Did you hear that? That was the sound of my head exploding. Finally. I’ve been expecting it to happen for about a week and a half now…and today it finally happened. And while it’s rendered me rather useless…I’m glad the waiting is over.
For several years now, I’ve been living with a stuffy nose and watering/burning/stinging eyes. I’ve never had allergies in my life, so it took me a ridiculously long time to realize my troubles were caused by allergies. Because I’m new at this whole thing I’m also not familiar with allergies meds. At all. Last night my eyes were stinging to the point that I was unable to keep them open, so in a moment of weakness I broke into Sullivan’s stash of (that’s right…Sully the dog takes allergies meds but I do not) Benadryl.
This is where the stress and craziness of the past two weeks clouded my judgement.
Not remembering that Benadryl makes you sleepy, at bedtime I took Tylenol PM because my lower back was killing me (effing herniated disc). Are you with me thus far? Benadryl AND Tylenol PM.
When my alarm went off this morning I could not wake up. Four snooze hits later, I was groggy and it took a considerable amount of effort to even open my eyes. As I got ready, and started thinking about my day, I thought maybe Benadryl would help me feel well and clear headed. You see…we are in our busiest time of the year. I am crazy at work right now from the moment I walk in to the moment I crawl out. I’ll take all the help I can get.
So yes, my friends, this f-cking idiot completely inexperienced allergies medicine taker took Benadryl and Tylenol PM last night, and Benadryl again this morning. It was when I was filling my water bottle at work, resting my forehead on the fridge and almost falling asleep, that I realized I was sleepy and groggy because of the meds. Idiot.
Work being crazy isn’t the only thing that’s been creating the chaos in my head, nor is it the allergies, it’s the combination of those things and the start of school for the little girls and my husband. The truth is…I’m amazed that we’re all still standing after the first couple of weeks (and by “we” I mean me and all of YOU). Getting back into the swing of homework, cold lunches, snacks, early bedtimes, AND being busy at work, AND having a husband who is in school and works full time, AND having to find time to exercise the dog (let alone myself), AND preparing for not one, not two, but three birthdays in the next three weeks. Sweet Jesus it’s a lot to get used to after enjoying a lazy summer.
Writing, yoga, the gym, training for my run, and sanity take a back seat to grocery shopping twice as often as I did just a few weeks ago and signing assignment books so the little girls will get to partake in recess. You guys it’s a whirlwind! And I know I’m preaching to the choir here, and I know it’s the same each and every year, but every fall the sheer weight of it all takes me by surprise. We used to notice how tired the little girls were after school for the first few weeks because their brains are working so much harder than they do in the summer. I am utterly exhausted and the last two weeks feel like a blur.
The beauty of it…of course…is that we all do it. We do it and we make it look easy. Our children go merrily to school in the morning, and come wearily home, knowing we will be there to enthusiastically participate in their lives. Soon enough it will be easier. The routine will take hold and we will learn to make it all run smoothly like it did back in May. Remember May?
Until then…dude…this is kicking my a-s (well…this AND the sleepy-making drug cocktail I accidentally concocted…we don’t need to speak of that again…okay?).
TODAY: What if BOOM isn’t the sound of my head exploding, but instead the sound of all of us pulling this parenthood thing off? Boom.
MAMACADABRA 