I don't remember Oakley complaining of a headache ever before. So when I went to pick him up from Grandma's and he was lying on the couch moaning and rolling his head back and forth saying his head was "killing him," I was a bit worried. He isn't one to fake sickness to get out of things, like coming home and starting in on Saturday chores, he just tells me he doesn't want to do something and throws a huge tantrum about it. I gave him a dose of ibuprofen but now he was in such excruciating pain, he was crying and saying his head hurt so bad, he couldn't open his eyes. I switched into Scared Mom mode, I'd never seen him in such pain.
His brothers were standing in the room, wide eyed, and very concerned- they hadn't seen Oakley in this state either. While deciding what to do next, I hear Asher starting asking Oakley a bunch of questions that he was reading off of the laptop computer screen. Questions like, "Oakley, can you raise up both arms above your head?" "Do you have any numbness in your face?" After a few more, I realized Asher had Googled "headache" and the search had brought up symptoms of a stroke. He was going through the checklist because he was obviously very concerned for his brother. This same brother who he seems to be arguing worth 80% of the time they're in the same room. It was a redeeming moment in their relationship. When it comes down to brass tacks, they do love one another. I needed to see that for the sake of my Mother Heart, there really is love between the endlessly quarreling siblings.
Oakley did finally get some relief from his headache and I received renewed hope that the boys do have love for another behind all of the arguing.
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