Phew.
Made it through the first couple of "prep" weeks at work. The real down-to-business work starts this coming week. And it will be my first three-day week. The last two weeks I have worked two days a week and even that was exhausting and required some scheduling forethought and planning.
I have not yet found my work groove. The transition back to work is harder than I had thought in some ways, although I do have a significant amount of support and help in making it work. At times I question my sanity over my decision to become a working mom. Having two girls in school full time makes it more doable but it still requires orchestrating the day so that there is coverage both in the early morning and in the late afternoon. My work schedule does not allow me to be here at both ends of the day - and on some days I can't be here for either time and need to rely on Rick and his mom to fill in the blanks. And I need to make sure we are all on the same page so everyone knows who is responsible for what. I am hoping that it is just a matter of time before we become accustomed to the busier pace and the schedule is just part of the fabric of our lives with only a little stitch here or a patch there to keep it going smoothly.
And please God, don't let anyone get sick. I have already suffered a head cold this past week and actually went into work thereby potentially infecting my coworkers. In my defense I was unsure whether I was suffering from allergies or a cold but now that Eldest girl developed the exact same symptoms I can be reasonably sure that I spread my 'joy' throughout the work environment last week. Anyone who is sick this week is going to blame me for it (rightly so). But me being sick is one thing - having to decide how to manage a sick kid (or two) at home might get a bit dicey because it will be the double edged sword of mommy guilt vs. work guilt with a sprinkling of guilt over leaving my sick kids in the care of another. Here's hoping they continue to be the hearty and healthy souls that they have been in the last few years.
I had other reasons for going in to work last week even though I felt like absolute crap. I am still unclear on my itinerant work schedule and was waiting to find out about a particular classroom where I might (or might not) be working. I had waited a reasonable amount of time for someone to get back to me on the issue and I had left her a voice mail message on her cell phone. But, if you followed my previous blog posts about this workplace you can probably already guess that the message went unanswered. So, I was left still wondering about my schedule and figured the best way to get the information I needed was to show up and get the answers face-to-face. It seems the only way to get any answers from certain individuals. Upon arrival I found out from a different source that I would not, in fact, be working in that classroom. I was relieved to hear this answer but a bit annoyed that someone else was given the information days before and yet no one felt it necessary to clue me in. I am still unclear about just what my third day of work will eventually entail but it is looking promising that I will be in a school district not far from my home. I will hopefully find out more this week.
The girls seem to be mostly adjusting to the fact that mom is working more now. It actually hasn't impacted the older girls greatly. Sometimes I am not here to get them off to school but usually I am the one getting them off the bus on those days. Youngest girl is having the most difficult adjustment because she is spending two days a week with my good friend/neighbor/walking buddy/daycare provider Lauri (just how many hats can one woman wear?). She is being very brave but she has let it be known that she is not thrilled with the arrangement. She becomes easily upset when people unexpectedly arrive at the daycare (even Lauri's daughter coming off the bus was seen as an unexpected intrusion by Youngest girl. Lauri explained that her daughter LIVES in the house so it's OK for her to be there which seemed to help Youngest girl calm down a bit! LOL). I am hopeful that this year her adjustment will increasingly improve (as opposed to last spring when things started out great and deteriorated over time). Last spring she was only there sporadically whereas this year she is there twice a week so the regularity might help the situation.
Today is Monday and one of my days off. I think I will like having this day to hang out with Youngest girl and get some errands done for the week. It starts the week off on a good note.
Speaking of getting started, I really need to take a shower and get dressed so Youngest one and I can make the most of our day together!
Showing posts with label stress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stress. Show all posts
Monday, September 08, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Best Laid Plans and The Unexpected Doctor Visit...
***Update at end of entry***
I finally got a phone call from the folks at the AAC center and was told that a contract was being drawn up for me and got some specific dates that they were hoping I could work. They had expected to do an eval today and I was thinking I might be going in today so I had set up childcare for both E (all day) and A (after school). When I got the phone call yesterday they told me that the eval for today was canceled. I figured I'd keep the childcare arrangements and have a "mental health day" for myself. But, you know the old adage about 'best laid plans', right?
This morning I went on my walk at 6am with my neighbor. When I got home at 7am I found out that A was having some leg pain and refusing to walk! She had complained earlier in the week of some pain but I dismissed it because it didn't seem to be impacting her activity level and because she only mentioned it when I suggested we take a nature walk (she can be hard to motivate for such things even though she has fun once we get out and do it). She had originally complained on Monday and on Tuesday morning she thought she might not want to go to gymnastics because of her leg. Again, it sounded like an excuse for no real reason and she actually went to gymnastics and did just fine.
She has been acting out of late and I have been wondering in the back of my mind if she is bothered by the thought of me returning to work - it's been a regular topic of conversation around here of late (as if you couldn't have figured that out given my recent blog fodder). Today Rick was going to drop her off at preK on his way to work and I wondered if she was reacting to that change in schedule. She was so adamant about the pain that I could not doing anything but keep her home. I was a bit annoyed thinking that maybe she was overreacting or faking it...
After we'd been home together for a few hours and she was literally refusing to move off the couch I knew she wasn't faking it. I called the pedi and they suggested bringing her in. Two hours later we left the office having had x-rays of her hip and leg done and blood work taken! I thought he'd say it was a muscle strain or something similarly innocuous. No such luck.
