Robin sitting and playing with props
{this moment} – A [Sunday] ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
As inspired by Collecting the Moments … One by One and SouleMama
I’m sitting in the quiet house, letting both my loves sleep a little longer while I search other mama blogs about household notebooks. One blogger mama, at Collecting the Moments … One by One, inspired by another (SouleMama) has been posting a photo of special moments each Friday. I like this idea very much! Especially in contrast to the chaos I’m struggling to master. It is all too easy to be wrapped up in coaxing order into our lives amongst the daily and hourly tasks that seem like chores, that I miss what I am really doing is caring for my baby! Being a mommy! Its sad that I need to consciously remind myself to be open to the wonder. BUT! If I need a reminder, I’ll use a reminder! So, I plan on following in their example and I will be paying attention to my family thinking not only how to manage my anxiety by organizing things, but to also see how things are wonderful just as they are right this moment. Except I’ll do it on Sundays. And without text as their caption (and soon-to-be-mine) will explain. 😀
But, just because:
I spent a lot of time and effort picking a digital Personal Health Record program, since I thought it would make summarizing and sharing Robin’s health information so much easier. But when I was finally ready to print his “emergency profile” sheet and wallet card, I was disappointed in what came out… I had very carefully entered his medications and their doses as well as identifying his specialists, but the print outs just list the drug and doctors names – no other information about them. While it will be ugly, I’m going to write in that information (as well as insurance information) . SO! Robin and my emergency health information have been compiled. (Goal complete! )
I also bought a fireproof safe and have been collecting documents and items to go in it. In an envelope for each family member (including pets) I have gathered (as appropriate) :
1) social security card
2) legal birth certificate
3) passport
4) car title
5) jewelry warranties
6) home and auto insurance policy summaries
7) home inventory (needs to be completed)
8) medical emergency profile
9) vaccine history
10) rabies certificate
11) sub dermal microchip information
12) key copies
What I put in the safe I also put in a password protected digital wallet (and vice versa). I count this week’s second goal as being done! And, as I’ve been getting this all set up, I decided some of it should be available in a household notebook – so I’m checking out blogs for ideas to add to that, too! That will give us some prettier pictures than what we have here:
Even though my house isn’t any more organized than it was, I feel like I’ve accomplished some important and significant things that I would normally put off indefinitely. Go me!
On top of my organizing projects, I have random crafty things I like doing. It occurs to me that these projects qualify as the “heart” part of my priorities and, therefore can be included in my weekly goal list. Here’s an item that wasn’t listed, but got done anyway!
Since I had the paint out and a stamp already made for Robin’s height chart, I decided to paint the rocking chair his Aunt gave him to match.
Ok, that is a bit extreme, but I am disappointed to learn that at least one hospital won’t give me my or my son’s medical history in the digital format that is needed to be useful in my PHR. They’ll send me pdf’s of the printed reports, but not the same Continuity of Care Records that they send to other hospitals. So I may have to enter it all by hand, but I’m hoping I was talking to the wrong person (she sounded like a filing clerk and told me I’d get an ‘adobe’ of my records) .
Another, non-goal related show-n-tell I wanted to share today is a project of cuteness! Robin’s Great Aunt knitted a sweater and hat set which was way too big when we got it and since then it’s been too warm … until now! But when I tried to put it on him for the “thank you” picture, the neck hole was way too small. Using a bit of similar colored stretch fabric, I made some bias tape, cut off the ribbed neck, and zig-zag-stitched the heck out of the tape as I sewed it to the sweater. Yay! Then Robin posed for some super cute fall photos!
This week, after last week’s overambitiousness, I had set out some new guidelines, one of which was to set three goals each week. Since I had an appointment this week, I decided my other goals would be:
1) Robin’s paperwork goal by setting up an electronic personal health record.
2) Create a summary packet (sheet, if I can fit it all!) for babysitters and non-medical travel.
