slept at all.

Since I have been home, however, he has been up and chipper, if still a bit peaked. 

Then I found his Dad tossing him into the air like this.

We drove him into Anchorage today for a followup doctor appointment. He is doing well, but must stay on his medication for a few days yet.

As for me, I don't know. I have a great deal to do before Melanie and I board our plane tomorrow night and I planned to get right on it after we got back from Anchorage.

We got back about 2:45 PM. I was so tired, I laid down upon the bed, flat on my back. Jimmy, the black cat, settled down on my chest and dozed off. Then I dozed off. Although I woke up for brief moments, I stayed dozed off until my brother Mac, who I last talked to maybe in January, called at 5:00 PM.

And I have been too exhausted to do anything since, including to work on this blog. That's why you don't see all those pictures, back to Wainwright and Barrow, that I have been planning to include.

I wonder how this entry got done?

The only thing that I want to do now is go to bed.

A beautiful, exquisite, kind of day - but a nightmare inside my computer

I took many pictures on this exquisitely gorgeous day, plus, I still have a few from Wainwright and even Barrow that I hope yet to post, but I encountered an absolute nightmare in my computer.

An absolute nightmare!

I do not know what is wrong with it, but I can do just one thing - like pull up one picture - and then I must restart the computer and start all over again and I am about to go insane. So I haven't even looked at but a few of the pictures that I took.

Therefore, I post just this one image, from this morning, when little Kalib walked out onto the road with me. Yes, I was prepared to snatch him up and carry him away if I even heard the sound of a car in the distance.

No, I'll post two, just because Kalib walked out into the road with me, but a road can be a very dangerous place, especially for children. Lisa came out today and as she drove down Seldon Street, she saw a young boy, alone on a four wheeler, driving in a dangerous, idiotic, manner.

This is a common occurrence around here and if you ever say anything to the parents of such children, you had better be prepared to duck.

Shortly after Lisa arrived, we climbed into the car and took off to meet Melanie and Charlie. And there, not far from where she spotted the boy, was his wrecked four-wheeler, three police cars and an ambulance.

I hope he is okay. God. I hope he is okay - and a bit more wise, maybe. But I don't know.

Oh, one more - just to end this day on happy note. We had a barbecue in the back yard. As he always does, Muzzy got his share.

Easter Sunday, part B: Kalib and Muzzy compete to see who can scarf up the most Easter eggs (C still to come)

Not so long ago, I was hiding eggs so that this guy could toddle out to search for them. Now it is he who hides eggs for a toddler to find. 

Jacob hides an egg in plain sight atop an upturned 5 gallon bucket. As he searches for a place to put the next egg, Muzzy grabs the one that he has just hidden and eats it.

The eggs are all hidden now. The toddler comes out to find them.

Kalib finds his first egg, right on the porch. He will grab it and then, just as though he had been doing this all his life, will put it in the Easter basket his Mom made for him.

Kalib grabs another egg.

And still another. Muzzy has already stolen a couple more.

Kalib spots a blue egg and goes for it. He does not seem to see the pink one - yet.

Kalib grabs a plastic shark egg. It has candy inside it.

Kalib snatches an egg off a septic vent. Don't worry, with Jacob's help, we replaced that septic system a decade ago - much farther back in the yard.

Kalib drops another egg into his Easter basket

Muzzy eats another egg.

There is still some ice atop this water. Kalib plunges his hand in.

Kalib battles Muzzy for the last egg. With Dad's help, Kalib will win. Muzzy has already eaten at least half-a-dozen. He doesn't need anymore.

Easter Sunday, Part A: Our early morning reunion with Kalib and his parents

A few minutes before 1:00 AM, it suddenly occurred to me that I had better get a camera ready. I found a memory card, inserted it into the camera and then walked into the kitchen, where Margie continued to suffer through tax preparation.

"What are you up to?" she accused, suspiciously, when she became aware that I was standing directly behind her, fiddling with my camera. It was as if she suspected that I was about to take a surreptitious picture of her preparing taxes - this is something that I would never, ever, ever, do - no, not ever!

"It should be just about time, I answered. "I want to be ready."

 Just then, I heard a car pull into the driveway. Suddenly, Margie understood. "Is it them?" she asked.

It was. After more than a full week without him, we were about to see our little grandson again. And his parents. As you can see, Kalib was so thrilled to see me, he didn't know what to do.

Then it was grandma's turn.

Oh, the joyous reunion with Royce!

And then, back in the bedroom where Kalib and his parents sleep, Muzzy joined in.

Here they are, the travelers, home from the southwest. After everybody got some sleep, there would be an Easter egg hunt. Please come back, and witness the action. It will be up, soon.

Uncle Caleb and Nephew Kalib: dinner, and then goodbye

In both Apache and Navajo cultures, a child's uncle is a most important person in his life - a friend and teacher, in a way that is hard even for a father to be. And Kalib does have a most special relationship with his Apache Uncle, Caleb.

Last night, in the blog that I was too tired to make, I told you that after this morning, we would not see Kalib again for a week.

His Mom took pity on us and left Kalib with us today, provided that we would drive him into town this evening and turn him over to his parents, so that they could fly off to Jacob's business gathering Albuquerque, after which they will visit both their Apache and Navajo homelands in Arizona.

Caleb had driven to town earlier to get a haircut. When he learned that we were all going to get together in Anchorage for a Mexican dinner, he joined us, helped Kalib put his shoes back on and then lifted him out of the car. 

The air was chilly. Even though dinner would be inside where it would be warm, Caleb stopped to zip Kalib's jacket up.

Then Kalib and Caleb walked to the door of the restaurant together.

After they sat down, Kalib read the menu while Caleb ate chips. We were all quite surprised by this. Here, Kalib has not had one day of school, not one reading lesson, he hasn't even learned to talk yet.

And here he was, reading the menu!

Caleb then helped him remove his jacket.

Somehow, Kalib wound up in an empty chair at the empty booth across from us.

Caleb picked him up to bring him back to us.

After a good long wait, Kalib's parents arrived. Caleb steadied Kalib as Lavina got him situated beside her.

She then put quacomole on chip and handed it to her son. Kalib loves quacomole. 

Kalib discovered how to cement a corn chip to his face with quacomole.

After he pigged out on quacomole, Kalib's shirt was an avocado mess. Uncle Caleb helped his mom change him into another.

Somehow, Kalib soon wound up at another empty both. Caleb retrieved him and brought him back.

The dinner, by the way, was excellent. The best Mexican dinner I have had in Anchorage for a long time.

Mexican is my favorite food.

I had never eaten here before, but I will again. 

Vallarta's Mexican Restaurant, in the Value Village mini-mall, just off Northern Lights and Boniface. Damn good.

On the way out, Caleb photographed Kalib through the door.

Caleb looks at pictures of Kalib, as the toddler runs back to the restaurant.

Then it is goodbye time. Caleb turns Kalib over to Lavina as Jacob looks on.

Caleb then gave Kalib and his Mom a big hug. Then they were gone. As I write these words, they ought to be on a jet, headed south.