The suggestions of possibilities ranged from relatively innocuous (viral infection that moved into the hip called 'toxic or transient synovitis') to rather serious ('aseptic necrosis'...which was rather unsettling considering the fact that my own father had that when he was a boy and was in a hospital in traction for most of two years to fix it!!!). As well a few other possibilities of varying degree. The doctor was taking things seriously and ordered a battery of tests that would allow for a differential diagnosis one way or the other.
The doctor called a short while ago to let us know that the x-ray results were normal (phew!) which ruled out the more serious bone related possibilities ('aseptic necrosis' and some other equally evil sounding disease involving the hip joint). We are still looking at a viral or bacterial cause and the blood work should give us a better idea of what is going on. We'll know more later tonight and again in about 48 hours when the cultures come back. I'm leaning towards viral at this point since Andrea seems to be doing a bit better tonight after resting all day. The treatment for a viral infection is just to rest and give ibuprofen as needed. If I'm right she should be back to normal in under a week.
So, that was my day-off-turned-stressful-and-worrisome-day today! One thing I firmly believe is that everything happens for a reason (not always know to us right away...if ever). And today I was expecting to be at the eval that got canceled. Seems as if there was some divine intervention that meant I was home and was able to get Andrea to the doctor and get her the necessary tests. And because I kept the daycare slot for Eliza, it meant she didn't have to hang with us for two hours DURING lunchtime/nap time at the doctor's office! That would have just added stress and complications to the day.
I'm in the process of finishing off my second glass of wine for the evening and saying a prayer of thanks that A is doing much better and that the more serious causes have been ruled out. Sometimes I find that I take for granted the immense blessings of a healthy family.
**Update 3/14***
The doctor just called again to report that the blood work results have come back normal! So, the diagnosis (given lack of evidence pointing to anything else) is a viral infection of some sort which should clear up on its own. We are to check back in if things don't improve but so far A is doing much better today so I am confident that she will continue to improve.
I finally got a phone call from the folks at the AAC center and was told that a contract was being drawn up for me and got some specific dates that they were hoping I could work. They had expected to do an eval today and I was thinking I might be going in today so I had set up childcare for both E (all day) and A (after school). When I got the phone call yesterday they told me that the eval for today was canceled. I figured I'd keep the childcare arrangements and have a "mental health day" for myself. But, you know the old adage about 'best laid plans', right?
This morning I went on my walk at 6am with my neighbor. When I got home at 7am I found out that A was having some leg pain and refusing to walk! She had complained earlier in the week of some pain but I dismissed it because it didn't seem to be impacting her activity level and because she only mentioned it when I suggested we take a nature walk (she can be hard to motivate for such things even though she has fun once we get out and do it). She had originally complained on Monday and on Tuesday morning she thought she might not want to go to gymnastics because of her leg. Again, it sounded like an excuse for no real reason and she actually went to gymnastics and did just fine.
She has been acting out of late and I have been wondering in the back of my mind if she is bothered by the thought of me returning to work - it's been a regular topic of conversation around here of late (as if you couldn't have figured that out given my recent blog fodder). Today Rick was going to drop her off at preK on his way to work and I wondered if she was reacting to that change in schedule. She was so adamant about the pain that I could not doing anything but keep her home. I was a bit annoyed thinking that maybe she was overreacting or faking it...
After we'd been home together for a few hours and she was literally refusing to move off the couch I knew she wasn't faking it. I called the pedi and they suggested bringing her in. Two hours later we left the office having had x-rays of her hip and leg done and blood work taken! I thought he'd say it was a muscle strain or something similarly innocuous. No such luck.
The suggestions of possibilities ranged from relatively innocuous (viral infection that moved into the hip called 'toxic or transient synovitis') to rather serious ('aseptic necrosis'...which was rather unsettling considering the fact that my own father had that when he was a boy and was in a hospital in traction for most of two years to fix it!!!). As well a few other possibilities of varying degree. The doctor was taking things seriously and ordered a battery of tests that would allow for a differential diagnosis one way or the other.
The doctor called a short while ago to let us know that the x-ray results were normal (phew!) which ruled out the more serious bone related possibilities ('aseptic necrosis' and some other equally evil sounding disease involving the hip joint). We are still looking at a viral or bacterial cause and the blood work should give us a better idea of what is going on. We'll know more later tonight and again in about 48 hours when the cultures come back. I'm leaning towards viral at this point since Andrea seems to be doing a bit better tonight after resting all day. The treatment for a viral infection is just to rest and give ibuprofen as needed. If I'm right she should be back to normal in under a week.
So, that was my day-off-turned-stressful-and-worrisome-day today! One thing I firmly believe is that everything happens for a reason (not always know to us right away...if ever). And today I was expecting to be at the eval that got canceled. Seems as if there was some divine intervention that meant I was home and was able to get Andrea to the doctor and get her the necessary tests. And because I kept the daycare slot for Eliza, it meant she didn't have to hang with us for two hours DURING lunchtime/nap time at the doctor's office! That would have just added stress and complications to the day.
I'm in the process of finishing off my second glass of wine for the evening and saying a prayer of thanks that A is doing much better and that the more serious causes have been ruled out. Sometimes I find that I take for granted the immense blessings of a healthy family.
**Update 3/14***
The doctor just called again to report that the blood work results have come back normal! So, the diagnosis (given lack of evidence pointing to anything else) is a viral infection of some sort which should clear up on its own. We are to check back in if things don't improve but so far A is doing much better today so I am confident that she will continue to improve.
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