I’ve had a really hectic week.  Make that a really hectic month! We had multiple appointments almost every day for four weeks straight.  We even had appointments to get to on some weekends.  I’m not trying to get any sympathy, just stating the facts.  Last month was BUSY with a capital B.  It was also difficult.  Lately, I’ve been a little bit overwhelmed with my family’s very full schedule.  I know something’s got to give, but trying to eliminate one appointment or therapy visit isn’t the answer.  That won’t work because whatever we miss will likely have to be rescheduled for another day on another busy week.  That isn’t a relief and just prolongs the busy and the difficult. 

I’ve finally committed to remembering to take care of me after putting myself and my needs on the back burner for too many years.  After neglecting some of my own health needs, I carved out time to finally catch up.  I now have weekly appointments to schedule, to remember and to get to.  Trying to squeeze everyone’s stuff on our calendar takes careful planning.  Inevitably, everything we need to get to doesn’t fit.  I don’t like to be the one who has to chose who’s getting shoved to the bottom of our list.  In the past it used to be my stuff that had to go.  I’d be okay with that now if I were spending time doing activities that didn’t matter—like trips to the salon, meeting up with friends at the coffee shop or doing some retail therapy.  But, my appointments have become just as important as everyone else’s. 

Our entire family is so busy right now that I have had to schedule when I can get to the grocery store.  That happens in the only 2-hour time block I have open on Mondays.  I know at some point I need to slow down and open some more time on our calendar, but “slow” is not an accurate word to use to describe my five on-the-go children.  To keep track of everything we’ve got to do, I carry our schedule with me electronically.  It’s the only way I can make sure I know which child should be by my side, to remember where we need to go and to also know when we have to be there.  Using my cell phone, I check the calendar on it several times a day.  I do this to make sure I haven’t forgotten anyone or anything.  If I’m not picking up or dropping off one child one day I’m picking up and dropping off two children to back-to-back appointments another day.  Sometimes the appointment locations are close to each other, but other days I’m driving across town through traffic hoping to arrive at the next destination on time.  We usually get where we need to as close to on-time as possible, but we have had some tight squeezes. 

The clinic or groups we see are very aware of our situation and of how many things I’m currently juggling.  Thankfully they don’t fuss when we walk in late.  It helps that we’ve had a chance to create good relationships with all of our providers and with people I am advocating with in our community.  They all understand the pressure of raising kids and give me a simple nod and smile letting me know they get it, and to relax, Mom, it’ll all work out.  I appreciate that because I’ve messed up their schedule by being really late other times or when I’ve shown up to an appointment on the wrong day altogether.  For the first time ever last month, I triple booked myself!  I was truly embarrassed and disappointed that I messed up.  I quickly apologized to the two providers I had to cancel with and headed to what I considered to be the most important of those three appointments:   the one where I was interviewed about autism, vaccine injury and Ronan’s journey.