As an old episode of the TV series “The Office” plays in the living room, my daughter, Coralynn, is falling asleep on the couch. Her mom, Jendi, is locked into her laptop, diligently working on her school lesson plans for the rest of the week. I’m on the recliner starting to doze off.
As I mentally prepare to lift myself off the couch and into the bedroom, Jendi asks me what my upcoming column is about. While in autopilot mode, I quickly start to answer that I haven’t finished it yet, as I have an extra evening to work on it. My deadline is Wednesday morning, so I will just crank it out on Tuesday night.
After an exhausting first day to start the work and school week, my plan is to hit the hay early tonight. Most of the lights are out, and apparently, a cricket has snuck into the house, as I can hear it chirping somewhere in one of the dark corners. If this dad was ever ripe and ready for bed, tonight is the night.
But it isn’t Monday night as I’d thought, it’s actually Tuesday, and less than 12 hours remain for my column’s deadline! A shot of adrenaline sparks through me, and immediately, I snap into business mode.
I had just spent some time earlier in the day expressing my gratitude to my supervisor for being given this platform to help give my son, Brian, his own unique voice that he didn’t previously have with this terrible rare disease, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. I have to do my best to get this column done tonight!
So, here we are, and “The Office” is still playing in the background. It’s great background noise, but I miss the cricket chirps. That was almost like typing while camping. Today would’ve made for one heck of a busy Monday. Having Labor Day off yesterday certainly threw me from my weekly routine, and today was a Tuesday full of hustle.
Jendi and I had a great night of sleep going into the day. Brian woke up for a bit around 6 a.m., but it was earlier than normal, so we let him roll around for a few minutes before falling back asleep. Jendi started to get ready for her day, and I was able to catch a few more zzz’s. As she was preparing to leave, I rolled out of bed to see her off. Did I get Brian’s wheelchair out of the car last night?
Of course not. Brian and I were hot and sweaty after a Monday evening nature park walk with family friends. Afterward, we came straight in and started to wind down. So, I had to quickly throw on some pants and run out to grab the wheelchair. Although it’s a great chair, it’s awkward to carry around and put together. It’s much less enjoyable doing so before the sun has fully risen.
With the wheelchair situation resolved, I saw Jendi off and cuddled with Brian some more. He slowly woke up, and the rest of the morning went smoothly.
Once I arrived at the office, I was busy from the time I walked in at 8:30 a.m. until the time I left at 5:15 p.m. I took a much-needed walk outdoors during my lunch break. I am always happy to do whatever is needed to get the job done, and I am certainly grateful to still be employed during this crazy pandemic. But darn it, it was a super busy day and I was ready to go home and eat something.
I arrived home around 5:40 p.m. and promptly changed from my office attire into my gym shorts. I hugged the family, and they all apparently had good days.
Jendi grabbed me some dinner on the way home, and my plan was to eat it before getting the kids ready for the rec center. Big sis Coralynn has basketball on Tuesday evenings, and I like to take Brian jogging around the big lake behind the gym. Jendi also has her workout class at the same time, so it’s one big family exercise trip.
As I took my first two bites of dinner, Coralynn reminded me that her coaches had moved the practice time up by 45 minutes this week. We had exactly 11 minutes to put down the food, put on the shoes, pack up, and go. Still, we made it!
We came home after a grueling yet satisfying hour of exercise, cleaned up, and settled in for a relaxing night. We put Brian to bed, and I assumed the evening position on the recliner. It was a busy, exhausting, but really good day. There were no new disasters, and all the boxes were checked. Well, almost all of them.
Now, it’s time for bed.
***
Note: Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome News or its parent company, BioNews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.