Rick and I started Christmas by going home to see his family. His mom's extended family gathers every year at Grandpa Lee and Grandma Laura's on Christmas Eve for family dinner and gifts. So that was Christmas #1.
Christmas #2 was with his parents on Christmas morning where Rick "officially" gave me Rollo as a Christmas present. Here he is climbing around on the presents under the tree.
He's the most adorable Christmas present ever!
Christmas #3 was with Rick's dad's family at his uncles house.
Shortly after getting home on Christmas evening I noticed what I thought was a really weird looking breakout on Rick's forehead. I said something along the lines of "Geesh Ricky, what's up with your head?" It looked like he had two rows of 3 or 4 zits breaking out all together. Then Rick, Janice and I had a conversation about how Rick had been suffering from what we all assumed were headaches due to sinus pressure for the past 5 days. Ibuprofen and pseudoephedrine didn't seem to be helping. The general consensus was that if something hasn't gotten better on it's own in that amount of time it's time to see the doctor. Janice called the doctor's office as soon as it opened the next morning and made him an appointment. Rick drove himself to the doctor where he described his headaches to her and she told him sinus pressure. Then he pointed out the weird acne on his head and she immediately diagnosed him with Shingles. He went on anti-viral medication immediately. We read that the anti-viral is most effective if started within 72 hours of the rash breaking out, so we're really glad he went to the doctor so quickly. Rick's red bumps quickly turned into big red bumps and then into big swollen blisters that spread down towards his left eye and back up on top of his head.
Rick didn't get to go with me for Christmas #4 with my family because Dad hadn't been feeling well and also has never had chicken pox. Shingles is not nearly as contagious if you've already had chicken pox (you'd have to touch one of the blisters), however, if someone's never had chicken pox, it's fairly easy for someone with shingles to give them the chicken pox. So Rick stayed with his folks while I spent the afternoon with my family.
I made it back to Rick's about 40 minutes late for the start of Christmas #5 with his Grandma Lucy and aunts and uncles. Rollo was a big hit with everyone. He tried to make himself at home inside Uncle Nik's shirt and then later climbed inside my sweatshirt pocket. He'll sit with anyone who's warm.
Little monster.
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