This photo has nothing to do with this post but I love this little kitten so much. Sigh. I really could become a little old cat lady if I lived alone. And yes, my husband rolls his eyes at me and the kittens. And though he won't admit to it, I find him petting them often. ;)
I found myself in two situations this week that had me wondering if I was suffering from sudden-onset mouth paralysis. I don't have a cure so I hope someone who reads this does.
The first is a school issue - I am once again fighting with Libby's school over something. And it's such a stupid bureaucratic issue that it rendered me unable to speak. When the person-who-shall-not-be-named at the school told me the problem, I seriously couldn't move my mouth. I knew my jaw was hanging open and that I looked like a blithering idiot and I had a momentary panic about my mouth ever working again, yet I could do nothing. It was as if she was telling me that the sky was pink, had always been pink and everyone but me knew it was pink. I stuttered a bit. I tried to speak but I just couldn't. I finally just said I'd call her back once I had more time to think about it.
Since then, I have looked at the issue calmly. I have looked at the issue full of rage. I have talked to friends about it. I have talked to professionals about it. Everyone BUT the school agrees that it simply doesn't make sense. But because it is a rule that is written down, it must be followed. Can you hear my brain imploding yet?
The second issue is just one of anger and frustration for one of my kids. And rudeness. I want to be very careful about not revealing identities on this one so I'm going to be intentionally vague. Bear with me and I hope this makes sense.
We recently invited a group of kids over to the house to practice for a school-related activity at the request of someone I will call Child A. So we called Child A, B, C and D and set the time and date and said that we would be providing a meal. On the day of the activity, Children B, C and D showed up (two of them had to arrive late but had notified us of that detail). Child A didn't show. This entire thing had been set up at Child A's request. And I had food prepared.
So 30 minutes after the supposed arrival time had passed, I called Child A's house with the assumption that I would talk to the parent. Instead, Child A answered the phone and blithely said, "Oh no. We're doing something else today instead."
Um.......................what??? Actually, I didn't even get out the "Um." Sudden-onset mouth paralysis hit again. My lower jaw fell down and hung open and I couldn't get it back to a functional state for what seemed like 15 hours. I guess I eventually said "Ok" and hung up but I don't even remember. I just remember that I was so shocked at the cavalier attitude and lack of apology that I just hung up. And after I hung up, I was so angry at myself. Why didn't I ask for the parent?! WTH? And I had a very upset and hurt child and the kids couldn't do the activity because Child A was a very necessary component.
So, um................................any known cures for sudden-onset mouth paralysis? Because I know that I can be an excellent advocate for my children. I've been doing it for years. But this new affliction is getting the better of me right now.