X-Factor: Chapter 3

The deviant you see holding Max, in this very dark camera phone picture, is know around these parts as the Birdman. He's an integral character in the story of my life. He's also the first person from my side of the family to see and hold Max. Good Job Matt! Kim Jong Ramone will never live this one down. More on the Birdman in a second...

After Dr Devil told me that Max might have Herpes I had a text book reaction to her absurd accusation. I told her that it was impossible. And she gave me the typical health care worker response, everybody's at risk and Herpes can lay dormant for 10 years blah, blah, blah. So preoccupied with the fact that it might be Herpes, I didn't even think about Meningitis, an infection that killed my friend's sister. Like I said in the prior post, I needed to be angry to keep it together.

Erika and Allyson's Mom were there helping me calm Allyson down. Erika and Allyson's mom have been really great through all of this. Two real troopers! I was pretty angry most of that Saturday night, but the next morning I lost it and had my break down. Allyson became the strong one when I broke down. I felt foolish and guilty for being so upset. Tons of emotions that I really don't want to experience again anytime soon. Hopefully never again.

I did not share any of this news with my friends back in NJ, because It hurt to much to talk about it, and I didn't want them to worry about us or Max. I did tell my mother though. I leaned heavily on her for support, calling her every couple of hours anytime I talked with a nurse or a doctor. Having Mom to talk to really helped!

Then I got a text message from the Birdman. He informed me that he was going to leave directly after work Saturday night and come down for a day and a half to see Max and hang out with us at the hospital. A 12 hour drive folks. Kind of makes up for having me spend a week of my vacation last year painting a chick's house that he broke up with a couple months later. Shit I might even paint his next girlfriend's house for pennies on the dollar.

Having the Birdman there really made all the difference while we waited for the results of the spinal tap cultures. We ate really shitty cafeteria food, which we both really enjoyed. We talked about hookers and made fun of Kentucky and the fact that the Birdman had to drive through the Daniel Boone National Forest to get here. I always get Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett confused for some reason.

On Monday morning a doctor, with a much better bedside manor, informed us that the first cultures had come back and were negative. They watch the cultures for 6 days or so to make sure no bacteria grows. Every day the culture came back negative. Thank God! Still, the Doctor wanted to keep Max in the hospital for 14 days and treat him with antibiotics to be safe.

Allyson was discharged from the hospital around day 4 or 5. The hospital is very gracious and has let us stay every day since, for free! Last week was a very busy week for babies and the baby ward filled up so we had to spend a night in Pediatrics. We've been in 5 or 6 rooms and when we move from room to room we look like we're homeless with all of our shit on a cart. I've been sleeping on a plastic pull out bed, and have spent a small fortune in the cafeteria. Still, the baby is happy and healthy and we're coming home on Friday. That's really all that matters! I could go on and on, but then what would I talk about tomorrow?

By the way has anyone seen Scott Baio's 45 and single? I hear it's pretty good.