Deadlines and doctor's visits

Tonight I had to take my son to the doctor's office. A few days ago, he had a high fever and vomiting, then he got better. Then the last two days he's developed a low-grade fever and a cough, and tonight he was complaining about ear pain and a headache. His ear was hurting him so much he couldn't sleep, so I packed him into the car, pajamas and all, and headed to the after-hours clinic.

The diagnosis? Fluid behind the ears. The pediatrician gave him some ear drops and Tylenol, and after that he felt much better.

These are the kind of little emergencies I try to build into my work schedule. For example, I have a story due tomorrow, but I mostly finished it yesterday so I wouldn't have to stay up late tonight. I've gotten better about not procrastinating because if there's one thing I've learned as a mom, it's that if I wait until the last-minute to finish a project, inevitably someone in my house will get sick.

Score one for a working mama this round. As for next time, we'll see if I'm as lucky.