Yes, it's that time again. It's Really Real Post time!
I have neither the energy nor the time for a blog post but I feel compelled to post. As hard as everyone tries to make life seen fine and fabulous on social media and elsewhere, I'd like to share some truth. Sometimes, one day after another can be a challenge. It seems like things happen all at once. I'm going to let you take a peek inside my world this week. Before we dive in, let me say that I love my life. I'm blessed to be here and I'm not complaining. It's just a reminder that everyone has something going on in their life that you know nothing about. It would be good if we all remembered that.
Let's get started. For a moment we are going to back in time a bit. When I graduated from college I went into sales job immediately after graduation. I stayed in sales for a year and then moved to a customer service call center job. That is where I learned to respect the effect of a full moon. If you don't believe that things go a little weird when there's a full moon, go work in a call center and then get back to me. All of my fellow call center alums can tell you. Since I'm so experienced with the weirdness that comes with the full moon, I can often tell you what cycle of the moon we're in without even checking the chart or looking in the sky. No joke. You'll still hear me say, "It must be a full moon." I said it multiple times this week before checking this...

https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/usa/lexington-fayette

With enough exposure, you too can be a moon whisperer.
So, what has to happen in my world for me to say "It must be a full moon"?  Here's my week in my trademark bullet style.

• My work days have been more hectic that usual. I am a person who loves technology but I have to have a planner. There's something about making lists and writing down appointments and logging my work that not only makes very happy, but it helps cement things in my old brain. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that every planner page this week is completely full. There are no more spaces on the to do list side of the page, and I logged work an appointments in every inch of the schedule side. Not only has there been volume, there have been new and different issues to deal with. I love (and I mean love in that unnatural level of excitement and fulfillment) when I can solve a problem. If someone gives me a problem, I see it as an opportunity and I do my very best to work through the details and get some resolution. Sometimes sheer volume of work slows me down but I try. I really do. This week has been a bit of a test. If that were the only thing on my plate this week, I wouldn't be writing this post. That's just bullet one.
• So then there's the whole "I'm a week out from surgery" situation. Add the fun that brings with it to the lists for both professional and personal. I try my best to wrap things up and prepare everyone for my absence and inability to do my normal stuff.
• I was referred back for PT prior to surgery because, well, I'm pretty high maintenance in the medical/health department. The turnaround was pretty quick and we needed to fit in as many sessions as possible before surgery. My surgeon's office and my PT office were on it and we got things setup and ready to go and then we had to wait on approval from insurance. I will not complain about my insurance because both companies that have covered me over the past 2 1/2 years have been pretty great. I will say that the approval process could go a little faster, especially with something time sensitive. I'm blessed to be able to say that my providers are not just fabulous at what they do, they are fabulous humans and they were prepared to make sure I got the treatment I needed regardless of what the insurance company said. How refreshing is that?! Strangely, when I went to my appointment this afternoon and we finished treatment and were talking about options for next steps, my case worker at the insurance company called and said that my visits were approved. What an experience that has been.
• It's also the last week of school before Christmas break. Lots to do and lots of kid-related bullets. This one will get its own sub-list
• Last tumbling session of the semester on Monday night
• Scouts on Tuesday night (G)
• The school Christmas play on Tuesday night (M)   (it lasted 2 hours)
• Tuesday night M's cough got progressively worse and she was feeling really crappy on Wednesday morning. Then she spiked a temp and lost all color in her face. I whisked her off to the doctor. When we arrived, she asked me if she had to walk into the office. If you know our kid, you know that is WAY out of character. If she isn't talking and doesn't want to move, you KNOW that she is feeling horrible.  We get her checked out. The quick test for strep is negative, we'll have to wait on the 48 hour test to be certain. Her chest sounds clear, her ears look good and they aren't concerned about flu. We are told that we should just be able to manage the symptoms and let them know if she gets worse. We get back to my parent's and I give her some Motrin, tuck her in on the couch and then lock myself in the office and finish my work day. I mention this, since we're being open, because I have a work problem (I like to work) and it causes me a great deal of Mom Guilt...we'll talk about that in another post)
  Happily, after sleeping for a few hours, she seemed to feel a little better. Before and after the appointment she said her ear hurt but the doctor didn't see anything so I thought it might just be pressure.
• Fast forward to today. I had PT in the afternoon (rescheduled from earlier in the day due to the insurance situation) so my lovely parents kindly pack the kids and I in their car and drop me off at PT. They watch my littles while I'm getting treatment. When I come outside to get in the vehicle, I open the door and M is in tears. I ask her what's wrong and she says that her ear is hurting really bad. You know, the same ear that was fine just 24 hours before. With the tears, I know she is in real pain. Mommy (and grandparents) to the rescue! I call the pediatricians office and they have an opening in five minutes. Papaw gets us there on time (luckily all of our medical stuff is relatively close together) and we are in an exam room within 10 minutes of my call. Yes, they rock!
  The doctor looks in her ear and turns to me (and I'm not exaggerating here) and mouths "OH...MY...GOSH"  She proceeds to explain to me that her ear looks so bad and there's so much pressure in there that it's likely to rupture. Thank you, Full Moon. In 24 hours we went from nothing to exploding ear. It happens. Don't play around folks!
  So back to our story. They give her a dose of ibuprofen before we even leave the office. They prepare me for what is likely to happen when it blows. Don't panic if weird stuff starts coming out of her ear, she said. Oh, ok. I'll do my best. EEK!
• The fun of the full moon doesn't stop there. Oh No. The doctor kindly calls in a heavy duty antibiotic. She tells me to get it quickly and get a dose in her. My folks get us all back to their house and then I head out to pick up the prescription. I go to the counter for pickup. They can't find it in the alphabetically sorted hanger bag section. The tech checks with the pharmacists are appear to working frantically on about a million prescriptions. They can't seem to find it anywhere. They ask me to come around to the other window so the nice lady can check per pile if baskets and the computer to see if we can find it. She asks for name and birthday. I give it to her and she says she doesn't have anything. At this point it's after 5 PM, doctor's office closes at 5. YAY!
  I call the medical exchange number in hopes that they will page the nurse and she get the on call doctor to help out. This has never happened before (I keep thinking FULL MOON) and I can't believe that they failed to send the prescription. I reach a LOVELY woman (SARCASM ALERT) at the exchange and I explain my situation to her. I just saw the doc, my precious daughter's ear drum is about rupture and I need to get the antibiotics started as quickly as possible. Rather than telling me "I will be happy to help you. I will page them immediately and we'll get you taken care of." She actually says to me, "You know, it's not instant. It takes time."
  Let's stop here and review. I could go on about sensitivity, professionalism, courtesy and the bond between a mother and her children. Let me just say that if I could have gone through the phone at this chick, you would have seen my smiling face on the 11 o'clock news.
  
