How do you handle all of the appointments while working?

starrdiva211

I come back and I am full of questions!!!

If you work…how do you handle all the appointments your child has and your job?

I thought that as my little one got older, the need for all of these appointments would stop and would track right along with other kids right away. But it seems as though for me it is not the case. Along with the ordinary Pedi visits, there are visits to Pulmonary, and the biweekly Early Childhood Intervention visits and now they want for him to see PT/OT as well. Wait, it gets better… A swallow study (he had the TEF surgery at 2 days old) and to see speech as to why he is rejecting baby food all of a sudden.

For the few weeks, I have been on the edge of tears because it is so much. They haven’t said anything to me at work about it, directly, but there has been whispers and talking about it at the beginning of the month he had three appointments in one week and the total thus far is 9 with ECI on Tuesday morning and a visit to Pulmonary on the 30th. I am not sure what to do about it. I have to work because he is on my insurance. And as far as getting help from his dad… his dad is an over the road truck driver so his hours are worse than mine. Not too mention, he and I are having our own issues on the verge of spliting up and he thinks I make a big deal out of nothing because "going to all those things aint hard"

How do you handle it?

 

DrRx

I'm sorry you are having such a rough time. I don't have any advice since one of us is always home with Adalyn while the other worked. ((((Hugs))))

Nita14701

My husband and I both applied for FMLA (intermittent), although I'm the one who takes her to the majority of her appointments. At least having that makes us "covered" to use the time. When it comes to the actual time out of the office depending on what's in my time bank i'm either using sick, vacation, or unpaid.

jbranden12

It is hard. We are lucky that my DH and my mom are Anna's caregivers while I am at work, but I attend her various doctor appointments i.e. pedi, neuro, neurosurgery, pulmonology, audiology, etc etc etc. The only appointments I don't attend are therapy. I hate missing these, but I'd rather be there for the "big" ones with her specialists. 

My supervisor allows a somewhat flexible schedule as long as I take care of my responsibilities. Do you have sick or vacation time you are using or are you trying to make up the time?

starrdiva211

My little one is in daycare as of right now but because of the increase of appointments (the possibility of my child’s dad and I splitting up), I am going to hire my evening time sitter as a full-time nanny. It would take the load off a little because she can bring him to me for his doctor’s appointments and can be there for his therapy appointments at home . What makes it crazy is my daycare is 10 minutes away from my house but it is in another county so it was hard getting therapist to go there.  Another reason I am letting her go full time is because the back forth is killing me!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

I try to schedule everything for him on the days I go into work late (Mondays and Tuesdays I go into work at noon) but it is not always possible.

I have no family here and my close friends all work. When I am late or have to leave early, I just try to make up my time during the week if I can. If I come up short, that is when I use sick or vacation or unpaid.

My supervisor seems to be really understanding but I have heard her talk out of both sides of her neck about the situation.

I am just scared of what would happen if I get another job!

starrdiva211

@curlingrocks Yes he is one now! turned one on September 25th. I had posted earlier in the week with a picture of him and everything :-)

I am going to have another sit down with his dad and tell him that with his appointments increasing  that I am going to need him to step up a little bit more. Especially if I get another job and I end up moving out.

Just trying to find a way to make it all work

 

CurlingRocks said:

Glad to see you again even if it is under unhappy circumstances. How old is your LOnow? Must be close to a year... I wound up becoming a SAHM in part because of the appts. When I was working, I did my best to get appts. after working hours but worked out flexible partial day leave when I did need just a morning or afternoon off. And Dh used some leave as well. Best of luck!

Pips09

It can be really hard. I am very lucky that I have a flexible work environment, and I would schedule apointments for the beginning or end of the day. Our EI therapist also offered to do therapy at daycare, so that could be an option for you.