Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

Really weird how every one is talking about local. I got a phone call today. Court date to come but I'm getting shared custody of my twin girls. I asked if there was something I could do, to be home every night. If not, I'll have to look for something else. I was told they'll start working on it and let me know. Fingers crossed. I really dont want to go work anywhere else.

 

Local is nice, but RC is right. Long days. Home for 9-10 hrs, then back at it 5 days a week.

 

My mom won't hire anyone either. She lives alone, 2300 miles away in Phoenix AZ, and is not in good health. I would like to go out an help her, but in my case, my wife won't leave PA, and my mom is too frail to undertake a big move back here, so I'm stuck in the middle.

Should I be a good son and go help mom, or should I be a good husband and stay with the wife and let mom fend for herself? That is the question and I really hate the situation I've been put into.

Enjoy what you do have with your mom, because I wish I could do for mine what you are doing for her.

 

EXACTLY!!! No time to do anything. And MORE tired because of it. At least when OTR, I could stop at Walmart and do some of the shopping for non perishable items while out. I can say, I have discovered the grocery pick up at Kroger has been helpful. I just pull in (in the truck!), call them, and out come the grocery items. No shopping required! Absolutely love it! I’m hopeful that the non stop doctor appointments will be a thing of the past (at least for a little while) after the first of the year.

 

Speaking from experience. My sister in law took care of my mother inlaw 24/7 and that was a full time job for almost 10 year's; It affected her health and social life big time!
Me and my wife understand you 100 percent!

 

Yeah, I live next door to mine so it’s definitely easier. That has to be rough. Worry about mom and want to help out, but live over halfway across the country! I can say that my husband would move if I asked him to in order to care for family. He’s a sweet heart like that. He wouldn’t like it, but he’d do it.

 

Some companies only have 10-12 hour days. Abilene really expects you to work 12-14 hour days 99% of the time. I told them when they presented this “opportunity” to me that I did not want to work that much as it would defeat the whole purpose of me being local to be home to help more. If I did not need 2 days off during M-F (mostly either Tue/Wed or Wed/Thur due to doctor scheduling) I could’ve stayed OTR. Since most of our loads out of Richmond are Monday delivery, it really limited me (according to the powers that be).

 

Oh yes. It definitely wears on you. What gets me is that my mother says she saw what taking care of my grandparents did to my aunt (she was their 24/7 caregiver for 8 years) and didn’t want that to happen to me. But has put me in that position all the same.

 

Can’t y’all tell we are waiting at the doctors office for an appointment that was at 2:45?!?!? LOL

 

Maybe in Richmond. I've talked to the local drivers in wytheville. They barely getting 50hrs a week right now. Maybe things will pickup during the summer.