Allergies, Asthma, and Getting Ready for School, or: We are Always Late

Rush, rush, rush!  

If you are disorganized like me, then you too probably run a bit late in the morning. Add on a must take list of medications for allergies and asthma, and it is a recipe for chronic scurrying, and tardiness.

Many a time while trying to feed my kids, get them dressed, and out the door on time, I forget my daughter's medications until we are walking out the door. I know that inhalers can not be rushed, the breathing needs to be done right, a good rinsing needs to happen afterword, and if needed, a nebulizer breathing treatment takes a good 20 minutes. This is not something that should be left until the last minute as we are scrambling to be on time for school. Plus this is not something that can be overlooked, even for one day. The worst call is one from the nurse's office asking you to please bring in the daily antihistamine, or inhaler that was forgotten before school as your child is itching and sneezing like crazy, or coughing non stop.

Just the other day, both kids were fed, dressed, hats and coats ready to go on, and my son decided that he was not happy with his outfit for the day, and "re-dressed" himself.  As I was rushing through my daughter's medications, pill, pill, inhaler, inhaler, nasal spray, etc. I turned to see his hamper running across the floor, with his two bare legs going as fast as they could go. "Mommy! I get dressed all by myself!" he squealed with glee as he ran in circles around the living room. I swear I have a sense of humor, but at the time, it was NOT funny.

I scrambled to finish my daughter's medications, caught the little stinker, and threw some clothes on him, just in time, to be 5 minutes late. On the way home I thought about how if I had not left my daughter's medications to the last minute (again), I could have laughed and enjoyed the moment, but as we were pushing the tardy cut off as it was, with yet another inhaler to give, I was not amused. Not even one bit.

So, I am going to make a change. New Years resolution: Medications first thing in the morning, and no more rushing around like a headless turkey right before we walk out the door for school.