We finally got Hannah’s nursing figured out with our new insurance company. We get 56 hours a week, broken down however we want to use them. Previously, we had 48 hours a week, no more than 8 hours a day (currently M – Sa, 9 am to 5 pm). So this is a pleasant change.
I just don’t know what to do with them. I have asked Daddy for advice, and he keeps saying “whatever YOU want, as this helps you more than anyone.”
My dilemma….as you know, I do the “night shift” every night with Hannah until about 4 am or 5 am. I get about 4 to 6 hours of sleep at that point (usually broken down into two “naps”), depending on if Daddy has an appointment in the morning or if Hannah has an appointment (though I have been making a point not to schedule anything before 11 am these days). The days Daddy is out of town or can’t do the mornings with all three kids are a nightmare for me (like this morning).
I decided to take on this night shift in order to take advantage of having a nurse here for Hannah when the kids get home from school. They get home around 3 pm and the nurse leaves at 5 pm. This is my one-on-one time with Abby to get her homework done and whatever time is left over for Ethan and Abby. Also, it helps tremendously having a nurse along Hannah’s appointments with me, especially in the car because I don’t have to stop everytime she has a tantrum or needs suctioning. But it also gives me free time during the day to make phone calls, etc., but really not enough time.
We still want our Sundays nurse-free. That is a given. It is a nice break to just “be a family,” and we have settled into a good routine with that.
So, do I give up a couple of nights and get night-nursing? That is a possibility. But then I wonder if how my body would deal with that? I mean, I am so used to be up until 4 am or 5 am now. Would I even be able to sleep drug-free if we had night nursing? I wouldn’t take any type of sleep aide because I want to be able to wake up in case of an emergency.
Or do I just accept the fact that I am the night-nurse and that is the way it is. I get caught up on my email communications plus the business I have created (to go live on 1/1/11) was created with that kind of flexibility. The ones who suffer, besides me, are the kids on the weekends because I usually sleep until noon or take a 2-hour nap during the day. But again, they are used to that and accept that.
I don’t know what to do… give up some nights or not… I really just don’t know what would be best. I have 56 hours to divvy up. How best to use them?
Latest Comments