I’m leveraging technology.

I am tech positive. Always have been.

I don’t see technology as the devil. I do not fight innovation at all costs. I do not see it robbing our children of childhood, but I do recognize that it changes it. I think adults don’t understand/ won’t accept that their version of childhood won’t be their child’s. One generation having the same childhood experience as their parents generation has never been the case, but yet every generation of parents thinks it is their unique issue. How the world is going to shit. Flabbergasted by the things their children are doing/ seeing/participating in from Elvis’s whirling hips (AHH! How dare he do that and how dare they air it?) to Fortnite there will always be something. This is not new and fighting it is as useless as when your parents tried with you. Technology is not going anywhere. Accept it and work with it.  It can do just as much good as bad.

However, you can argue and whine that technology is moving faster. That is fair, parent. That is unnerving.  Moore’s law is real. So if the changes feel fast and overwhelming, it IS! Can you imagine what it will be like for our children parenting their children?! Crazy to think about. But that still doesn’t change the fact that you can’t stop progress (even at the suffering of others) AND that not all the progress is necessarily a bad thing. 

Technology for example is changing the field of education in GOOD ways. REALLY good ways. The obvious example would be access, but the everyday classroom is reaching more learners due to technology. The flipped classroom is only well executed using technology. 

Thus, I embrace tech and often find solace in it. I see technology as a problem solver more than a problem creator and thought I should share my tech tricks in hopes you share some back, especially you cancer mom.  Tricks beyond setting alarms for your own med tracking sheet. Speaking of tracking meds. Here is our system, which is anything but techy, but putting it in my phone’s calendar didn’t work any better as the times kept changing with his needs. I’m looking for a digital solution. Got one? Please share!

(Please ignore the reading strategies and the countdown to our chicks hatching). GM stands for the shots. The rest you all know.

Below are my tech tidbits that are making my days a bit more manageable. Some double as marriage counselors even!

The Oura ring.  It is my digital flair. It monitors sleep, which is important for all people, but for us cancer parents, it also acts as a record keeper of the times in the night that you are awake. Another data source to use for tracking medications when speaking to the doctor the next day. 

BUT the greatest win of this digital tool is its a peace maker and can settle almost any dispute. You know those fights with your significant where you argue about who is more tired? It’s like a competition as you both list all the stuff you have done that day and fight over who has more energy to yell at the kids to go to sleep. And for us cancer parents…the last thing we need to do is fight with the one ally we have so (drumroll) step in Oura ring! You have a data-driven answer right on your middle finger. Also a little flair on that finger is helpful when you want to curse the world. How does it work? You each get a sleep score and readiness score (how alert you are) based off of all sorts of nifty records. No more arguing. Let the numbers decide. “So get up honey, you will be yelling at the kids tonight, I’m taking a bath!” Love my Oura ring.

Apple Watch. I stopped wearing my apple watch a good two years ago, but when Steve heard that this new version has a walkie talkie application we had to get it. Cancer parents listen up. You know how you are constantly screaming at each other across the house/apt. “Did you give the Gabapentin?” “WHAT? I can’t hear you!” Or even worse…when you are at the hospital and the dr pops by to give you some detailed information and you want your spouse to hear it, but you can’t get your spouse on the line?! AHHHH. Nothing is worse than that. Well that is now solved with the walkie talkie. I’ve given Steve permission to start talking at me at anytime of the day. And I can too. It may make for some awkward board meetings as I will all of a sudden be a voice in the room, but hey we have a child with cancer and you all should know he just vomited all over. We could give two shits if this feels TMI.

Fabulous. An app that I’m trying to help me with my health. Bagels and ice cream and days sitting in hospital chairs is new for me. I’ve always been active and I can feel the toll. Fabulous helps you create healthy habits and new routines in our new normal. I’m only a week in, but unlike other apps it goes SLOW. Perfect for us parents who have to put self care at the bottom of the pile of things to do. It also gives these inspirational letters that usually make me cringe, but they are based in data science so has a nice balance of inspiration and science. 

Please share any apps/ devises you have found helpful. Looking for any tools and tricks to help survive.