Approximately fifty days a year, I travel for work attending university recruiting events across the US and Toronto to recruit Architecture and Interior Design interns and new graduates for our growing company. University recruiting is hands-down my favorite part of my job. The students fresh perspective and energy is contagious and they make me excited representing our company, our vision and goals.
The challenge is that the majority of my travel occurs between February and April on a very tight schedule, causing a huge juggle in my home life to pull it off. After 10 years, my family and I have it down to a science; however, sometimes life just happens and you gotta roll with it.
So here’s today, a day in my life.
I have a hard shell, I’m thick-skinned but right now, with my sister gone, I’m wounded, fragile, and I don’t feel whole. Not in my comfort zone, I’m needy and leaving my family at home, saying goodbye to the kids last night, was really difficult. Coming to Ohio made the transition easier as I have a TON of family in Ohio, many of which I will see this week. My husband, who has been so fantastic these past few weeks, woke up with me at 3:30 this morning to drive me to the airport with big hugs and love in support. 3:30 AM, that’s love.
The flight to Denver provided a much-needed nap. Once in Denver, people watching was good while waiting forever for the plane’s flat tire to be changed. Once on board, we waited and waited as Denver was cold and snowy and the line to de-ice was backlogged. I worked on the plane to the best of my ability, limited by the lack of wifi access on the plane. What the hell United? It’s 2014, on a 2.5 hour flight, with no wifi. RIDICULOUS!
We finally land in Cincinnati. While waiting at baggage claim, I received a call informing me that the University of Cincinnati recruiting event was cancelled. Of course I took the news graciously on the phone, but I did my fair share of stomping and cursing off the call. Dang it! There was no snow on the ground at the time of the call. To cancel school a day in advance really tells you how responsive Ohio is to storm warnings. Ohioans have lived and learned.
Other than an apple and tangerine I brought with me, I was starving at this point. I checked into hotel and searched Yelp for food options that will let me stay on my Whole Life Challenge diet – no wheat/corn/white rice, no dairy, no sugar and I can’t remember what else. Clean eating. I found Myra’s Dionysus, a Middle Eastern Vegetarian gem a half mile from my hotel. I ventured out in the snow and wind (the snow I can handle, wind is miserable) fingers crossed I would find good food. Thank you Yelp! I had Imam Bialdi, a Turkish inspired dish of eggplant and tomato seasoned with allspice and currants on a bed of (allowed) brown rice.
Inches of snow had accumulated while I enjoyed my meal, so I high-tailed my way back to the hotel to hunker down and catch up on work.
Meanwhile….
Our thirteen year old son was in a ski accident on January 20. We spent hours in the ER to learn nothing was broken, but he can’t put any weight on his right leg and has been on crutches ever since, in his 3rd week. The follow-up with the orthopedist was delayed a week because my sister passed on January 22. The orthopedist ordered an MRI because the small hospital near the ski resort didn’t have an MRI (hello, 2014, wifi and MRI’s should be standard operating procedure). We waited 8 days for insurance to authorize the MRI. We have PPO insurance. Why does it take a week to approve? Nobody can tell me. I called the insurance company and asked, they had no answer for me, until day 8, today. I’m out-of-town hanging out in the snow and my son is having an MRI.
Side note, our son has been home from school for 12 days so far as the orthopedist doesn’t want him further injuring what we don’t know is injured. Not to mention, crutches are no fun and not easy in the ice and snow. Managing his school work, the insurance and teenage awesomeness has been fantastic fun. Now, the moment we’ve been waiting for has arrived, and I’m not there. Sigh. I’m thankful and relieved his injury is finally (FINALLY!!) being addressed.
We’ll find out tomorrow afternoon what is really going on. The orthopedist believes the muscle is torn from the bone (gnarly) but there is really no change in the course of care, physical therapy and time.
Here in Cincinnati I wait to see what happens.
multi-hyphenated-me 