Adventures in mothering

Well, hmmm, where should I start in recounting this glorious day....

First, I was on the horn to supervisor, "Judy" at the Post Office...before I could say I word, she sternly reminded me that, "Ill talk to your mail carrier this morning, I havent had a chance, Ill call you later today." and I let her know that I had more info that might help in this "mystery"....the yellow "not at this address/do not forward" sticker that was being put on my mail, as recently as 8/22/08 (the day after my first call about my mail.)

LONG, BUREAUCRATIC story later....my mail man told her I hadnt picked up my mail in 3 weeks, so he assumed I was gone, and put in the order.

Really???

First, I have mail sitting right on my counter that has postmarked dates from throughout the month....it wasnt until last week (when our regular mail man went on vacation) that this problem began.

Second....when I called those mornings, and talked to Judy the Supervisor, or when I saw the temp. mailman at the mailbox and spoke with him.....why didnt they tell me that their was a forwarding order in?? They both said, "we checked this and we checked that, and it's just been a slow mail week for you." They assured me, over and over, and in fact, both got quite testy with me when I persisted - not believing the "slow mail week theory". Wouldnt they have been able to see that this forwarding order was in place?

Well, Judy got quite snippy....and, if there is anything HSH has learned in her 42.75 years of life, DONT BOTHER TALKING TO THE PIONS, GO STRAIGHT TO THE TOP.

So, I asked to speak to her supervisor, and soon, "Lydia" was on the phone. Let's just say, I totally get why people "go postal" and can see that Lydia has set the tone for her little team. She was so grumpy, and I then asked to speak to her supervisor.

Lydia did what many people do, it's something that I actually find hilarious...when I asked to speak to her supervisor, she told me SHE WAS THE SUPERVISOR....um, yes, but I would like to speak to YOUR BOSS, I said...and then she told me that she didnt have one, she is the head person.

That is so funny....how special I must be to be talking to the Federally appointed Post Master General...and, what a treat for the folks at our local post office to have a visit from this leader. How "down to earth" of her to roll up her sleeves and answer the phone. I mean... really????

Lydia, I know you have a boss....I am asking for you to direct me to your supervisor. She refused, so I was left with no other choice, but to call the darned 800 number and get to the bottom of things.

I talked to a very nice gal.....told her my story.....she said she would call me back. When she did, she said, "I see what you mean about the attitudes at that place, they had poor customer service habits with ME, I can only imagine how they treated YOU." Thank you. She handled it, I think, and problem solved. I think. Let's see if I start getting mail now...especially since I was inundated with calls from people who thought we had like, fled the country or died. Andrew's agent, My Dove business corporate office, our church, etc. all called telling me of returned mail today.

Anyhoo....besides THAT riff raff....I have been emailing the head oncologist a bit, wondering when to worry about Andrew's "tentacle".

For some background info.....leukemia is cancer of the blood....most chemos do not cross the blood/brain barrier...which means the blood in the spinal chord, around the brain, and (for boys) in the testicles, does not get the chemo coverage that the rest of the body receives. These places are known as "sanctuary sites"....(not like San Francisco)....and the cancer often hides there. For that reason, the spinal chord and the testicles are where you often see a relapse. This is why Andrew had radiation to his brain, and chemo injected into his spinal chord...however, that stil l leaves the tentacles susceptible.

Typically, a relapse in the testicle will not have pain, and will have a mass. But, there are no other symptoms, and the only way to check is to biopsy the testicle. It's not going to show in the blood work, or via ultrasound.....eventually, a relapse will spread, but when it's in the testicle alone, the only way to tell is a biopsy.

I dont want to do a biopsy when he doesnt have a mass, but I would like to know why one tentacle hurts. We are still awaiting the urine analysis, to see about the blood in there....my plan is to wait and see. If all else is negative, and it still hurts next week...then I will probably press more on the relapse issue...but am praying he just squished it somehow (he claims he didnt injure it)...and that he is feeling better soon.

Now, on to other things, because, worrying about a relapse of cancer, and haggling with one of the governments most frustrating institutions (this is why I dont want government run healthcare!) ...well, those just werent enough. And it wasnt enough that we visited the ER last night, no....there must be more excitement...something to blog about.....

So, my kids got lost today.

We live in a area where there are a few streets, sort of set apart ...in a little area. Our larger community is pretty safe, suburban...and then our little "square" is even more secluded.

I let Pooper go to friends in this area. He doesnt have a lot of kids to play with up here, and the few he has are on streets next to us, adjacent to us, etc. Maybe 6-15 houses away...not far, but not within eye shot. I let him go to friends, and I let Beauty go if she is with him...they must stay together, I feel pretty secure in this plan.

Today, they told me they were going to "Nathan's"....now typically, when they go to someone's house, if that friend is not home, they will come and tell me, and then tell me who's house they will try next. Today however, I never heard back after they left for Nathan's, at about 11:30am. I told them to come home for lunch (they are usually home by 1, if they get hungry.)

By 2:30, they werent home, and I had to go to the grocery store. I went by Nathan's, and there was no answer....another neighbor told me they had gone on vacation. Hmmmm. So, I went to another friend's house, and they said that the kids had been there, but left to go home for lunch at around 1:30.

That was about an hour ago.

The house they had been at, is directly across from ours....within eye shot.....but you have to walk down a street....a street with 7 houses on one side, and a park/pool on the other. The mom said my kids walked down that straight, headed straight towards my house.

Hmmm......

Now, Ill be honest, Im not paranoid about "child abductions"...while it's every mother's fear....it is not that common, especially since my house is off the beat and path, pretty well insulated from major streets, etc.

I really thought, that the kids were playing at someone's house.

Besides, my windows were open, and I can hear when they are fighting with each other outside...even several houses away.....if someone tried to nab them, I would have heard them scream.

So, I proceeded to get in my car, with Little One, and drive around our area...knocking on the doors of every kid I knew...making all of their moms wonder what kind of horrible mom I am that I didnt know where my kids actually were.

** Im realizing this is turning into a bit of a lengthy one......so, Ill write more later, I promise Im not going to turn it into a 35 page, 1 page at a time, chapter book. promise.