Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Back to Life, Back to Reality


We’re back from a completely fabulous weekend away. Well, I guess it wasn’t completely fabulous for all involved. (Our host’s grandmother passed away while we were visiting, and another friend got motion sickness so badly while riding the metro that she puked up a perfectly good dinner.) But for SRH and I, the weekend was pretty darn good.

Good food, some drinking, great friends. Just what the gall bladder and liver doctor ordered.

When we returned, Zane’s asthma was flaring and the house was a wreck, but I’m still really glad we went, even though our host subjected us to Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

Whatever. All fun has a price tag.


In other news, Zane had his initial occupational therapy evaluation yesterday. I could share several irritating details about the visit, but suffice it to say I was unimpressed with the incredibly short (20 minutes) session.

Apparently, his evaluation will stretch out over 2-3 appointments, although the therapist felt free to go ahead and refer to his “auditory processing dysfunction” a few times. Great…we have a diagnosis without a full assessment. Mama loves that.

And here’s a bizarre tidbit: After seeing Zane for approximately 6 minutes (I checked my watch), the therapist said that she was unconcerned about his inability to participate in group activities at preschool.

This, after the preschool teachers and I have both expressed concern that he seems unable to participate and is very “wiggly” during said activities. But not to worry, the therapist who barely knows my child is not concerned.

Would you like to know why?

Because, she reported, it seemed like we were an “active” family, and so he was probably just used to being more active than the preschool expected. But since he was clearly able to focus on the puzzle he was doing (interestingly enough, a solitary activity), and we’re such an active family, it doesn’t seem like a problem.

Huh?

I have a few issues with her assumption that we are especially active – as flattering and/or innocuous as that may seem. 1. She was only seeing 2/3 of “we” since SRH wasn’t there. 2. We – including SRH - are NOT especially active. and 3. She’d only known us for 6 minutes (the duration of which we sat at a small table doing a decidedly non-group activity) before she made her judgment.

So, I’ve been pondering how she made the assumption that we’re an ever so active family, and I can only surmise that it’s because I wore track pants to the appointment.

Yep, I think that’s it. I wore athletic pants. Therefore, we must be active.

Next time I plan to wear a beret, so she can tell me how French we are.


What erroneous assumptions have been made about you lately?

11 comments:

nancy said...

LMAO @ it all being about the pants!!

I don't have any experience in this area, but as a mother who has more than once, had to really follow her gut in order to get things right...please make sure you are pleased with the attention Zane is getting, cause that is what this is all really about, not the pants.

I wish you well.

Sue said...

You have me LOL over the athletic pants. That's too funny. What is up with that therapist? A new one may be in order there.

I'm glad you had a fun weekend and were able to get away.

I'm sorry to hear about your liver. I hope those tests come our normal so you can relax a bit. How frustrating about your gall bladder. No one wants surgery, but you also don't want to suffer when there is something wrong.

I'd have to say the only assumptions about me lately are that I'm an over-reactive, paranoid, germaphobe freak. Of course, to us that translates to being a "Food Allergy Mom".

:)

zulhai said...

That I'm so sweet that I won't tear someone (computer tech) a new one when I'm kept waiting for 2 days, and then get served with a big attitude. FYI: trigger words are "That's not my problem." Oh, I can fix that, my brother.
-- Had a little incident yesterday.

Thea @ It's Me Vs. Me said...

I just love post titles that make me break out into song!! Yay!

And I say "poo" on that women's head. Get out while you can!! Run! RUN!!!!!!!

SRH said...

ummmm... so if I were there, she wouldn't have thought the family was "active?" Are you calling me fat?

Zany Mama said...

nancy-
Good reminder to follow my gut - not doing that always gets me in trouble.

sue-
I'm beginning to believe that maybe she was hung up on the pants because they were so doggone awesome. Cheap (bought at Target) and so comfortable.

Maybe she was simply distracted by athletic pants envy.

zulhai-
"That's not my problem" - ha!

Who even says that? He was just asking for a meal they call Fist City.

thea-
Perhaps it was prescience that made me wear the athletic pants - so I could run as far away from that therapist as possible?

And seriously, thanks for getting the song reference. I wasn't sure any one would remember that one.

SRH-
I'm simply pointing out that she was making blanket statements about our family with a significant portion of it being absent.

And by significant portion, I mean the fat one. :)

Sue said...

Hey! Just an fyi - you may want to look at their website - www.choclat.com. My gf's son is allergic to wheat, rye, barley, egg, milk & peanuts and she safely gives him their chocolates - although I know some do contain nuts, but it's all clearly labeled and they are very helpful as I called them too.

Just something to think about if/when you want to tackle a holiday.

We do hybernate on holidays though - we hybernate away from the IL's if they won't come to our house. Very stressful indeed.

Bon said...

oh dear. good thing you didn't wear a dress, she would have perhaps thought he had gender dysfunction because he couldn't dress like mom. :)

i will admit, though, the pants do look hott.

if you have the option, i'd definitely try to get in with another therapist. slapping on labels without thorough diagnosis, and drawing conclusions about your family with no background info is pretty...uncool. and not of much benefit to Zane.

best of luck.

Zany Mama said...

sue-
Thanks for the site. As soon as Zane shows any interest in candy, I'm going to check it out. I figure, until then, I will just avoid it entirely.

bon-
Thanks for stopping by! I think you'll like it here. Wit and wisdom are in abundance on this blog - just not in the posts. You'll have to read the commnents for that.

Anonymous said...

You had me laughing as soon as I read the title of the post.

As for erroneous assumptions, I like it when other moms at the park think I'm my children's nanny. It's also fun when they ask if my son has chicken pox. Because CLEARLY I would take a child with a highly contagious disease (virus?) to a place populated by other children.

Zany Mama said...

riley-
You have hit upon my favorite assumption of all time: that I'm not my child's mother because he is so white-looking, and I clearly am not.

Love that one.