Timmy spent another fantastic weather day outside, playing and enjoying the warm temperatures. Without prompting he discovered the joys of tree climbing. My little daredevil quickly scaled past his brother's favorite branch, opting for the higher limbs. I managed to steer him towards a smaller tree. Going to a high branch in a small tree is thrilling for him without putting my mommy anxiety in overdrive.
Robby has class in Fairfax throughout the afternoon, providing Timmy and me with a three-hour window of time to fill. Because it's raining I think we'll head to his favorite indoor playground to look for buddies and to play. Hopefully, the rain will drive others to a similar decision because it is always more fun when there are lots of kids.
At some point, I need to get my ducks in order to fight the insurance company. Honestly, I just haven't had the energy. But I know that they count on the exhaustion of patients, so I refuse to let them win. This weekend I'll work on getting all my paperwork in order.
While I'm able to walk, I'm definitely not comfortable. I know that the discomfort is adding to my fatigue and frustration. It's time to gain control over the situation!
Yesterday Timmy enjoyed his first day of Animal Parks school. He was excited to join his new buddies on the carpet circle, careful to make sure he was sitting squarely on the alligator image. He was squirmy through the story, but compared to some of the other kiddos he was fairly tame. He was attentive, polite and waited for his turn. I could not have been prouder of my little Hamlet!
The only time Timmy struggled was during the time to pet the baby ducks. For some reason, he was apprehensive about approaching the cage by himself. Rather than seeking my assistance, he walked right past me and reached for Robby's hand. Robby was patient and accompanied his brother to the front of the classroom, encouraging him to touch the baby duckling.
After the class was over, we spent the afternoon playing at the animal park. Robby shadowed several of the zookeepers, learning about each animal and assisting when possible. After forging a relationship, I overheard him ask about an internship. Unfortunately, he needs to be 14. He was disappointed, but we were left with the impression that the zookeepers are willing to take him under their wing whenever possible. We are considering his participation as an unofficial, junior intern.
The boys came home from the park sun-soaked and covered with dirt. My body was tired from walking with a compromised gait and my limb was sore from the ill-fitting liner. If I hadn't been in discomfort, it would have been the perfect day.
In our podcast Amp'd, Dave and I discussed the current trend towards efficiency in O&P. Like everywhere else across this country, O&P facilities are striving to squeeze the most out of their most valuable resource- their employees. Because the current payment structure only provides compensation for the delivery of a device and not for the time spent during visits or modifications, prosthetists are under increasing pressure to make as many device deliveries as possible.
The pressure to increase delivery has forced many prosthetists to decrease the amount of time spent with the patient. The time that is devoted to patient care is more efficient, at least, that is the goal. Unfortunately, at times the patient relationship suffers in the strive for efficiency.
It was an interesting topic to discuss. I hope you enjoy the podcast!
Another beautiful, albeit colder, is on tap for today. I know my little Hamlet will love spending his afternoon playing in the sunshine. Yesterday we were able to spend most of the morning and afternoon outside. While he was running around, exploring and playing in his treehouse, I was slowly but surely getting my yard ready for summer.
My leg, still in an entirely too small liner, definitely felt the increased activity. The bottom of my limb was cherry red when I went to bed. Thankfully this morning the skin has turned to a strawberry pink hue. Definitely not ideal, but better than bright red so I'm trying to be optimistic.
I'm hoping that the new liner arrives today. Waiting is frustrating, not only because of my own discomfort but also because it serves as a constant reminder that the insurance company is driving my care. Because of their red tape, I'm forced to stymie my activities and hobble around in discomfort. I became so angry when I am faced with their barriers to care. We all deserve better!
Wish my strongest allergy medicine coursing through my body, I head outside into the pink flower assault on Saturday. I had planned to work in the yard all day, getting ready for the change in seasons. Somehow the chores I laid out gradually morphed into the kids playing baseball, jumping on the trampoline and lighting the firepit. They were having too much fun for me to become frustrated. Instead, I decided to just relax and enjoy the day.
I managed to put away the snow toys and install my pretty solar lights. Other than that, the sticks are laying in the yard and our garden has remained untouched. I thoroughly enjoyed playing with both Robby and Timmy. Sometimes, chores can wait!
Yesterday it was too windy to play outside, so we brought the fun indoors. Timmy and I played hot lava for hours. For some reason, he finds hopping down the hallway onto the "safe zone" pads both hilarious and wildly entertaining. I became a little bored with the game, but his enthusiasm and giggles were enough to keep me playing all afternoon.
We had a great weekend doing nothing more than playing. Even though I look around the house at everything that I should have been working on, playing was much for fun. Sometimes, we all need a little downtime and escape from reality.
