The Evolution of a Plan

Here is where I shall chronicle my attempt at planning everything I do. I will post the oldest draft known of my plan and continue to post revised copies of the plan on top. I will amend the draft (commenting on reasons why things weren’t accomplished in the given time frame, these will be in red) and cross off things I’ve accomplished.

This page is incredibly self indulgent and of great importance for my own mental health. Anyone who stops by is free to comment or share in my neurosis. Thank you!

Only 3 months after updating my plan, I’m updating again! This time the changes are hugely drastic in all fields. Recent developments have made it plainly obvious that I need a full time job, 40 hours a week, as soon as possible. Fil still has cancer, needs multiple joint surgeries, including an imminent surgery on her jaw. We’re now really considering whether or not Monster has ADHD, if the symptoms aren’t masking some deeper problem. The BIL is still planning on moving down here, but we’re almost positive he’s moving into his own place! The majority of this new plan relies heavily upon my shoulders. That is, being able to find 40 hours! The first step of the plan is always long, frantic and feels like too much. I’m focusing in my resolution: stick-to-it-uvness.

• January ’09 – May ’09: Finda 40 hr/wk position. Maybe keep the work at the law firm for an extra 20 hr/wk. Find an OB/GYN. Talk to WL about anxiety and get serious about controlling it. Start working out, lightly, 3 times a week. Focus on decreasing caloric intake. Increase exercise from light to moderate in early May. Talk to Monster’s doctors about him possibly having another disorder, other than ADHD, that explains his problems better. Hold off on temping until summer. Get more involved with the G/L meet up group. Renew apartment lease May 15, 2009. Chip Nefi. Negotiate with teachers to postpone work until the summer. Finish Anatomy, even if it kills me … or my family. (Yeah… I don’t know what happened there..) Seek counselling about changing my education plan.
• Summer ’09: Work. Give Fil as many well deserved breaks as she’s going to be taking care of Monster, alone, all summer (I know the pain).  Stick with the exercise. Focus hard on eating habits. Think about a KD – who could donate? No school this summer. I don’t have the time.
• August ’09 – December ’09: Work, work, work. Start pre-natal vitamins once we get the thumbs up from doctors. Hopefully start active TTC in December. Start either a medical coding certification program at school or start on a medial transcriptionists degree.
• January ’10 – May ’10: Work, work, work. Start active apartment hunting. Take a break from TTC if things don’t go smoothly the first 3 tries **I am not saying we’ll throw in the towel, just take a break so that the stress of trying to move blows over and we have a clean slate! Continue with certification/degree plan. At this point I should only have one more semester, the summer one, to go!
• May 15, 2010: MOVE! **We’re actually planning on moving at the beginning of May as to prepare the new apartment and fix up the old one without having to stress too much.
• Summer ’10: Work, work, work. Pick up TTC after the move. Hopefully things go smoothly! Last class, hopefully! Graduation soon. Start looking into job placement aid through school.
• 2010 and beyond: I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. We are the little family that could.

This is my plan as of January 14, 2009. Almost 6 months after writing my initial plan, a lot has changed. Fil now has cancer, I’m taking fewer classes and I have a part time job. This new plan is a little less strict, but is still a 2 year plan, starting from the month of January ’09. ** Edited on February 20, 2009 with recent developments in the brother-in-law department. Also some huge advancements in the check-off department regarding health and planning!

