Some days this household is relatively normal. Other days it's not. You can decide which was true for us on Tuesday.
Xhevat starts work very early so he is usually half way done his day by the time I stay awake for my day. I say "stay awake" because we're trying to get Matias to sleep through the night. He's fine without a bottle but he still is occasionally waking up through the night. On top of that, Matias and I are both fighting colds which makes it harder for both of us to get through the night without waking. And then there's our dog... he loves to be a part of the action and has been known to whine when he isn't the center of attention or fully involved with what is going on. He is oblivious to the fact that his 90 lb frame may appear intimidating.
So this past Tuesday my happy, snotty nosed child awoke. I took him downstairs to offload him on the grandparents and couldn't help but enjoy watching the absurd interactions between the grandparents and their grandson... so I grabbed myself a coffee and decided to call it a start to my day.
A little later came a phone call from my sister. Since I have live-in childcare I could chat and not worry (too much) about what my son was doing. My dad, having been up for who knows how many hours, had taken the Beast out for a walk. Each day when they return he reports on how my dog behaved on the walk and anything they saw that was of interest. It was a nice day so JR went into the back yard after his walk.
Then came getting ready for the day. It was my bone strengthening infusion day. While I love its purpose, I don't appreciate the side effects. I ensured my "activity" bag was packed (non-essential things which require various levels of mental involvement to fill time depending upon my mental capabilities of that moment).
I then went through other checklists... Matias was fed and should be ready for his nap soon. His music, soother, and crib are ready. JR should be brought inside so that mom doesn't have to deal with him. I opened the back door and called his name. No JR. In the garage? No JR. Checked the back yard again... still no JR. Just as I was saying, "Dad, where did you put my dog?" I heard dad open the front door and saying, "How did you get here JR?" Yup, he got out the back gate and found his way to the front door of our house (a little more complicated being that our back yard has no direct access to our front door -- he must have gone down the back alley around at least half a dozen houses and come around to the front of our house). There was no time to think about my dog (although I did wish I had a "doggy-cam")... must get to my appointment on time.
I arrived a few minutes early for my appointment... and waited to get into the medical day unit and then waited even longer once I got in to start my infusion. It was a very busy day in the medical day unit but I got a gentle nurse who knows me. I've learned to appreciate how important continuity of care is from the patient's perspective. When my infusion started, I recognized that my parking would expire before my infusion finished (but I was attached to an IV pole and couldn't really move). Fortunately my chauffeur (aka Dad) also realized this and moved the car before a ticket was issued. Another friendly nurse made time in her busy day to give me a hug when she found out my diagnosis and reasons for getting the infusion -- much appreciated.
Dad and I returned home late. Xhevat had worked overtime and returned home late as well. Mom had prepared lunch for us.
While I was still feeling free from side effects, we got the crazy idea to go to the US for an outing. Down south we got some fuel and groceries, had dinner, and then dropped in on friends. Xhevat and I were exhausted and really pathetic guests. For a little pick me up, we had an ice cream cone just before the border and tried (and failed) to keep the boy awake while driving home. Another short border lineup and home at last.
We got home around 8 PM. Xhevat had been up for hours and I was starting to feel the effects of my infusion. After a few whimpers Matias was transferred into his crib and went back to sleep. The dog was fed and mom was kind enough to feed Matias his night feed. Xhevat and I crashed.
Just a little after 1 AM, we were awakened by some whimpers and then full on crying coming from Matias' room... and another day began.
This was just another day in our lives. As abnormal as life feels right now, there are many parts of our days that may be just like yours. Some things (like chemo and other medical appointments) can be booked weeks in advance and other things (like exercise, shopping, and going out for coffee) are written in pencil and are dependent upon how I'm feeling that day or that moment. As a new mom or an oncology patient, all that we can do is take one day at a time and make the best of the day that is before us.
No comments:
Post a Comment