Leaving on a Jet Plane

So I'm going to a conference at a place that's even further than the last one. This time I'm off to a different continent and even a different hemisphere. Actually, that's not true. It's the same hemisphere. Just really close to the equator. I'm going to present a paper to an audience of my peers in hopes of getting fruitful feedback and expanding networks of knowledge. Six months ago, when I proposed my paper and decided to go, I figured life might be a little less crazy by now. Hahahahahahaha. Right. 

In fact, Ren's legs still hurt all the time, and he's still at half speed and wondering what the point of two back surgeries was. And Sky is in the middle of a major regression, something that happens every fall. In fact, I'm thinking of naming it "The Great Fall Regression." Pink P developed a cough two days ago, which means she could be inching her way toward an asthma episode. And Stow, bless little Stow. He's managed to pick up another hard-hitting gut illness that requires some serious medication which he absolutely refuses to take. 

So I'm leaving on a jet plane tomorrow and at least two kids have the potential of getting hospitalized while I'm gone. I'm not sure how I feel about those odds. 

To help myself stay organized in the midst of all this chaos, I've been creating lists. Here's the list I have for the plane:

To do on plane:

Write blog
Finish talk
Grade
Solve world's problems

That last one seems a bit ambitious, but, hey, it's a 22-hour plane ride, and I won't have to cook for special diets, shuttle anyone to therapy, dose out any medication, or manage any meltdowns. Just think of all the possibilities. 

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Update:

I got violently ill just hours after I wrote the entry above (see what happens when I tempt fate like that?), and I was officially grounded by the doctor. Guess the world's problems will have to wait. But, at least I'll be here should anyone else require hospitalization. See, there's always a bright side!