October 20, 2009 – 9:32 pm
I’m the mother of two wonderful boys who are unfortunately prone to allergies and asthma - and they take breathing treatments year round to keep their lungs in check. They really have no idea why they go through all of this but they know that it makes them breathe better. This fall has been pretty scary hearing and seeing all of the stories about the early start of the flu season as well as the H1N1 flu that my pediatrician called “very scary and highly contagious” last week when I took my little Z for his 2 year check-in appt. She highly recommended that both boys get both vaccines…so okay, I go out to the front desk and make appointments for them to get the vaccinations (Z got his regular flu shot that day, but they did not have any H1N1 at that time). As we are leaving, Dr. F comes over to me and tells me that she “forgot” that children prone to asthma (as mine are) should not get the vaccine nasal mists…only shots. She said it causes problems with their lungs and it isn’t like they don’t have enough problems there. So then I go back to the reception desk and tell them what I just learned and the response was “well, right now they are telling us to not make appointments for shots only because they don’t have any to give.” (mind you, Z just got a flu SHOT). So okay, I have my appointment and I keep it after they tell me to call the morning of the appointment and see if they have shots. I call this morning and am told they have only the mist vaccines. Ugh! So I make another appointment for Little A to go in next week…but they tell me that they are still waiting on their shipment of shots and I should call again that morning. This is beyond frustration. If they knew that asthma prone children NEEDED SHOTS and could not have the mist, shouldn’t that have been a priority to get those children in for shots???? Part of me really wants to call them and ask these questions. Will it get me anywhere? No. But sometimes I really wonder what are the priorities. There are plenty of parents out there who would prefer to give their children the nasal mist…and I would love to do that also. So I’m not sure why this is so difficult. Let’s see what happens next week.
By jen
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Posted in Frustrations, Life as a Mom
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Tagged asthma, asthma prone children, children with asthma, flu, flu shots, flu vaccines, H1N1 flu shot, H1N1 flu vaccine, H1N1 shot, H1N1 vaccine
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This post has been brewing in my mind for over 3 weeks.
On June 5th, National Donut Day, Dunkin’ Donuts had someone (their head chef, their CEO, cannot remember?) on The Early Show to announce a new donut that won a month long voting process - I of course voted, but not for the winner. After the announcement that “Toffee for your Coffee” had become the newest donut to join the DD ranks, I was set to go out and buy it that day…it was after all National Donut Day! Side note: Kudos to the person that manages their Twitter feed because that was where I was getting my information and pictures from the Early Show event while sitting at my desk at work (hope that my boss doesn’t read this…).
However, after my excitement had died down, I was really disappointed to see a tweet - which I confirmed on the DD web site (and it is still there) that the new donut would not be available at stores until September 2009! REALLY???? You announce a new donut and then put it out there 3 months later???? Is it really that hard to get the recipe out to the stores in May and have the donuts ready to be sold while the hype is out there. The Early Show people were enjoying the new donut…what about ME?????
I think that a huge opportunity was missed here by DD. I know, believe me I know, the inner workings of company politics and time needed to pull things together, but I just felt really jilted on June 5th by Dunkin’ Donuts. Make a big to-do and then make me wait. At least give me a date in September so I can plan to go to the nearest store.
I’m currently in Naples, Florida for Wiley’s sales meeting. I love the time in Florida and, to some extent, find it re-energizing to be away from home. But in turn, life is not moving at its usual hectic pace so it also gives me time to think and reflect. With Mother’s Day fast approaching, I often remember my mom around this time of the year. In 2006, Mother’s Day was the last time that I talked to my mom before she died on June 23rd. And before that, it had been Easter Sunday (beginning of April). What I remember most is how poorly our conversation went. I had taken great care that year to find her nice coffee mugs and some biscotti to have with her daily coffee. I was completely disappointed that day when she told me that she apparently misread the mailing label and thought that they were from my brother and sister-in-law (also named Jen). I was crushed. First of all, they wouldn’t mail her something since they live only 20 mins away. And why would my SIL buy her a Mother’s Day gift - their relationship was like oil and water most times. This also happened to be my FIRST Mother’s Day. Little A was 11 months old and I was celebrating my own rite to motherhood. Several people in my family circle, including my dad and my good friend, had sent me gifts. My mother did not send me anything and did not acknowledge MY Mother’s Day until the end when I told her that we were going out for dinner for Mother’s Day. Her response was “Oh yeah, this is your first Mother’s Day.” That was it. I was devastated. Obviously…because 3 years later I am still thinking about it.
