The Overwhelmed Mom

When I received Hemophilia Federation of America’s Infusing Love: A Mom’s Blog schedule back in January for this year’s blogs, I thought, “Ok I have plenty of time to think and write the best blog yet for me.” Wrong…
As the months went on, the craziness with my boys’ school and extracurricular activities and sports, being the Parent Teacher Organization co-president at my oldest’s school, and my work schedule, time got away from me once again.
Then all of a sudden COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States and everything shutdown, even schools. So now, on top of being a mom, an infusing mom, healthcare essential worker, co-president of PTO, an HFA board member, I’m now a TEACHER for the rest of the school year!
This blog is going to be different from previous blogs I’ve written – each of the above mentioned ‘duties,’ including COVID responsibilities, are going to have their own paragraph. I’m calling this blog, the overwhelmed Mom!
As I’ve written in previous HFA mom blogs, I am a mother to 8-year-old, Myles, who has hemophilia A and a 12-year-old Zachary. Myles’s medication has been working wonders for the past several years. I think we might’ve had one or two major bleeds since beginning it. Myles transitioned to home infusion two and a half years ago and it’s been going wonderfully.
Unfortunately, his needle phobia and anxiety got the best of him, especially when schools temporarily closed due to COVID-19 back in March. In the past seven weeks, we have been experiencing putting up a fight about dosing his factor, to multiple sticks from missing veins to infiltrating them.  With Myles’s frustrations and anxiety recently, it has me second guessing my ability to safely infuse him. I think my breaking point in this current situation came when he began crying, stating he hated having hemophilia, with why me statements and flat out refusing to infuse. How does a mother truthfully answer their child?
I’m considered an essential worker as I work part-time in a pediatric doctors’ office. Since March 12 our office has been on COVID protocol, which means seeing only the babies in the office and scheduling telemedicine appointments. Thus, meaning lots of schedule changing. This was and still is a very time consuming and stressful part of my job. Thank goodness most parents were understanding. However, occasionally I came across a parent who didn’t think the Department of Health recommendations were fair.
In addition to being a mom, a healthcare essential worker, PTO president, HFA board member, I am also a teacher! I absolutely applaud and appreciate teachers since most of them are now stay-at-home parents in addition and vice versa with stay-at-home parents who are now teachers.
There isn’t enough strength in me to be a full-time teacher. Trying to juggle my responsibilities along with each of the boys required class work and specials is draining. Who knows what the summer, or even the fall, may bring with online learning, but I know for sure there has to be an easier way to track and complete virtual education requirements.
So, in these uncertain and chaotic times, please remember that no matter what’s thrown at you to always take time for yourself!
The overwhelmed mother is a useless mother!
 
Lindsay lives in New York with her husband, Alan, and her sons, Zachary and Myles.
*Note: “Infusing Love: A Mom’s View,” is a blog collection of personal opinions and a representation of individuals experiences. While extensive efforts are made to ensure accuracy of the content, the blog entries do not represent HFA or its Board of Directors. The blog is also not intended to be construed as medical advice or the official opinion/position of HFA, its staff, or its Board of Directors. Readers are strongly encouraged to discuss their own medical treatment with their healthcare providers.