Sunday, November 24, 2013

Wash, Rinse, Repeat

Being a mom, actually being a parent as I'm sure dads feel this way as well sometimes, can be monotonous.  The husband left Wednesday morning for an out of town conference leaving me with four kids and lots and lots of work!

Naturally, last week was the time my shoulder decided to start hurting again.  Back in June I went through a few weeks of just excruciating pain in my back, shoulder and left arm.  I actually lost the use of my arm for a while as it was tingling in some places, numb in other, and so weak that I couldn't even lift a coffee cup.  Feeling that pain start to come back put me into a bit of a panic.  In June I was almost lucky enough to have everything happen while the kids were staying with their grandparents so the thought of having all that happen again but also having to care for the kids, by myself, was worrisome.  I made an appointment to have it checked out again and to see if perhaps another cortisone shot was in order.  My x-rays showed some calcium deposits and my pain this time around sounds like typical rotator cuff overuse whereas last time it seemed to be perhaps some rotator cuff but definitely more pinched nerve.  Thankfully, anti-inflammatories combined with everyday adjustments like not sleeping on my left side, not carrying my purse on my left shoulder and not carrying Maren on my left hip, seem to be helping enough and the pain has not progressed.  The doctor said if things do get worse I could get another cortisone shot so just knowing that is an option makes me feel a little better.

The doctor's appointment was a little reprieve from the monotony of get up and ready for work, get the kids up and ready, get everyone breakfast, clean up from breakfast, do a quick check to make sure everyone has everything they need (backpacks, mittens, hats, homework, lunches....) drop the little ones at my sister's house, rush the older kids to school, get to work, run home from work and stop at home to get dinner set out, pick the older kids up from school, pick the younger kids up from my sister's house, bring everyone home for dinner, clean up from dinner, pack a snack for Shannon, pack a lunch for Quinn, go over homework and the 20 extra sheets of paper sent home from the school, change diapers, wait, did I eat?, everyone upstairs for baths and pj's, read books to the little ones and get them in bed, have Shannon read to me, let the older kids just hang out in the "big bed," aka my bed, for a short time before tucking them into bed and fall asleep myself at a time when I used to just be thinking about going out and doing something in my younger days.  The alarm sounds at 6:00 a.m. the next morning and it's wash, rinse and repeat.

Needless to say, I'll be happy when the husband is back home to split up some of the monotony with as that allows me more time to really enjoy the fun times.  Like when Sully wants to sit next to me in the chair and "read" emails with me, or when Maren wants to practice walking, or watching Shannon and Quinn play together and they aren't bickering about anything.  It's all those reasons you put up with the monotony.