Wednesday, February 7, 2018

This would make me tired given the early start, late end and lack of sleep. I think if you replace kids with dogs it probably looks like a lot of people's schedules, but that doesn't make it any less overwhelming or tiring just because a lot of people live in an over-scheduled, under-slept state.

So I'd never say suck it up! It's your reality and it's damn hard to do day in and day out.

Good grief, Devon! That schedule sounds like you're a working single mother of six children with two jobs.

Yes, some people do live that way. They just don't live very long.

First of all, it amuses me to no end how similar your pack chores are to kiddo chores. I have two dogs but there is no going to the grooming shed! Also, a big difference is that kids grow and can eventually groom themselves.

Most work days, I am up 3:45-4:15 in the morning. If I am respecting bedtime, I am in bed by 9. I am not very respectful.

My absolute down time is mostly on-the-couch on the computer but it is our family social time. On a 10 hour work day, that is about 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours for the day....split 1/3 morning and 2/3 evening.

I don't do clubs. And, I don't do regularly scheduled volunteering. I avoid extracurricular professional actives. I used to do all.

My lymphedema requires some special attention, everyday. It is only 30 minutes or so....but that adds up.

I have about 30-90 minutes of activity everyday (gym/walk/yoga) So, this is stuff I like, every single day. Do you have that?

I think if you compared my days off vs your days off, you would see massive differences in how we spend our time. I do have many hours spent on obligations: bill pay/shopping/food prep/family stuff/continuing education.

However, my time in nature is a big piece of the pie. It isn't unusual for total travel time to be 4 hours so if you add in the activity, plus moaning on the couch later, there isn't a lot of time for much else.

My neighbor, the one I hike with, has also been thru cancer. It colors your perspective. We both see following our passions, prioritizing self, as a necessity for health. Do I always get it done? No. But I no longer feel guilty claiming my leisure. Without it, I lose balance pretty easily. I can better see that now. It just took a few decades and a cancer diagnosis.

This is way too long. It was a day off so more time on couch equals increased word count. Now, relax!

It is a lot and not unlike mine. My morning looked like this:

up at 6:30 get showered and dressed, check emails from work for emergencies.

7:00 get kid up and give 30 reminders about getting dressed (he is adhd)

7:30 spend 40 minutes helping him with homework that should have been done last night due to his father not telling me he had homework.

810-820. Cajole him into getting his jacket etc etc on.and stop playing with the dog and begging him to please stop making me late for work every day. Walk him to school.

830am clean off my car and drive into work while Starting work calls from my car on Bluetooth

Wor****il around 6:30 pm

arrive at home at around 7:15pm. Make and eat my dinner

8pm start bedtime routine with kid

9pm check emails and respond to any urgent items. Make lunches for me and kid, do any meal prep, cooking or baking that needs to be done. Clean up kitchen, tidy up house 11pm, take a bath, surf social media till about 1am.

Yikes what a day Travelher. You are the energizer bunny!

ds

Yup! Sounds familiar.

147.8. Calories 591 72 C, 19 F and 53 P. Calories so low due to food aversion from starting the Cymbalta. Not noticing it so much today. 30 minutes on the treadmill.

Had my first counseling session last night and I think the therapist will be a good fit for me. She is about my age (maybe a little older) and lost her husband to pancreatic cancer 7 years ago. She had been a High School teacher and then a counselor and started her High School's Gay-Straight Alliance group so I think she is well versed in the issues I face. Mostly just telling her my story last night. Work will come later!

Speaking of work, I had a code with a new patient of mine today. Not a true needing to do cpr and defib code but blood pressure in the 70's and heart rate in the 40's. Makes for an exciting day. Patient doing well now, thank goodness!

Super busy day tomorrow. Derm appt. for DS #3 at 7:15 am, 9:30 haircut for me, 11:30 meeting with accountant for taxes and then lunch out at Red Lobster with DH. Lunch dates work better as he is not usually so tired during the day!

Paula

I think that's a new weight number in a while, isn't it? Whoa!

Your new therapist sounds like she was tailor-made for you! Again, whoa!

And you sound almost as busy as Devon.

Yep, weight down a bit - thankfully!

I'm glad you have found a good therapist. Good idea on the lunch date.