  
   
  
  
  I proceeded to the advise the jackass on the other end of the phone that my daughter needed her medicine, the office is closed and I would like her to page someone who, I'm sure, would be kind enough to help me.   I hung up and called my darling husband and lost my crap on him. For any readers of the male persuasion, let me explain something very frustrating about your female friends and loved ones. There's this weird thing that happens when, otherwise tough, women get angry/infuriated. We tend to cry. I know! It makes no sense to us either. Every woman knows what I'm talking about. Our first reaction is not to punch someone (well, that might have been my first reaction TODAY but...) or loose our cool in public. When the emotion has no other way to escape here come the tears. It's SO annoying. Anyway, I tear up telling Bobby what happened - not because my feelings were hurt but because I was furious. As I'm talking to him the doctor calls back.  She confirmed that the Rx had been sent but she was sending it again just in case. I thanked her and, before saying goodbye, I told her about the jackass at the exchange. She said, "As a matter fact it IS instant and I'm sorry you had to deal with that." I so love them.
  Just when you think that the story couldn't get any weirder/more frustrating...
  I walk back into the pharmacy, go straight to the window where the pharmacist was that told me there was no Rx. There was someone ahead of me and I heard her say that the wait would be about 90 minutes. (GRRRRRREAT!). When it's my turn, I step to the window and tell her that the doctor said it was sent before we left the office but she had just sent it again. The nice pharmacist walks to the computer and asks me to confirm the name and birthday. Her expression changes from one of exasperation to...I'm not sure what. She won't look me in the eye but she half smiles and says "It's ready." I said," I'm sorry what?!" She points to the pick up line and says "It's ready."
  Do you see what happened there? Are you wondering how I was able to control my rage? For those of you that might not have picked up on it, she initially told me they didn't have a script for M. I went through that whole exercise of talking to the jackass, bothering the doctor, crying on my husband and then pulling it all back together only to be hit with the realization that THEY HAD THE SCRIPT THE ENTIRE TIME. It took me less than 3 minutes from the time the doctor told me she re-sent the Rx to get to the window. Miraculously, the prescription was already waiting on me. What great service! NOT  My guess is that she either spelled the name wrong the first time or had the wrong bday. Seriously? I know things happen but WOW. It was a day of one thing after another. Thankfully, after waiting in line for another 15 minutes, I had the meds and I was out!
• I was going to bake for the kids' parties tomorrow but I just didn't have it in me anymore. So store bought cookies it will be! (Another reason I'll never get mother of the year). I did take care of the $5 gift for the classroom exchanges and teacher gifts so I'll count those as wins!  Yay me!