Fairly Odd Husband

Last Day

September 17, 2009

Just over two years ago, I wrote this post about my husband starting a 2-year MBA program.

Today, is his last day.

I know I don’t have things as hard as some of my friends. My husband doesn’t travel for work; he still made it home for dinner most nights. He wasn’t deployed overseas; other than ten days doing a program in Brazil, his travel has been with our family. And, his work and school hours weren’t as heinous as someone starting life over as a chef; at least his Executive MBA program was designed to minimize the amount of on-campus time.

But, I’ve had to get used to him leaving for work before the sun rises so he can squeeze some studying in before his co-workers arrive.

I’ve had to tell the kids to quiet down after dinner because Daddy is on a call upstairs or signed in to a lecture.

I’ve learned to keep myself occupied with reality TV and Twitter before creeping into a dark and quiet bedroom.

And, I gained over 10 pounds these past two years. I never thought of his school and my appearance being related, but I wonder. I’m pretty certain that without Kristen, Bill and Jillian, I’d still have those 10 pounds, maybe more.

I haven’t been a “school widow” exactly, but there are times I’ve felt like I’m steering this big ol’ ship on my own. It wasn’t terrible or impossible, but it hasn’t been as much fun either.

When my husband “graduated” back in May, it was only a ceremony. We knew he still had a few more months of hard work ahead. For some reason, these four months have been the hardest on me mentally.

I remember one of the heads of his department speaking to us “spouses” at a gathering the night before the ceremony. He said that the period after school is one of adjustment for everyone and that it won’t always be easy.

He also asked us to hold back a few weeks before handing over the “Honey Do” lists we’ve shoved in a drawer for the past two years.

Screw the Honey Do list. Who’s up for Girls Night Out?

So, here’s to two years that, of course, went by in the blink of an eye. Here’s to all the hard work, the sacrifice and the compromise.

Congratulations, Baby. We did it!

Filed Under: Fairly Odd Husband, Fairly Odd Me 40 Comments

We Missed the Bullseye: our Lyme story

August 12, 2009

Something was wrong with my husband (no need for sarcastic comment).

Almost a month ago he started coming home from work complaining of a splitting headache. He’d squint through dinner, barely making conversation, and I offered to clean up the dinner plates most nights so that he could go rest in our darkened bedroom.

One night he scared me. I went in to the room to say goodnight before heading downstairs to my usual nightcap of bad reality TV, and I saw him sitting on our bed quietly. I kissed him on the top of his head, and this man who is usually so affectionate barely acknowledged my gesture.

“Have you considered this might be Lyme Disease?” I asked after a regular family dinner when I had thought, “he looks ten years older“.

But, with no bullseye, we were both skeptical. The only reason I had mentioned Lyme was because I had recently read Sarah from In The Trenches of Mommyhood’s post. Her son’s Lyme diagnosis came after her mother’s intuition told her that his low-grade fever and out-of-character quietness weren’t “just a cold”.

Finally, a few days later, I was woken by my husband who told me that he needed to get tested right away. His headache was fading, but there were now red welts across his torso and legs. It didn’t take the lab thirty minutes to confirm that he did have Lyme.

He was lucky. A round of antibiotics beat back the disease, and he is normal again (well. . .).

And I now know that there is more to watching for Lyme than just finding a tiny telltale tick or that red bullseye.