Dropping the Ball what does it mean?

I mention dropping the ball.

Yes its a sport term and in working with Paul and his services it takes on a specific role for the family or guardian.

To drop the ball means simply that the connecting rod  (aka family-guardian) or one of the numerous services did not follow through with their task or area of concern.

heehee 

I can't help but smile at this cartoon as there are days (way too many honestly) that I feel like Charlie Brown. I hear those working with Paul saying they got it...over and over...yet find out that they didn't "got it."
 Why?
My goodness!
There are too many reasons as to why not...such as...

--new care givers lacking experience and training
--slipped past their mind due to something else more urgent
--no money
--not enough time
--received other information that felt more important
--mixed signals
--scheduling
--timing
--LIFE

I raise my eyebrows and say "good grief! not again...sigh"

Then...I pick up the pieces by figuring out where the mis-step happened and begin building another strand that will get Paul where he needs to be.

Ex: Paul and drinking pop. He was not to have any. Then he was only to have one and only rootbeer or sprite...no heavily caffeinated drinks. When I visited with him and his day staff I found out he has at least 2, sometimes more, but that this was ok as it wasn't Mountain Dew. His weight is getting heavier now that he is in a wheelchair and his cholesterol and sodium level have risen to levels that are not healthy. The staff is looking into healthier foods and low sodium foods but never even considered his pop intake.
So...I visited with Katy and she sent out emails to his other service staff and her day staff to monitor this better. Mainly, keep pop to one a day no more than 2.

Something as simple as a dietary change has a major impact on Paul's health and in this case, his kidney and bladder functions. They dropped the ball by hearing 'no mountain dew' and left it at that.
I needed to pick that ball back up and hand it back to them with more specific guidelines.

What is the key to making sure corrections can be made in a timely manner without sending the whole system off its' track?

Follow through
Follow through
Deep meditation
Follow through
Follow through
Breathe
Follow through
Follow through
Exercise...run around the block, hike a hill, lift weights
Follow through
Follow through
Have an ice cream cone
and
Follow through
Follow through
Follow through
Follow through

Repeat.