The first week back sucks because....

OMG, let me count the ways! I was blessed to have 11 days off from work to visit family and spend time with my kids! (Ahhh, the best part of this recession and not being able to go.anywhere.all year. As in, I haven't been outside of TX and OK since May 2008! Good thing I like it here!)

The downside, of course, is returning to the chaos. This is why the first week back sucks:

1. My boss was in my office 3 times. Before 9am. With different 'opportunities' (which is code for MORE WORK!). All which were due between right-this-second and right-after-that.

2. It's cold. I'm okay with cold as long as Christmas is on it's way.... after that, I'm over it. I'd be happy to move on to sandal weather. That's why we moved to TX. (Okay, not the only reason why, but a major deciding factor...) Today's high? 24 or something. WTH? I don't even own the right clothing for that...

3. I'm fat. It's a combination of things.... I ate too much over the holidays... I've jogged twice in the last 3 wks.... my body is taking cues from the below-zero-wind chill and holding on to weight for warmth... (not totally sure that last one is based in scientific fact.... but it definitely could be.)

4. Some changes haven't come. Maybe I'm impatient to think that those stupid.crazy.long hours I've been working could have ended with 2009.... I even made a new year's resolution to work less. So it pissed me off to be back in the same trap this wk, working til late hours of the night (which definitely didn't help with #3!)

5. Illness. Okay, this is what has really set me over the edge this wk.... this is the part that isn't even a little funny...

January is notorious for illness, I know that, I expect that. I also expect parents to be responsible. G-man was exposed to RSV this week and it could have been prevented.... (little catch up for those that don't know... G-man had RSV - a respiratory virus that can be very serious in young kids - last winter at 5 months old and it was scary. His case was more severe and hard to shake, and we gave him breathing treatments from Dec to Apr. It caused him to develop asthma and he is considered high risk when it comes to anything respiratory related. We watch his breathing like a hawk with any cold because his breathing can turn on a dime.)

Long story short... a kid was diagnosed with croup (which can be caused by RSV) at an ER on Mon morning and was back in school on Tues and Wed. What sucks is that I'm friends with the mom.... and when she told me what happened on Mon, I told her how similar it sounded to G-man's rsv last winter.... but he exposed G-man for 2 days at school. A child in another class was diagnosed with rsv on Wed... and was back at school today.

Fast forward to last night and this morning... G is so hoarse he can't talk and has a horrible sounding cough. His breathing seemed 'thicker' early this morning... We decided to keep him home today to keep our eye on him (and to keep from exposing other kids, if he develops something!)

I found it insane that children with croup and rsv were returning to school so quickly! (G's case was more severe, I know, but he missed almost 2 wks!) But... without a fever.... parents are allowed to send their kids back to school, regardless of the rsv, regardless of the croup. As a parent (especially of a high risk kiddo!) this scares me, but I've been aware of the school policy: as long as kids don't have a fever, there's no other 'hard rules' governing kids being at school. So... it's up to the parents to do the responsible thing.

In the meantime, I'm giving G-man extra hugs to ward off the illnesses! ;)
And praying about tonight (it's always worse at night!)
And coming here for my therapy.... thanks, y'all!
And waiting (impatiently!) for spring.... I think I need a vacation!
And being kinda pissy. Okay, totally pissy. Tomorrow I'll find the bright side, the silver lining, the positives.... but for today... I'm just gonna be pissy. (Hope that's okay with y'all - I promise it won't last!)