Then she died. And a year later, I spent Mother’s day with my Dad and our family (extended). My brother and sister were so depressed that year and holed themselves into their own world. I reminded them that this was also my day and that though I missed our mother, I was going to celebrate my motherhood with my children. You’d have thought that I’d burned their souls. I’m heading back to NJ again this year to celebrate and I hope that it ends up better. I think that it will.
I’ve noted several times here that things with mom were not good for the last year of her life. We fought about everything from her dependence on pain medications to her insistence that my stepfather be called “Grandpa” - a horrifying request considering some of the things that happened between this man and her children…nothing physical but the emotional abuse in our home was choking and we could not wait to break free, even if it meant leaving her behind. So part of me feels extreme guilt and the other part is angry. And it seems to start every year around this week and drift away around the beginning of July. I know the reasons but I have trouble getting beyond it. I wish that I’d talked to her more those last few months, but it was unbearable listening to her recreate the past for her “own world” and give up her independent soul to make her husband happy and - as she put it - “make her life easier.”
My heart just ache sometimes…
My mother was a true-blood coupon cutter and she taught me well. I have always been a user of coupons when I do my grocery shopping. I’m also known for bringing a dining coupon with me to a restaurant. Lots of people find this surprising. Not sure why. But with these times of needing our money to stretch as far as possible, I’m now finding myself going the extra mile to save money. My last shopping trip(s) found me looking through the weekly circulars for where Kroger and Meijer to see where I would find the best pricing on the items I needed and then matching my coupons to the store with the best value on that item. Then I went to Meijer with my “Meijer List” on Friday lunchtime. And on Saturday (the next day), I went to Kroger with my “Kroger List.” I likely saved about $100 on the items that I bought/needed that weekend. It isn’t really about convenience anymore right now…it’s about getting my family the best value for our money. So markets be aware! I’m sure I am not the only person willing to do this! It is all about the pricing and my coupons now. Mom would be proud of me learning this from her and using it to better my family’s life.
My husband surprised me this year (hard to do) with a Wii Fit + balance board for Valentine’s Day. We don’t exchange Christmas gifts anymore but tend to go all out for V-day. Our Wii has hardly been used since we got it last year (my gift to him for his February birthday). However, since I opened the Wii Fit on Friday, February 20th, I’ve only missed 4 nights (including tonight) on the Wii Fit. As husband said last night after I did the Hula Hoop exercise for 6 minutes, “This was the best and most used gift I have EVER gotten you!” It is true! I love it.
I gained over 20 pounds when I moved from NYC/Northern NJ to Indiana in 2003 which I attribute to my general lack of walking and being active. I’ll put it out there…I weighed about 120 lbs. in January 2003. By March 2004 (when I had a final fitting for my wedding dress), I was at 127 lbs. Then two kids later, I weighed 143 lbs. in November 2008. So my main goal was to maintain my weight through the holidays and beginning January 5th, I set out on a calorie cutting diet and exercise regime to lose about 17 lbs and get myself back to the 125-127 lb. range. I ended up losing one pound (!) over the holidays - no clue how on earth I did this, but I’ll take it. Over the last 2 months, I’ve gotten down to 137 lbs. but seem to be stuck there. February was hard to get exercise in…kids were sick, work was busy, blah, blah. So now I am spending 4 nights per week on the Wii Fit along with 1-2 cardio sessions either at the YMCA or at-work training room. I’ll keep you posted on the progress, but my goal is to hit 130 by the end of April and, as a reward to myself, purchase a new dress for the Welcome Dinner at the May Sales Meeting on May 5th!!!!
