Mommy Moments
By Melanie Lewis
Back-up Plan
“Hey wing nut, where’ve you been?” my neighbor asked me. “Well, coconut, I’ve been in the sick-ward since May”, I responded.
It was true; I had been out from mid-May to mid-July. How does a stay-at-home mom of two kids under the age of six parlay her responsibilities with no warning of impending illness? It was a day-to-day riddle to be solved. Before anyone would dare step in the door, I needed to be cleared of carrying a contagious disease. Even my husband put me in solitary confinement. I swore my illness bore no resemblance of the flu, or at least of any variety propagated in the Petri-dish called school and delivered by my sweeties. I was whisked away to the doctor’s office for a complete examination. For the journey, I had to wear a mask dug out from under the work bench last used to sand and refinish furniture. It did not help my nausea. It turns out that the room-spinning, stomach-turning illness was no other than BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo.) Basically, I had rocks in my head- or rather inner-ear. I’m sure my many acquaintances could have confirmed that for free.
Now, the help could arrive. I couldn’t move without turning green, so I made one call to a connected friend from church. After a brief explanation, she brought in a visiting nurse. She was of the Florence Nightingale variety and could hold my hair back while I leaned over the toilet with real fortitude. She held up better than my sorority sisters did back in the ole’ college days anyway. This magnificent woman cleaned, cooked and even read stories to the kids. After a couple of weeks the dizziness subsided and I had to let her go. Meanwhile, a friend shuttled the kids to their respective activities and babysitters. I found the High School guidance counselor to be a great resource at recommending some really helpful, kid-friendly sophomore girls. They arrived fresh from central costuming which included rainbow hair colors and dynamic grunge attire. Despite their tough-look, they had great energy, enthusiasm and were very trustworthy.
So what’s the moral of this story? Be prepared in the event you are not able to care for your kids should you become injured or ill. Get the phone numbers of caregivers and housecleaners who do not need a year’s contract. Have them in a handy spot where someone can get them. I made a little notebook and put it in a drawer of my desk. Don’t be certain that relatives and friends can be around the great many hours you’ll be in need. You will likely need outside help, often specialized in a medical field. Have your metaphorical diaper bag packed and ready to go at all times. You never know when you need a backup plan.
Melanie Lewis is the mother of two boys, ages 3 and 5. She is married to a self-described geek and works part-time. She enjoys reading, gardening and playing with her Blue-mitted Ragdoll cat Percy and Golden Retriever Rosie.