The day that wasn't

Gabriel kept me up all Monday night with his aches and pains, so I had no intention of taking him anywhere but the doctor when we got up in the morning. I called into work to let them know that I'd be late, and I made an appointment.

When I called school to tell them Gabey wasn't coming, the director said, "Yeah he was sick yesterday, he fell asleep during circle!" And I said, "What what what? He was sick at school??" "Don't tell me the teachers didn't tell you!" "No, Gabriel's dad picked him up, so he didn't tell me." Seriously yo? When exchanging the offspring, an exchange of pertinent information is a common standard. My kid passing out in the middle of circle time? I consider it pertinent.

So we got to the doctor, where I happened to see the World's Tiniest Sign in the Most Obscure Corner on the Planet. Which said that p.s. your doctor is closing his doors. On Friday. Thanks for the notice? I hope we don't need any follow up just yet?

Gabriel's pediatrician was also my pediatrician, and he saw all my sibs, sees my nephews and cousins, and knows our family. So while he was peaking in Gabey's ears (yes! infection!) we were talking about how I still get ear infections all the time, and my bad ears/nose/throat combo, and how my lungs are broken. And Dr. says, "I think you might have a mild case of cystic fibrosis. You should ask your primary care doctor for a test."

Then I took Gabriel up to my parents' house, where I thought my dad was meeting me at 11:30, but he thought he was meeting me at 12:30, so when he got there I was all pissed, but he was still doing me a favor so I shouldn't have been. I FINALLY got to work at 1.

Then I talked to my mom and my sister on the phone. It was at THAT point that I realized the following:

(a) yes it's weird for your doctor not to notify you when he disappears into the ether
(b) Gabriel has lost 3.5 lbs since the end of August, which is something like 12% of his total body weight, which is sort of alarming. I'm officially concerned.
(c) cystic fibrosis is a big deal. Especially when you google it and you read about dying babies and life expectancy of 30ish.

RE the doctor retiring: That's fine, he's old, I have a new doctor lined up. I am curious though, as I sense a scandal (in December there was no word of the practiced being shuttered).

RE Gabriel's weight loss: I spent 2 1/2 years perpetually anxious, trying to Feed! Gabriel! More! He's one of those people who simply cannot be bothered you see. He doesn't particularly like food, or eating it. I finally decided that if I just let it be, he would eat what he needed to eat. He was probably eating a lot at school! Which makes up for how little he eats at home! Don't make a big deal out of it, that can only backfire. This strategy seems to have failed. I'm back to Plan A: Follow My Kid Everywhere With Food/Bribe Him Into Eating. I'll report back to you on that.

RE Cystic fibrosis: I feel a mite silly making an appointment to get tested because my son's doctor thinks that I get too many ear infections, especially if the diagnosis doesn't do anything but give me something on which to focus My Crazy. There aren't any particularly effective de-mucusing drugs out there. I've checked.
I would continue on my path of self diagnosis, but I can't quite figure out how to approach someone with the request that they lick me and judge my sweat for relative salt content. And that's seriously what They recommend on Web MD. Also? I don't wish to shorten my own life expectancy without cause.

Back to yesterday as a Giant Suck, my work computer crashed, and then I.T. was working on it all day, so I might as well not have gone through all of the ridiculousness to make it in since I couldn't really do anything once I got there.

I have a cold and it's driving me crazy.

I had to drive my uncle Jono home from my parents' house. I know it's mean but I HATE driving him. There's just too much legitimate insanity. I can't possibly be expected to hold up my end of a conversation about whom in our family should take it upon themselves to study German. In case we're ever invaded.