Update May 6, 2023

News

Saturday

So, Saturday was another hard day. First, Aaron got a reminder email for an autism assessment appointment for D13 on Monday. 10am. I definitely didn’t make it because I’m stepmom. They wouldn’t have called me. So either Aaron or his ex-wife made an appointment and didn’t bother telling me. There would be a $300ish fee for cancelling.

M10 also has an appointment at 10am that day. $250 fee for cancelling that. Plus, I have Butt Bazooka Boy (IL4) that day. Aaron has a meeting at 10. Aaron’s ex has an appointment at 9:50. I can’t do D13’s appointment alone because I’m not a biological parent or legal guardian.

After much stress on my part, I decided that Aaron can put M10 on his appointment virtually at 9:45, and then be available by phone at 10 for D13’s appointment (after rescheduling his meeting). I found a babysitter for IL4.

Also, I was wondering why IL4’s been above and beyond crazy all week (his teacher and D13 both commented on it too). I Googled whether laxatives can cause hyperactivity. Apparently Miralax is associated with neurobehavioral issues in kids. So…at least I’m not going insane. It really is him and not me.

Oh. And IL4 has pink eye for the third time in this calendar year.

Sunday

Sunday I wrote a letter to a pen pal in Virginia and had family day. We watched more Firefly (it was Aaron’s choice). M10 had a show. IL4 completed his evacuation regimen (still needs doctor’s approval) and will start the two month “mush and push” regimen. During this period, he will, in theory, learn to poop in a happy, healthy manner. He will be given half a cap of Miralax and some Exlax every day for a couple of months. We found out Monday’s meeting was Zoom that didn’t require D13, but she had another appointment Tuesday. That one was easier to plan. I just moved some stuff around.

Monday

Monday was a good day (finally some relief). The appointment that I’d been so worried about went smoothly because it was zoom, so I was able to put IL4 on the bus, M10 on his virtual appointment, and attend this appointment. After his morning class, IL4 and I did some gardening. I was trying to prune, but he ran around and partially pruned every shrub, then ran to the backyard and tried to plant some firewood in a pot. When he was done with all that hard work, I followed him back inside.

I then made a plan for our vegetable garden. D13 wants cauliflower and sweet peppers. IL4 wants blueberries and strawberries. I want tomatoes. We have some raised beds that I’m going to put some of that in, the rest will go into pots. I decided after all that, we probably won’t have money for flowers this year. I’m not sure I will be successful planting blueberries and strawberries, but I can try.

After all that, I took M10 to baseball practice and then to Boy Scouts.

Tuesday

Tuesday started out with a visit to the vet. $400 later, we know that Polyphemus is healthy, with a healing eye. Then I took D13 to her autism assessment. I don’t think she has autism, but her therapist thought it would be helpful to check. That completed, she and I went fancshy-smancshy [insert name of swanky Twin Cities suburb] bowling. Leather couches and a fireplace and everything. Aaron took M10 to baseball practice while I ran around outside playing “bad guy – officer” with IL4.

Wednesday

Wednesday started out with a podiatry appointment for my occasionally crippling plantar fasciitis (I need to do a better job on my physical therapy). It’s been ok for the past week, but for about 3 weeks before that, there were days that I was strongly avoiding walking because it was so incredibly painful. He gave me a referral for some orthotics, which I’ve been avoiding getting because they cost about $200. But losing money because I can’t work is more than $200.

Then I went on a large shopping trip that I was rather peevish about in the end. I went to the fancy upscale grocery store because I prefer their salmon (I’m squimish about salmon skin, and this store removes the skin). I decided to do my whole shopping trip there because I didn’t want to go to two stores and this store bags the groceries for you (which I love). But the store didn’t have several items that I was specifically looking for, which meant I had to go on another shopping trip the next day. Plus, there was only one lane which was manned, and the line was super long, so I had to go through the self-checkout and bag my own groceries.

D&D followed, which was fun. Then I got a note from my bariatric clinic saying my ozempic would probably not get a preauthorization because they weren’t accepting obesity and prediabetes as sufficient – but that the clinic would try anyway. (I found out on Friday morning that my insurance had approved the preauthorization, though, so I feel better about that.)

Thursday

Thursday was partly a good day, partly not. It was a beautiful day out, which was nice. I went outside to make plans in the garden. I think I mentioned that IL4 wants to plant blueberries? Well we have four raised beds in our yard. Two of them are in the sun, and two in the shade. The ones I want to grow the blueberries in are longer, and they are unfortunately in the shade. On top of that, the soil in all four beds is riddled with landscaping rocks – makes no sense to me. Previous owner was apparently using them as a gate to block off a corner of the yard so her dog wouldn’t get out. So maybe she considered them a garbage heap. 🤷‍♀️

So over the course of the summer, I will empty all four beds and put the rocky soil on a weedy part of the lawn that we plan on mulching with wood chips eventually. I will get rid of the two short beds and move the big ones into the sunny spot. Then I will refill with acidic soil and composted manure. Next year, the beds will be ready for blueberries! (He’d better still want them.) As for this year, we have four pots and a decorative planter. We’ll plant two tomatoes and two peppers, and then flowers in the decorative planter.

Then, I was told that my client is moving into assisted living, and I’ll be out of a job. That was depressing.

Later, M10 had his 5th grade concert. He sang parts of “We Are the Champions” as his solo.

Friday

Friday I had the yearly maintenance done on the furnace. He talked me into getting my ducts cleaned soon (it needs to be done) and tried to talk me into some expensive gadgets to reduce allergies. But it seemed more aimed at dust – M10’s problem is pollen. IL4 went to speech therapy, where he successfully showed off his new v sound. M10 had his D&D session followed by his show.

Week’s Photos

Reading to IL4

• Super Rabbit Boy’s Team up Trouble, by Thomas Flintham
• Super Cheat Codes and Secret Modes, by Thomas Flintham
• Super Rabbit Boy’s Time Jump, by Thomas Flintham
• Robo-Rabbit Boy, Go!, By Thomas Flintham

M10 reading

• School of Fear, by Gitty Daneshvari

D13 reading

• Exile, by Shannon Messenger