There's been quite a bit going on this week so I'll see if I can remember everything....
First of all the weather is BEAUTIFUL! Sunny, high 60's or low 70's. It is a bit breezy. Owen and Jason just went on a Big Wheel ride to Kroger to return the Wall-E movie he rented last night. I'm home, sick. I caved and went to the dr (actually to the ER because no other dr would even see me without a $250 deposit on the spot JUST TO SIT IN THE WAITING ROOM! And we wonder why ER's are filled with patients who *really* don't need to be seen in an ER). Anyway, I started getting ill on Thursday. By this morning I felt like poop. My throat was killing me, my chest hurt (especially when I cough), all that nastiness. I gave in and went to been seen (the first time I've gone to a dr for an illness in probably 7 or 8 years.... I hate going to the dr). Anyway, turns out it's not strep (yay! That was the main reason I ended up going because we have a Michigan trip coming up and if we all had strep I wanted to know now). Just a sore throat, upper respiratory infection and laryngitis (which Owen thinks is hilarious that I can't talk at all). Nothing horrible, all should be cleared within a couple days. I am dreading getting this bill though... I have no insurance so Jason will have fun trying to negotiate with the hospital to lower my bill.
It is the perfectly crappy ending to our week though, which started off fine enough but went downhill very fast.
We'll start with Thursday, which was just like any other Thursday. All was going fine, until I picked Owen up from school. When I went into his classroom he was holding onto a little plastic alligator. Now, I should back up and say that lately Owen has latched on to random things and becomes obsessed with them. The alligator (Mr. Alligator, as he named it) is the latest obsession. His teacher has allowed him to take toys home before, as long as he brings them back the next day (which he always does). So by the time I got there he had it in his mind that he was going to bring Mr Alligator home. Only his teacher said no, he couldn't bring Mr Alligator home. Owen FLIPPED out. This was the worst flip out he's had in at least a year, if not more. It was horrible. I ended up carrying him out of the school and tried to get him across the parking lot to my car. Which meant in front of all the teachers, students (during dismissal), bus drivers/aides, the principal, etc. Everyone. All while he's freaking out, screaming at the top of his lungs, kicking, pinching me, pulling my hair, everything he can think of to get out of my arms. We made it to my car, at which point I had to try to get the keys out of my pocket to unlock my car, which meant loosening my grip on Owen. As soon as I did that he darted out in front of traffic. Thank God I caught him before he was hit by a car. He was absolutely hysterical, tears streaming down his face, gasping for breathe. He wanted this darn alligator. I offered to buy him a new one, no deal. He wanted THIS one. But his teacher said no and I had to back her up. I ended up sitting in the parking lot by my car restraining Owen until all the cars and buses left (because everytime I loosened my grip to unlock the car or open the door he would attempt to run in front of cars/buses again). When there were no more cars driving by I managed to wrestle him into the backseat and, eventually, into his carseat and buckled up.
For those who don't know- Owen gets out of school at 2:35. I have to be at work at 3:00. I can usually make it there with 5-8 minutes to spare. By the time Owen was buckled up it was already 3:00. I called work to let them know I'd be late. I drove to work with Owen in the backseat wheezing and crying hysterically telling me I had to go back and get Mr. Alligator. I, of course, couldn't. We got to work and I carried him inside, hysterical. I tried to calm him down but everytime I let him go he attempted to run out (he said he was going to run to his school to get Mr. Alligator). We eventually calmed him down (thankfully his teacher had brought in a new movie). I texted Jason and told him what happened and he left work and came and got Owen and brought him home (to give him his inhaler).
We ended up using the inhaler on him several more times throughout the evening/night to get his wheezing under control.
Friday morning comes and more fun ensues. I work a full day on Friday (9am-6pm). I started feeling ill on Thursday. By Friday I felt like crap. I went in to work (with Owen) and told the assistant director I felt horrible and asked if there was any way I could leave early. Nope, I was told. We're short-handed as it is so suck it up and get to work. Great. Owen's school starts at 11:30 so I leave work to take him to school at 11:15. At 10:30 he ran down to my room (we've been having issues with him running out of his room to come to my room, nothing we do seems to help). I put him in a corner with a train so he wouldn't run over the other kids (I was working the 1 year old room). My director came in a few minutes later and asked to speak to me outside. Okay.... so I go out. She proceeds to tell me that Owen punched his teacher and gave her a black eye (!!! He's NEVER punched anyone before) and that the teacher he punched has been working for her for 10 years and she's not going to risk losing her over Owen and yada yada yada. She then proceeds to, whether intentionally or not is debatable, threaten my job either by firing me or forcing me to quit (kicking Owen out and giving me hours she knows I can't work).
I am shocked. Absolutely shocked. I'm also livid at this point. I go back in my room and talk to Owen. He's adament that he didn't punch his teacher. They eventually come back down to my room and take Owen back to his. At 11:15 I go get Owen and take him to school.
When I get back to work I am met by the teacher that Owen "punched" (who, btw, is sporting a nasty black eye), the director and the assistant director. This is when everything comes out. Apparently Owen was playing with a stuffed cat that another kid brought to daycare (a HUGE reason why we stress that you do NOT send toys with your kid to daycare UNLESS they want to share them with EVERYONE). Anyway, the teacher took the cat away from Owen. She then leaned down to do something at the Lego table. Owen crawled underneath the table and jumped up, not realizing the teacher was standing right there. He got her right in the eye. A painful injury, for sure, but the teacher said she does not believe Owen did it on purpose at all. She ran out of the building in pain and crying. The cook saw her run out so went to see what happened. Teacher was in so much pain she couldn't say. Cook then went inside and told Director that teacher had a black eye because Owen punched her (!!!). That's when the director came down to my room. Anyway, once teacher cleared everything up the director and assistant director were both very apologetic and said my job isn't at risk and Owen isn't getting kicked out and whatever. At this point, I don't care. That was a nasty accusation to make about my child and the fact she was threatening my job because of my childs disability was illegal. The director then comes to my room and continues to talk to me about Owen and what we can do to help him and whatever. Her only 2 solutions were "isn't there a drug or something you could put him on that would calm him down?" and "have you tried spanking him? I'm not talking abuse, but maybe if he was spanked hard enough he would realize he can't do that?".
Lord am I glad I can check on Owen anytime I want to when he's at daycare.
Now, my boss is a wonderful person. She's been very accomodating to Owen the last year and a little bit and *she* would never hurt any child. But her oh so helpful suggestions were, well, less than helpful.
When I dropped Owen off at school I called Jason to tell him what was happening. He made some phone calls and got some information for me, should I be fired over this. The EEOC wanted to start a file yesterday, but we declined until we figure out what's going to happen.
Anyway, right now I am being told that "it was all a misunderstanding" and "your job is not at risk and of course we are willing to work with Owen". I am thinking someone realized what was happening was illegal while I was dropping Owen off at school, because they all changed their tunes very quickly by the time I got back.
The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. Jason picked Owen up from daycare at 5, when he got out of work. I ended up staying until 6 because the assistant director wouldn't let me leave, even after all my babies were gone and my work was done.
On a good note.... I was accepted into the Bluegrass Community and Technical College. I also have my FAFSA filed. I will be starting at BCTC next fall, when Owen starts Kindergarten full time. I will be at BCTC for 2 years and then I will transfer to the University of Kentucky. I will be working towards a teaching degree in Special Education. Both of these campuses are right down the road from Owen's school, which is great when you have a "special" child and never know when you'll be called to the school.
Phew, that's more than enough for now! My voice may be gone but my fingers still work great ;) I hope everyone is having a good weekend!
