Living (Johnny) Dangerously
As Janette noted earlier, Hannah's hives aren't hives; they're something else. In come the experts. We have an appointment next week near the main hospital: Specialist Central.
This is the routine with Hannah's diagnosises: assume nothing. All will be unique. I think of it as a Ma Kelley moment. I expect Johnny Dangerously to pop through her room, commisserate, chat up the Doc about the latest, new diagnosis ("Give it to me straight, Doc."), and figure out how he's going to pay for all this. Like Ma Kelley, Hannah keeps up with her work (playing rather than laundry) and only brings up the discomfort when one of our approaches: medicine, baths, clothes-cover aren't working well.
Gabriel, of course, is playing the part of Johnny Dangerously: full of heart and mischief. When I came home for lunch yesterday, he was busy building an obstacle course of kid chairs, blankets, and toys buttressing the family room couch. He was jumping and running between them.
"Gabriel, that's not safe."
"Daaad, I'm being careful."
"You're going to get hurt."
"No I won't."
Hmmmm. Quite the adventurer. I'm the family kill-joy, but I can see the future: bandages and all.
Still, Gabriel-Johnny keeps Hannah involved, even when climbing his obstacle course. He stops to talk with her, sing to her, help her sit up. Most of the time, she basks in his attention. At other times, when she's busy playing with her own toys or solving her own puzzles, she fusses and gives him the Ma Kelley Lower East Side eye, seeming to say, "Why you botherin' me? I'm playing here!"
-- Dad
