Now that I’m working four days a week, Tuesday is my one day off when Clemmie and I can see friends, go to the park or just relax at home. It is also the day that I catch up on jobs around the house – from the washing and ironing to paying bills and filing paperwork – so that it doesn’t all pile up for the weekend.

Today, however, I have done none of the above. Instead, I’ve spent close to three hours in a hospital waiting room and the rest of the time driving around in the car. As I’ve mentioned before, my eldest son has juvenile arthritis and because the medication he is on carries the risk of possible side effects he needs blood tests every six weeks. Until recently these were done by a mobile nursing team, who would come to our house, but for various reasons (they’re short staffed due to cut backs and he has switched from subcutaneous to oral medication) that stopped just before Christmas. So we now have to go to the local hospital to have the blood test done. Once a child is over eight years old this has to be done in the main walk-in clinic rather than by the paediatric nurses (seems very strange as you’re still under the care of a  paediatrician until the age of 18…but who am I to argue with the NHS?).

So off we went this morning having dropping Casper at school, amazingly found a parking space after only 15 minutes of circling around the car park (it has been known to take 40 minutes) and went up to the blood clinic where we were given a number ticket and told to wait for our turn. Turned out we weren’t the only ones who had the bright idea to come there on a Tuesday morning, as our ticket had number 75 on it and the display said they were currently dealing with patient number 32. Luckily I had brought lots of snacks and a couple of books and games to keep Cameron and Clemmie entertained – as it is an adult clinic it is not filled with brightly coloured toys like the children’s waiting rooms. Just under two hours later, they finally called our number and we went in, only to find that the blood form our doctor was supposed to have sent through to the clinic had not arrived. So then there was another 40 minutes of ringing the doctors’ surgery to get them to fax the form over so the blood test could be done (by this stage I was determined to get it done today as my son had already missed a whole morning of school).

Finally, we were done and I dropped my son off at school just before lunchtime. Got home, tidied up a bit and had just started making lunch for Clemmie and I when the phone rang. It was Cameron’s school, telling me that he had walked backwards into a brick wall while playing a game outside and had a big bump on the back of his head. Could I come and collect him please? So back in the car we went, collected Cameron from school and got a DVD out from the library which they’re now watching in the living room. I’ve finally had some lunch and in half an hour it’s time to pick up Casper.

So, yes one of those days! You’ll be pleased to hear that despite the quote at the top of the page I have not hit the bottle yet but I am looking forward to a large glass of wine this evening. And tomorrow, as they say, is another day! X