This trip, like so many others we've taken, isn't your typical family vacation, though. We are heading to a new specialty hospital that is a seven-hour drive away.
A pretty common thread for anyone dealing with chronic illness is the enormous financial impact. Family vacations are just not generally in our budget. Whenever we are on a trip for medical appointments, arthritis conferences, etc., we try to do as many kid-friendly activities, and make as many memories as we can while we're there. For our kids, these trips are fun.
I think one of the biggest challenges for parents is re-framing the less-than-ideal situations. Telling kids that waiting out a tornado siren in the closet is a great adventure, for example, or having a carpet picnic when you only have the energy to make PB&J sandwiches for dinner. Whatever your circumstances, I'm sure you can think of an example.
I like to see how creative I can get with our 'vacations' to make them positive experiences. Would I prefer to be taking my kids on a cruise? Of course. I appreciate the opportunity, however, to show my kids that we can make anything fun just by spending time together exploring whatever city we visit.
I am looking forward to taking an actual vacation that doesn't require a referral, but in the meantime I am looking forward to visiting a new zoo and science museum this week!