The Tipping Point

The last few days have been so hectic.

It all started Thursday, when I was at work until 6:30pm. Fortunately the Hoos had an early ending to his day so he was able to pick up LP. When he got to day care he noticed that baby girl was drenched in sweat (the temperature of her classroom is really a problem). The teachers attributed this to the heat of the room and no one really seemed to notice. The Hoos got home and her fever was over 103! When I called the next day to see if any other kids had called in sick (it was a Friday and therefore a home day for me), they told me that two other kids went home with fevers and that LP was happy all day, so they didn't think anything was wrong. Maybe being so well-behaved isn't always a good thing (I can't believe I just wrote that!), the whole squeaky wheel thing and all.

Friday, LP seemed content, but at one point I checked her temp and it was almost 105! I immediately called the doctor who told me to up her dose of Tylenol, get her into a cool bath and call back in 40 minutes with an update. They also had me tell the Hoos to pick up some Motrin on the way home, which apparently brings fevers down more quickly and for a longer period. After the bath and meds, LP's temperature was down to a more manageable 102 and I nursed her and she took a nap. She awoke without a fever, rejuvenated and ready to greet and/or destroy the world.

To further add to the frenzy, we were expecting overnight guests (the G-Family) Friday night, so in the midst of all of this I was trying to clean the house, prep dinner, warn the guests, and keep myself calm. The good news is that we had a great time with the G-Family, especially their little boy, who is only 7 weeks younger than LP. Of course, no one did much sleeping as both LP and Baby G spent much of the night awake.

The point of the two day play-by-play is that I am starting to think that I should be content with my current job. If, heaven forbid, LP should be sick on a work day, I have earned some flexibility and would have no problem working from home. If I started somewhere new, things would be much more complicated. Yes, I had to work late on Thursday, but at least five people stopped by my cube and told me to go home at one point or another. I doubt I could expect the same thing somewhere else.

So, during the next few weeks, instead of trying to peek over the fence and see where the grass is greener, I am going to focus new energy on challenging myself and my current organization to improve the profile of my department and create new opportunities for growth. And try to get some sleep.