I feel like I get to count appointments as a goal because they end up taking about two days of effort. The day before I make sure any of the surveys or data collection sheets each specialist sends us for their appointment is filled out, any cloths or items I want to take are cleaned, and the car is gassed up and ready to go. The morning before the appointment is occupied with adjusting Robin’s feeding and my pumping schedules while organizing and packing all the medicines, feeding, and pumping paraphernalia that we’ll need for the day (plus one more, just in case). Then the travel and appointment itself is an event. Robin doesn’t like getting poked and prodded, so we try to snuggle and nap and eat between specialists or while waiting for lab or imaging results. Finally, we go home, but that night and the next morning are harder for Robin, so he needs more comforting and attention. It can be overwhelming sometimes.
Robin got a flu shot on Monday, so he has been out of sorts all week and it has taken me till today to pick out how I want to manage electronic personal health records (PHR) for my family. I picked Microsoft HealthVault since it tracks a variety of information as well as allowing image and document uploads, it’s free, and it interacts well with a free android application (iTriage). I also found that it is one of the bigger Personal Health Records systems out there and it works with many health care systems. Instead of typing all of Robin’s information in to it, I’m contacting the hospitals to see if they can send me his information electronically. And, while I’m at it, I’m putting all my information in, too. One more notebook of paper off my shelf and out of my hair!
Last time I mentioned I’d explain how I organized Robin’s “Summary” notebook. This book will help me communicate with all of his specialists so everyone is on the same page.
1) Pocket page. The front pocket holds the surveys and data sheets for upcoming appointments. The back pocket holds “Action Items” – a new report that needs to go into his PHR, an appointment to be put in my calendar, medication copay repayment program application, etc. Right after the pocket, but before the first tab is choking and CPR information.
2) “Vital Info” tab – care and equipment provider contacts, emergency contacts, Robin’s information (birth date, actual and corrected ages, current length and weight), and old daily care schedules (current one is posted in kitchen).
3) “Medication” tab – current medications list with dosages, I also like to keep the medicine information sheets here so I can look at possible side effects if I need to.
4) ” Tests” tab – a brief history of procedures, tests, and imaging. With the electronic PHR, this section should become something I’ll print out.
5) “Equipment” tab – information on the equipment we’re using (instructions, gas tank duration chart, etc).
6) “IFSP” tab – Education Service District’s initial evaluation and eligibility statement, IFSP, and progress notes.
So, I am counting Robin’s book as done, but am still working on his PHR. My final goal for this week didn’t get done (summary sheet) , but I did get to work on a fun project! These are height charts and after years of making them for every baby shower I’ve been invited to, one is for my very own baby!
To recap the week: one goal completed with two blog entries plus a bonus craft… not the plan, but not too bad. This week we have a home visit, so I’m going to work on:
1) Robin’s summary sheet.
2) Organize my personal data (chapter 5 from “Organize Now” – using the PHR means I’m halfway done!)
3) Robin’s hospital memory book (since it’s taking up half of my desk). – this one may be too ambitious, but it needs to happen.
Clearly, I did not set reasonable goals for this week! I hearby proclaim the following guidelines:
1) Set and finish 3 goals per week.
2) Out-of-town appointments count as a goal
3) Check goals for do-ability.
This week didn’t see many of my goals finished. In fact, I’m almost done with only one of my goals – the notebook organizing.
After sorting through all the papers related to my son that I’ve collected through the months, I came up with three functional groups which I decided to put into binders: Developmental Information, Robin: Complete, and Robin: Summary.
I don’t have three matching binders, but I made do with what I had (two white and a green). The Developmental Information and Robin: Complete folders will act more as archives where I’ll go to them once in a while for specific information. The Robin: Summary folder is an active folder which I’ll take with me to all of his appointments when we’re traveling. I’ll share more about the specifics of that folder later.
I took the time to make the notebooks pretty and remind me who it’s all about: Robin!!
No Chaos No Order 