Staying Sane When Your Calendar Is Insane

NOTE: Born Just Right is growing to offer additional perspective and support to parents of special needs kids. If you’re interested, check out this post.____________________Lindsey, my daughter with mitochondrial disease, has quite the busy schedule. We have been to about one zillion appointments in her almost 3 years. We have trekked all over the state of Virginia to see various doctors, and her current specialists are in another state, a 6 ½ hour drive. She has weekly therapy sessions and most of the people at her pediatrician's office know me on a first name basis.I remember opening up my new calendar for this year, and I was so excited at how clean and empty it was. Then I started filling it out and quickly started to feel overwhelmed. I decided to only fill out a month at a time so that I could at least dream about upcoming months being less crazy, but that never seems to happen. Every time we have had a span of time (maybe two or three weeks) that isn't full of appointments, something comes up and we end up with a sick visit, a broken bone, a trip to the hospital, feeding tube issue, weight check... Not to mention driving Catherine to and from school, ballet, art, choir, etc.So how do I stay sane with an insane schedule? One nice thing about all of Lindsey's specialists being in one place now is that we are able to make a big trip out of it and spend basically an entire day at the hospital seeing everyone all at once. Much nicer than scattered doctors everywhere and therefore scattered appointments. Lindsey seems to collect new specialists though, and right now we are in the process of adding a new hospital to her list, thankfully it is only 1 ½ hours away, and again, I am trying to make all of the appointments around the same time so that we only have to make one trip. I try to take someone along with me for company on the drive, and also to be a second set of ears in case I miss something. I keep a running list of things I want to discuss with each doctor, and I bring that along with me so that I don't forget anything.I've learned to stay calm with the unexpected appointments and just roll with them. It is the way my life is and there is nothing I can do about it! I keep a bag with Lindsey's emergency supplies in it (supplies that she might need at the hospital, emergency letters, doctor numbers, medication lists) by the door and I can grab it on my way out. That way when we run into a problem and I need to get her to a doctor quickly, I have all of the information and supplies that I might need. I don't have to run around like a mad woman. I keep a list of people I can call to watch Catherine if needed.Another important thing is to make time for myself. Sometimes that seems impossible, but even going upstairs and shutting the door to my room while I leave the kids with my husband and then spending 20 minutes reading is good for a recharge. I take our dog for walks...it gets me out of the house and exercise calms my mind.Sometimes I want to throw that calendar out the window and buy a new one with nothing in it...but that is just wishful thinking. Mommies of special kids are busy, but it is so worth it!