Routine, routine, routine

Stress seems to be oozing around the corners of our life. Nothing is routine anymore. We try to keep a routine, but when Tanner stays up till 5:30am to study for a test and finish homework, Kate has to make it to school by 8:00, oh, and so does Tanner, Georgi decides that 3:30am is the new 7:00am...well, routine just doesn't exist.

We all managed to squeak by in the morning with Mommy (that's me) collapsing on the couch while the little kids watched Barney (here a silent prayer of Thanksgiving for that oft maligned show). The collapse didn't last very long since I still needed to do the laundry, wash dishes and try to slow down the inevitable journey to absolutely messiness, and then pick up Tanner at 11:30 to drive swiftly to a routine doctor appointment and then to Walmart and then home for a nap.

I foolishly thought that at least the doctor appointment would be routine. Just a simple thyroid panel. How many of these tests have I taken? I can't count the ways. Every six months for 7 years plus once every two months when expecting. Routine. Just say hi to the doctor, hi to the phlebotomist and I should be on my way. 15 minutes, that's what it takes.

I got there on time, but the doctor didn't. 30 minutes later, he says, "Hi. Breathe in. Good. Please, swallow. Good. I'll send in the nurse." Exit doctor. Really, that is how fast it is. Enter nurse. I should have known to ask for another nurse when she swabbed my arm with a pad without gloves on. I've done this way too many times. They set up the needle, the tube, the band aid, the cotton ball, gloves on, swab, stick. Always.

They NEVER complain about my veins. I've got a great one in my left arm. It NEVER collapses. The only time they weren't able to get that vein was when I was pregnant with Reagan and started puffing up, but they found one near my wrist. After she collapsed my lovely veins, I told her about the wrist one. I told her they can't EVER get blood out of my right arm. Did she listen? Nope. She re-used the alcohol swab that was sitting on the counter, and messed around with my right arm. I told her that even "Lazereyes" at the hospital couldn't get blood from that arm. She stuck it in any way, and I almost took her head off because she hit a tendon, so one jerked around tendon later, a couple more OW's! (that's right, she kept trying even after she hit the tendon), and she looked at me and said, "I think I'll send you to the lab to have your blood drawn."

Of course, by this time my "routine" exam is no longer "routine", and I can't get my blood drawn which was the whole part of the exam, my arms are actually sore, and Tanner has to get back to school, Kate needs to be picked up, and I am not dragging 3 kids to a lab. So, I have to try on Monday.

On the bright side, Georgi slept for 2 hours this afternoon, and without much fuss went to bed at around 8:30pm.