Saturday, July 2, 2011

Coming to terms...

NaBloPoMo... day 2

Click on the pic to learn more about NaBloPoMo
When we first found out I was pregnant I was a working girl. Moving up in the company and happy in my position. I had no intention of quitting my job to become a hOuSe wIfe... uh no! Anthony had expressed his preference of me staying home, but didn't push the subject on me in any way.
 Then... when I was around 29 weeks along, I got sick with Toxemia and landed in the hospital for a few weeks before they induced me just shy of my 32nd week.



Here I was... released from the hospital without my tiny, 4lb, baby girl. I had to leave her there in the NICU. No way of knowing how she was at all times. Yes, I spent lots of time there, but its not the same.

It was during that time I decided that my career wasn't so important after all. Gods way of showing me maybe??



And then I was a stay at home mom.



Justin was born 14 months later(no, not on purpose). Justin was full term, healthy and just as beautiful as his sister. Granted, during the first few weeks he was home I really did want to run away. Having a new born and a 14 month old was not easy to adjust to at first. I had Anthony neutered right after Justin was born :)



I had fallen into my new position surprisingly easy and being home turned out to be a blessing when Justin was a little over a year old. That's when all the appointments started. I don't know how I would have had time to work. We spent four days a week in a therapy office on top of neurology appointments, test after test... after test. Constant ear infections turned out to be an IGA deficiency and ear tubes(twice). This just touches the surface of it all, but is not the reason for this post so I will move on.



Once the kids started school... I found my new calling as a volunteer. I did a little to much of this, but I loved it. It kept me busy and the schedule was somewhat flexible for me to advocate for Justin's needs. I've done a whole lot of advocating over the past seven years. It was hard, stressful and probably the most important thing I've done aside from just being a mom. Again, how do working people with special needs children(diabetic included) do this?? It can become a full time position all in itself.



When the economy took a huge hit... financially, so did we. We held on in hopes that it would get better, but a significant loss in income coupled with a added need of costly medical supplies after Justin was diagnosed; faced me with the reality of going back to work. This may be hard for some people to understand, I was one of those people 12 years ago, but this was heartbreaking for me. I haven't even been able to rewrite my blogs profile info. Doing that would mean that I have to come to terms with my new reality(can you believe that is what inspired me to write this post).
  I started substitute teaching in September of 2009. This was perfect. Flexible with the continuous doctor appointments. I could still volunteer and I love being at the school and in the classroom. Problem was... the pay sucks and its not steady. The other dilemma I faced was the lack of consistency. With D in the mix and with my personality(mostly with my personality) I needed more of a schedule. It was throwing me off to not know if I was working until the morning of on most days.



So when I got a call last August about a part time administrative assistant job in an accounting department(right up my alley)... I ended up taking it. They knew I was going to continue to sub and were more than willing to work with me.



I did both all last year. I came to realize that I needed the consistency of a schedule even more than I thought I did. It calmed me. Put things back in some form of order.



When summer vacation started closing in... I was faced with yet another decision. I don't work enough(only 3 days a week at this job) to make day care cost effective. Though my kids are old enough to stay home... diabetes at home alone was a different story.



In truth, I wanted to take the summer off, but I had to be honest with myself and admit that I really couldn't do that without consequences financially. As it was... I would loose the income from subbing. This was REALLY hard to face and it has taken me a long time to do it.



After lots of stressing and talking and thinking; Anthony and I decided that he would take take a day off opposite me whenever possible. His other day off is always Sunday. This meant that the kids would be left home alone two days a week for six hours a day. Scared the crap out of me from a diabetes perspective.



When the day came for me to leave them home... I was terrified. I have relied a lot on Leighanna(even more so than usual) to keep Justin in check and she is doing a great job. I couldn't ask for a better big sister than my 4lb preemie has become.



So I'm coming to terms.




I would love more than anything in the world to continue to be a stay at home mom, continue volunteering and eventually advocate for others. After all, that is where my heart is.


But reality is that I need to work. I even need to get serious about going full time and have faith that the kids will be okay with me not being at school all the time.



AND as difficult as it is... I need to update my profile info and come to terms with the path that life has taken. 



7 comments:

Joanne said...

What a wonderful post, Lora... I loved learning more about you and the road you've travelled to get to where you are now. Justin is so lucky to have not only a great Mom, but a pretty terrific big sis too!

You've done well, Momma!

Misty said...

Lora, I felt my heart in my throat as I was reading this, because I know what a struggle this has been for you to "come to terms". You are amazingly strong, as are your beautiful children. They will be ok. And how wonderful for J to have such a fab big sister! Love you, no matter what your profile says ;)

Alexis Nicole said...

Seriously a great post. What a sweet girl! Love hearing all about you.

Amy said...

I am so happy I demanded you post more. See what happens? You write this beautiful post giving us not only more background to you and your family (a peek into the past) but you also allowed us to walk with you through your 'coming to terms' of life changes that so many of us face.

It sounds like you are riding the ebbs and flows of the various choices and decisions to be made, all while being atuned to what your sweet kiddos need.

And, you have a fabulous set on friends to support you! ;)

Sarah said...

Coming to terms...that's a hard one for me, too. Thanks for sharing your journey, sounds like you're ready for the next big step whole heartedly. :)

LaLa said...

What a wonderful post. I learned so much about you --- seriously I had no idea your kiddos were 14-months apart. WTF? I was still telling Jim to back the F off at that point. :) I kid! Well, sort of!

Anywho --- thank you for sharing your journey. I enjoyed learning more about you and will pray for your peace of mind.

I honestly need to go back to work too but damn D ---- Nate is just so young but it is a reality I may be facing soon. Thank you for being such a wonderful inspiration!

Hallie Addington said...

Oh Lora! This hurts my heart. Because I get it. I have always worked. And I'm still working even with D in the mix. It's really hard. Really, really hard. But not working is not a choice I have for many reasons. So I get it. I know how scary it is. But I also know you are awesome and so are your kiddos! You will make it work. And it will be just fine!

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