The price of parenthood

I reckon the youngest needs a Webster pack and she’s only 17.

We went to the chemist yesterday and it cost me almost $400 for her latest raft of medications.

She takes desensitising tablets for her allergies, two different tablets for her heart condition, a new lot of tablets to try and sort out her long-term concussion symptoms and a myriad of other regular medications.

It is both intense and expensive.

On top of that I could hear her coughing when I went to bed last night.

She has been ill since she got back from Schoolies a few weeks ago. I tried to book her a doctor’s appointment yesterday through Hot Doc, but they would only allow a telehealth consultation because she has a cough, which is a potential COVID symptom.

I doubt it’s COVID if it’s week three of illness. And I don’t think a telehealth consultation will be very useful – how does a doctor check someone’s chest via a computer screen?

I will see how she is this morning and decide whether to call and beg for an in-person visit.

I feel a combination of exhaustion, sadness and guilt over her many ailments.

She jokingly says I didn’t gestate her properly, therefore it’s my fault. Joy.

I have everything tightly crossed that she feels a bit better for Christmas.

Christmas! Can you believe it’s only a few days away?

I haven’t decided what I’m doing about blogging yet. I might be sporadic, I might take a few weeks off.

If you don’t hear from me you’ll know I went with option B.

But I already know stories will unfold this weekend that I will be itching to tell you.

Best wishes to everyone for the festive season. Thank you for sticking with me through another year. I hope to entertain you with more colourful tales in 2024.

Now I’d better pop off to walk the dogs and give Will, my local barista, a $5 Christmas Scratchie. I gave my city barista Tisha one yesterday.

The youngest was horrified when I told her what I was planning and implored me not to do it because it was tacky. But I wanted to give them something Christmassy as a little, fun gesture.

Do you think it’s tacky?

I’m sure they would prefer a tip, but how do you tip one person in a store and not everyone?

I am unschooled in the art.

I also don’t carry a skerrick of cash these days, so I gave a homeless man a chocolate croissant the other day instead because I thought he might like a treat.

He seemed surprised and pleased but maybe that wasn’t the right thing to do either?

See, this is why I can’t guarantee whether I will have a break from blogging next week – I’m a compulsive blatherer.

I’ll stop now. Big virtual hugs. Here’s my Christmas gift to you …

Song of the day: Ryan Gosling & Mark Ronson – I’m Just Ken (Merry Kristmas Barbie)