Stepping off the Roller Coaster

Little One's genetics appointment was at 9 o'clock this morning. We live oh... about 5 miles from Children's Hospital. But to get an appointment with this particular doctor a year in advance, I had to catch him at the Rockville Outpatient Center (which, in my humble opinion is actually in Gaithersburg, but people over there like to make it sound like they are closer in than they actually are, so they call it Rockville. Whatever. It's 22 miles away. In rush hour. Via the Beltway.) What was I thinking?

I was (as usual) rushing around the house like a madwoman finding clothes, filling waterbottles, ziplock snack baggies, grabbing the baby and toy stethoscope that goes to all our doctor appointments.

I got Little One buckled in, arranged everything I would need to pass her on the seat next to me and fired up the van. Only to remember that the fuel light had come on the day before. The day when I had pulled my credit card out of my wallet to pay for my writing class and then left it by the computer. So I didn't buy gas, thinking I would just "leave a little early" in the morning and stop for gas on my way. Yeah, right.

I was already 15 minutes behind schedule, but I knew there was no way we would make it 22 miles in bumper to bumper traffic with no gas. I decided it would be better to be a little late than to run out of gas and miss the appointment entirely. (Smart of me, huh? I don't usually make such good decisions. Especially because I hate being late.)

But there's no gas station on the way, so I had to go past the Beltway entrance to get to the nearest station, which was under construction and closed, even though there was a sign that said "Pumps open during construction."

I had to make a u-turn to get to the station on the other side. I swiped my credit card at the pump and it asked me for my zip code. "What the hell?" I thought. "I'm not giving them my zip code." So I typed in 00000.

Stupid.

The pump locked up and it said "Please see the cashier." Great. So I went into the office to pay the cashier and ended up behind a woman who was buying 37 breakfast sandwiches and paying for them with nickels and pennies. Excellent.

After doing everything I could to keep my head from exploding, it was finally my turn. I told the guy I wanted $15 worth of gas. It takes WAY more than that to fill the van these days, but since I was short on time, I figured the 2 gallons that would buy me would get me 22 miles and back. (I jest. Just a little though.)

I filled up paid a ridiculous amount of money for a very small amount of gas and went on my way. By this time it's 30 minutes until appointment time. I am hoping that the delay has enabled rush hour traffic to clear out a bit and I will be able to zip around the Beltway. (I am a native Washingtonian, so yeah, what the hell was I thinking?) The Beltway was at its usual near-standstill.

After quite a bit of weaving in and out of traffic and no small amount of swearing under my breath (not to mention passing juice, cheerios, books, toys and a coloring book) we finally got to the building and I was sweating like a pig. Why? I have no idea. Stress?

We took the elevator to the 2nd floor. I went to check in and they informed me that our appointment was on the 4th floor. We went back to the elevators and I decided to grab Little One and hoof it up the stairs. What the heck? I was already sweating buckets. When I got to the check in desk, the doctor was standing there waiting for me and I was dripping wet AND out of breath. Go me!

But from there, things began looking up. The appointment was fabulous. We see this doctor once a year and last year at this time, I left with a list of 5 specialists I was supposed to contact and schedule appointments and tests with. And a 2 page blood work order. Today, there was no blood work and no follow up appointments necessary. (Other than the hearing test that's already scheduled for next week.)

This has never happened to us in over three years. We have gone from doctor to doctor to doctor. Ultrasounds, bloodwork, scans, echos, catherizations. It's been an odessey. A rollercoaster. Everything looks good BUT... She's coming along BUT... I'm crossing this off our list BUT...

For the first time since January 31, 2005, I feel as if I have stepped off the roller coaster. There's nothing to do. Nothing to follow up on. Nothing to worry about.

For right now. Not that things couldn't change, but for now, I am going to relish this. I am going to LOVE this. When you have a child with special needs, it can be so hard to see just the child. Not the child with the side of special need. But, for this moment in time anyway, our special needs are off the plate. I just have an almost-three year old. Who's busy and crazy and growing and healthy and happy and I am just going to take a break from worrying about her and just love her to pieces.

Happy Love Thursday, everyone!