ROUTINE

Routines. Some love them. Some hate them. Some are good at them. Some are not good at them.

Me...well...I'm indifferent. Sometimes I like them...sometimes I don't.

Except for trips to Rochester. That's different.

I never really thought about it much until last week Thursday night and Friday morning as I was preparing for Faith and my trip to Rochester for her eye exam and MRI under anesthesia. I have a very strict routine for these trips. And that routine looks a little like this:

Thursday
* Make sure the laundry is done because I won't get to it until either Saturday or the next week.
* Pack a bag for Faith - extra pajamas, extra underwear, extra socks
* Make sure there is an extra blanket of Faith's in the car.
* Grab both Faith and my neck pillows for car riding comfort...especially Faith for when she's sleeping.
* Pack my purse - wallet, insurance cards, tissues
* Make sure my phone is fully charge and bring the phone charger...just in case.
* Pick my clothing for the next day - make sure I choose a sweater that is soft to the touch so when Faith snuggles on my lap and lays her head on my chest/shoulder it is soft against her skin.
* Choose comfortable shoes for myself.
* Make sure the gas tank on my vehicle is full.
* Set, check and double check my alarm - 4 AM
* Go to bed and try not to think

Friday
* Do not...repeat...DO NOT hit the snooze button on the alarm clock. Get up immediately!
* Shower
* Do my makeup. I could easily say, "Who cares? I'm going to be in the car / hospital all day so why bother?" But Faith knows that when I go places I wear makeup...and I need to look like mommy on these days.
* Do my hair. Same scenario as above.
* Spritz a puff of perfume so I smell like mommy.
* Quickly grab something to eat before waking Faith. She can't eat/drink anything and I think it's just mean to eat or even drink something in the car when she's saying she's hungry.
* Leave precisely two and one half hours before we need to be at the hospital. This time we left at 5 AM.

At the Hospital
* Tell nurses that Faith's doctor says she does not need to wear the hospital pajamas. She can stay in her own jammies. (There will be no discussing this with me...it is as I say...but I never have to push it.)
* Tell nurses/anesthesia that I will be going into the OR/anesthesia area with Faith. (Again...no discussion on this...and again...I never have to push it.)
* As Faith is being put under anesthesia, put my face right where she can see me, tell her how much I love her, kiss and rub her cheek and recite, "My Many Colored Days" by Dr. Suess as she is drifting off to sleep.
* Kiss, kiss, kiss her when she is asleep as she is now ready for her procedures to begin
* Wait.
* Pray.
* Wait some more.
* Try to take a little nap to relieve some of the tiredness of the morning.
* See the doctor coming and hear what he has to say.
* Friday was good news!
* Feel like I can breathe...big deep breaths.
* Wait some more.
* Faith is in recovery...they call me to her room.
* She's still sleeping.
* Rub her cheek. Kiss, kiss, kiss...kiss...kiss...kiss...talk to Faith and tell her mommy is right here.
* Wait.
* She likes to sleep off her anesthesia.
* Try to sleep a little more myself.
* Faith is slowly waking. Give her a freezie and something to drink.
* Catch vomit in my hands...it is more often than not that this will sneak up on her...especially if she's been under for a longer period of time. Most usually this happens when the nurse has stepped out of the room.
* When Faith is ready to go home, she says so. She is disconnected from IV, wires, blood pressure machine, etc. We find a wheelchair and head for the car.

At Home
* We're home. Daddy meets us in the garage and waits to take Faith out of the car.
* Faith's eyes are still closed. She won't open them until we are home for quite some time.
* That night, she sleeps with me. I need to be able to hear her breathe and reach out to touch her while she's sleeping. Scott gets the couch...and he knows this. No problem
* Go to sleep thanking God for the day.

Peace and blessings to your day!
Jeanine