I'm not sure what's worse: taking care of a sick husband and a sick toddler, or trying to take care of a mostly-better toddler while I'm sick. It's entirely possible that we all contracted nerd flu a couple weekends ago. But whatever it is, it's miserable. (Seriously, don't catch it.) Fortunately, of the three of us, Westley seems to have had the mildest case. I don't know how he does it, but that boy almost never gets sick. I can count his "under the weather" moments on one hand. In fact, he might be a cyborg.
So all Westley and his cast-iron immune system really needed was a couple of days of quality cuddle time, his red robot to hug, and lots of TV and books. Rob stayed home from work, and slept off the worst of it. And I rushed around and got things done and waited on the guys and got totally run-down. So naturally now that Rob is back at work and Westley is quickly becoming his usual, energetic self again, I'm achy all over and running a fever (103.8 degrees of awesomely-badness).
I can honestly say that this was something I never considered before having a child: parenting when you're sick. Unfortunately, I've had to do it a lot since Westley was born. When he was a baby, it was a little easier; I sat on my ass, nursed 24/7 and watched a lot of bad television, which basically amounts to resting. But now I have an almost-two-year-old who has his own ideas about activities, and would rather not watch a marathon of America's Next Top Model.
This illness caught me completely off-guard, which I know is ridiculous to say because Rob and Westley both had it. There was a pretty good chance I would get sick, too, but I was too busy making hot and sour ginger soup, and cuing up the same three episodes of Yo Gabba Gabba to think about that. Now, I'm home sick with nothing in the way of physical and emotional resources, and it's taking almost as much a toll on me as the symptoms I'm trying to alleviate with regular doses of DayQuil.
For the first time ever, I'm wishing for more shelf-stable convenience foods stockpiled in the pantry, because "cooking" and "sick" don't mix; more of Westley's books and toys in my room, so he could stay in bed with me; and more seriously-not-fucking-around cold and flu medicine to go along with the hippy-dippy homeopathic stuff in my medicine chest. Next time sickness hits this house--because, let's face it, there will be a next time (hello, preschool-as-germ-factory)--I'm going to be prepared.
Or maybe my time would be better spent finding out how the hell Westley recovers from things so quickly, and what I can do get a cast-iron immune system of my own.
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3 comments:
Rob should take a sick day to take care of you. Sick days aren't for the individual, in my opinion, they're for taking care of family (kids, spouses, parents, whoever). There's no way a single person could possibly use up their sick time anyway. Might as well use it! (Hi, Rob! Perfect stranger, here, telling you what to do :))
PS: Noelle, I hope you feel better soon! I've been lucky enough to only be under the weather once while having to parent and it sucked ass. I can't imagine doing it with a fever/flu. OUCH.
Family sickness is the biggest suckfest ever. I remember once when Julian had a cold, and then Wade and I both got an awful flu where we threw up nonstop for 6 days. It's nearly impossible to take care of another person, a completely helpless person, when the most you can do for yourself is lie around and moan, wishing you had enough energy to eat a saltine cracker.
I bet that part of Westley's iron clad immune system is due to breastfeeding. When Julian was breastfeeding, he was never sick, ever. Once he stopped, he started picking up little minor colds. And when he started preschool at 3, he was sick with ear infections and colds for an entire year - which meant that I was too. The first year of school really took a toll on our immune systems. Or made them stronger....I'm not sure which.
Parenting is so hard when you are sick. Seriously, if Rob can take a day or two off so you can go to bed, he needs to do it. I know his wok and paycheck are important, but so is the mother of his child. (2nd total stranger telling you guys what to do. Today must be your lucky day!)
Otherwise your immune system will fall lower and lower. The reason Westley's immune system is amazing, aside from the breastfeeding and being a kid, is that he gets to sleep as much as he needs to and he has people to take care of him. You need some sleep and someone to take care of you, too :)
Get well soon!
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