Saturday, June 25, 2011

One small step

Actually, it was a pretty big one.

Let me explain. Like most parents of kids with D, Fred and I don't get out alone much. Like, AT ALL. Because we have no family here and no one who can care for Elise. Of course, we have fabulous D-moms like Jessica and Laura who can help out in a pinch, but we don't have anyone close enough who can help on a regular basis.

The cool thing about our new neighbourhood is that it's VERY social. Every Friday night during the summer, they have a happy hour. It's at a different house every week, and there's food, drinks, one house had live music and another had a margarita machine.

Fred and I planned to attend these happy hours, but we would do it in shifts. Meaning, we would never get to go together. It kind of became a running joke. I would just tell people that Fred and I were like the president of vice-president of the United States; we never attended parties together for security reasons.

We had many offers to babysit, but when they found out Elise was a T1, their eagerness waned. Except the parents of one girl who I'll call "A".

According to everyone in the neighbourhood, A is 17 going on 30. She's very responsible, smart, and is thinking about going into medicine. And she was interested in learning about what it takes to care for Elise.

So we set up a time when A could come observe. Elise loved her instantly. And she did a great job watching, asking questions, and even did a finger poke on me (we had just tested Elise before she came over). We booked her for Friday (last night).

On Friday I tried to come up with any excuse not to leave Elise. Her rash. She had been low all day. Saturn was in the fifth house of the rising sun. Whatever. I just wasn't ready.

But Elise was so excited that her friend A was coming over that I willed myself to leave. People at the party were excited to see Fred and I together. I stayed until 11:30 and had a great time.

In fact, the only reason I went home is because babysitters now get $10 an hour, and we have a mortgage to pay. All was quiet and Elise was a steady 178.

Am I glad I finally was able to leave Elise? Yes

Will we do it again soon? Not unless we become independently wealthy.

But it's nice to know that I can do it. Such a small step to some.

Such a big step for me.

17 comments:

  1. President and VP..you are too funny! Good for you Jo....It is so SO hard to leave our little ones in the care of someone else. I am so pleased you and Fred got to go out. Your neighborhood sounds awesome btw..

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  2. That is a HUGE step. I haven't left my kids with anyone but my parents or other D Mamas. SO glad you have someone who can help out when needed. :)

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  3. Awesome!!!!! And how wonderful you have a responsible girl to watch the kiddos. I have not ventured there yet, but we have a potential babysitter too - her mom is a T1 so she has experience with it. Yay for a night out...TOGETHER!

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  4. We're having my mil babysit tonite, who will be under the apprenticeship of my 9 year old. Amazing how much more I trust my daughter more than anyone else -- but she's the one who already knows the ins and outs. Glad you have an option now. An expensive option is better than none at all...

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  5. When i babysit things get interesting. With kids you get two reactions. Either they want to come up close and see what your doing or they dont want to watch or be clse at all. I tend to make sure that they have a few feet between me and them when i do my shot because you never know what will make kids start jumping around or move and i dont want anything to happen when i have a needle in my hand. The space limit has gotten smaller but it's still there. I also always get asked by the kids, "Does it hurt?" I have a phrase that i have repeted so many times i should get it put on a shirt. "I dosent hurt if you do it right". Of curse then people would turn it in to a dirty joke.

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  6. Wow. That is HUGE! I'm so happy for you!! Big step. We've never left Sweets with anyone other than my parents to feed her and give her insulin. Big. I so get it.

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  7. Too funny Jo! But I am so very happy that you got out! And hell, now I want a job babysitting - $10 an hour??? Wow.

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  8. That is a HUGE step! Good for you! I have a friend with a (now) 19 year old daughter. We have known her since she was 12 and she had always been interested in learning how to care for Bee. Her mom and I would get together almost every Friday night to have dinner and let our kids play while our husbands were at work. Every Friday night I would let her daughter take over Bee's D care under my supervision. This went on for about 4 months (she was 16 by then) She would let me know over and over that she would love to babysit the kids while Scott and I went out. I kept putting it off. But one night Scott and I decided it was time to finally let her babysit while him and I went out to dinner. I was nervous but I left her every phone number possible and a long, detailed list of what to do and how to deal with "what if's". (She admitted later on that the Glucagon instructions scared her to death. lol) Anyway, we went to a restaurant 2 blocks away and were only gone for 2 hours. I did call home 2 times, but it was still a huge step. After that, I relaxed a little and we went out a few more times (not in a row, but like 4 times in a year. lol) But now we know we have someone just in case! That first step is HUGE but it gets a bit easier afterward. Especially when you have someone who is so willing to learn and take care of your D child! :)

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  9. It's great that you could find someone you trust and is so responsible. And it must feel so nice to have a night out together!

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  10. That is FANTASTIC!! I am super jealous! :o) So glad you both got to get out and have some fun!

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  11. That is so awesome!! What a huge step, indeed!
    The couple of times we've had to pay for a sitter have made me love the g-parent's even more! But, it's worth the money to be able to get out from time to time...you and Fred need and deserve it!
    Loved the P/VP analogy!

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  12. way to go. We'd never leave anywhere if it weren't for my mom (a nurse), sister (got trained at the hospital with us) and my mother-in-law who raised a child with t1d, too. So I am impressed that you guys did it, and sounds like you enjoyed yourself, too. What a fun neighborhood to be a part of...
    I too can't believe that babysitters make so much, I remember when I was a kid we made...blah, blah, blah! I hope Elise's rash clears up soon, too although sounds like she had a blast despite it!

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  13. That's so flippin awesome!

    Seriously we need to move to like a D community babysitters all around! ;))

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  14. BIG STEP!!! International travel, packing and moving, going out on teh towm . . . look at you, Miss fantabulous pancreas! WooHoo!

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  15. That's Awesome Elise!!!! I can definitely understanding your last minute wanting to change your mind...but I'm glad you didn't and you and Fred got a few hours of time away and Elise was able to be in good hands! I bet she had a blast too :) So, so happy for you! I know what a treasure it is to find someone willing AND able to care for our littles with T1!

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  16. FANTASTIC! For everyone involved! YAY for finding someone you can trust! Wahoo!

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