• January ’09 – May ’09: Work diligently at school and at job.Start compiling necessary information to answer the 1,000 what if TTC questions we have **Who knew I’d have so many questions? Since my work is a treasure trove of folders and printer paper I’ve gotten a nice folder of questions, concerns and such on getting a new apartment, having a baby and my general health, go organisation!. Get WL to check my thyroid, if necessary get on medication to regulate it **As of this month, my thyroid is normal! I’m now on IBS medication and searching for some way to help regulate my weight. Find a great OB/GYN to stay with through pregnancy, talk seriously about possible infertility problems due to miscarriage and ways to check out my uterus. Get serious about health. Get Monster on ADHD medication so he can feel happier and better about having siblings **We have started the process of getting him on medication, it’s a long road but we’re on it. Renew apartment lease on May 15, 2009 **We’re not sure about this, as Fil’s brother is moving here and we may have to move to a 4 bedroom temporarily. Have Nefi chipped. Begin temping on first 2009 cycle. **Currently waiting for 2nd cycle, temping is a maybe at this point. See post here.  Finish classes, as well as Anatomy from Fall ’08. Hopefully boost my GPA.
• Summer ’09: Continue job, maybe picking up another part time position if Monster can get into a summer program **This is now a must, I need to have 40+ hours as we’re unsure of Fil’s work plans. Get a family cell phone plan. Get renter’s insurance. Seriously search for KD or start looking into cryobanks. Take 1 – 2 courses. Physiology and one other Pharmacology. Hopefully apply for nursing school at the end of the summer. Discuss with counselors about classes and accelerated degree plans.
• August ’09 – December ’09: Stay with the firm. Start on prenatal vitamins. Start TTC in late November/early December. Continue with accelerated plan, if approved. If not accepted, focus on work.
• January ’10 – May ’10: Start looking for a new 3 bedroom apartment closer into town/my work **Seriously, who thought I’d wait a year? I’ve got a folder FULL of potential perfect apartments in great areas with great floorplans. Take all recommended courses, if accepted. Stay on accelerated degree plan. If not accepted, take Spanish and double up on work.
• May 15, 2010: Move! **That’s only if we haven’t moved already.
• Summer ’10: Take nursing school courses, as many as I can fit.
• January ’10 – ???: Keep up TTC until pregnant. Formulate pregnancy plan with OB. Graduate a little after 22nd birthday, hopefully!

Originally posted as “Sad” on August 6, 2008. A lot of this plan hinged on waiting 2 years to have a baby. It was drastic, frantic and fast paced. Typing it I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be able to go through cosmetic breast reduction, or squish so much schooling into so little time. I didn’t realise, also, that Fil would have cancer, and a million other problems. Or that I’d have to get a job and cut my course load by  a lot. The plan would only work in ideal conditions, hence a lot of scraping of the original ideas. School goals are in italics.

• Summer ‘08: Begin workout regiment. Discuss weight loss with PCP, now known as WonderLee, or WL. Discuss plastic surgery with WL and begin researching local plastic surgeons. ** I completely scrapped this idea because the amount of damage done to my breast would be more than I could handle, and might affect milk production. WL insists the asymmetry will not affect anything w/ childbearing or rearing.(Side note: get annoying, could become cancerous moles removed. **Never got around to accomplishing this.) Complete BA and get into anatomy.
• August – December ‘08: Continue workout regiment, accompanied by supplements for weight loss**Finally getting around to this in 2009. Goal is to obtain a healthy pre-op weight (note: NOT desired weight) and general mental health related to physical appearance. Complete total course load. Anatomy,  Human G&D, Maths. **Was given an incomplete for Anatomy due to Fil’s cancer. Will complete by Spring Break of 2009.
• Winter Break ‘08-’09: Have breast reduction surgery (right breast hypertrophy). Take the whole break off from anything like school. Start a savings account AND get a cell phone plan for family. ** None of this happened!
• January – May ‘09: Post recovery, return to normal workout regiment and continue weight loss to desired weight. Finish all pre-requisites for nursing school andfile the application. Discuss with counselors about an accelerated degree course. 
• Summer ‘09: Start looking for houses in desired Austin area (south-west Austin, Barton Springs area or Duval area), squirreling away money for substantial down payment (think, $10,000+ which according to a real estate broker is a great down payment) and if needed, finding a donor (if UDis needed, split savings into frozen sperm fund) ** Completely scrapped and exchanged for moving into a larger 3 bedroom apartment. If possible, start accelerated degree course, finish 1 semester of nursing. **Again, scrapped. Taking my last pre-requisits since I had to get a job and take a lighter course load in Spring 2009.
• August – December ‘09: Keep saving for a house/sperm/baby. Keep on the accelerated course, DON NOT DROP THE BALL!  **Scrap.
• January ‘10 – May ‘10: Start temping, wonder if VIP FF account is worth the money. Maybe do a few OPKs for confirmed ovulation. Re: Last bullet. **Scraaap.
• Summer ‘10: If nursing degree is obtained, start finding a job and start waiting for the insurance plan to kick in. If no degree, re: last bullet.
• August – December ‘10: Should finish nursing school at the latest. Job finding during winter break. Most like, TTC begins here. (2 years after the plan was written!) At least, serious ovulation tracking and a definite internal check-up (due to last years PID/miscarriage, there could be unknown fallopian damage, or whatever) Adopt JT and look into common law/name changes. **SCRAP!

The original plan, made in February of 2008, is not a bulleted plan like I’d hoped. So the post made in August of 2008 will be now counted as the original plan post, despite what the entry says.