September 4, 2021

by drplasticpicker

It’s 230AM and I’m UP!!! I’m usually not up this early and I’m completely weaned off coffee for the last almost six weeks. I didn’t even drink a diet coke yesterday nor tea. Seeing a full panel of patients on Fridays was meaningful but it’s exhausting – emotionally. I thought I was okay, but after dinner when I was successfully able to have us eat a good several servings of vegetables by whipping up some broccoli and mushroom steamed vegetable side in the Instapot that went along with various leftovers a can of chilli – I fell asleep early. I was laying on the couch and the entire family was settled in the living room including the grandparents to watch some sort of documentary on a Kenyan marathoner breaking the world record. I dozed off pretty early. I just remember by daughter reminding my husband, “Can you make sure mommy gets to bed?” Somehow I ended up in my bed and had a good six hours of sleep. That is not bad. I usually sleep a good 8 hours these days. But I was thirsty and my body told me to wake up, and I had an idea about a climate project to further our collective efforts to Rewild Mission Bay. San Diego Pediatricians for Clean Air have joined their coalition.

So I brushed my teeth again and washed my face, and crept downstairs with my computer to start my climate work. I have a long weekend ahead of me and I try to listen to my body and the earth. My body said, “Get UP! You are thirsty!” So I went to drink some water, and before I got to the water downstairs – I spied a bluish light coming from my son’s room (he lives downstaris). I crept into his room, not knowing what to expect. And there he was, sitting asleep on his comfy reading chair with his airpods in his ears and his computer turned on to an innocuous page. I gently removed his airpods and closed his computer and gently led him to his bed. I pulled up his covers and he’s at least supine in his bed.

It’s really important once in a while to spy on your teenage children. I 100% endorse this as a pediatrician. I know now to be on him on his sleep routine which is so important for his health and his schooling. Being rested is a prerequisite for anything good in life. So he is in his bed, and will get better deep sleep now that he is actually laying down. I’m feeling fine and I usually sleep at this time. But once in a while writing and the quiet is good for me. I’m off coffee anyway, and I’ll take a nap tomorrow probably.

He’s my first born and I love him so much. I get these rare hugs and scraps of attention from his tall teenage self. But it’s natural. It’s natural at this age for teenage sons to pull away from their mothers. I want him to be independent eventhough he can’t even get himself in his own bed at night. This is the paradox of the teenage years. He had a busy week as he had his wisdom teeth out earlier in the week, and has been eating soft liquid and soft foods all week. He recovered amazingly well. Much better than I did when I had my wisdom teeth out in my late 20s. We had to pay $2000 though? I thought we had coverage? Maybe the golden handcuffs we call them of the big HMO machine aren’t as golden as I thought?

So I’m up at 3am now, and I finished the Rewild Mission Bay Project already. I sent two emails, one to the Rewild Mission Bay leader Andrew Meyer and our leadership team at San Diego Pediatricians for Clean Air. The other is to our new premed intern who want to work on a project. And just like that, this will be pretty easy to put together a journal club on the Rewilding Wetlands Efforts and what that has to do with pediatric health. Maybe this will move the conversation.

At least this moved me to get up and spy at my teenage son. And he will get a good night’s sleep. And I’ll answer a few more climate emails and pre some calzones with my pizza dough I have ready to go. It’s going to be a great and productive climate work weekend for me. Already off to a great start!