When mama gets sick…
It’s never more apparent what my “jobs” are around the house as when I get sick and am absolutely out of it for several days. Mama, meet Virus. Family, meet Sick Mama. Sick Mama, meet Bacteria. Family, meet Sicker Mama.
Lying in bed, under the covers with the chills and 102.5 degree fever is fun in general. Add to it the occasional curious and concerned little fingers that lift up the blanket to ask mama a question which lets a gush of cold air into the warm cocoon that I had created for myself; that’s loads more fun. I would croak out to the hubby, “Please…take them away! I don’t want them to get sick.” Hubby would swoop into the room, whisk the monkeys away, and lock the door behind him so at least I could attempt some naps with just the curious hands knocking on the door, “Mama! Mama! What are you doing? Are you still sick?”
I emerged from my cocoon three days later, and the house underwent metamorphosis in my hibernation. There were dishes piled up, half eaten cereal bowls left on the dining table. Toys were strewn from one corner of the house to the next. Poor hubby looked like he was more frazzled than the house appeared, but bless his heart. He kept the monkeys away from me.
In my healthy state, I would have rattled off a five minute nag, easily, and barked orders at everyone until the place was picked up. Clearly, I am excellent at nagging. It’s one of my “jobs.” Hubs – not so much. The kids looked happy and fed, and at that point, I just wanted to make sure the kids weren’t malnourished. I was so disoriented that I turned around and crawled right back into bed.
A few days later still, I emerged from the sick ward. Only now I found two overflowing bins of laundry, and the kids were wearing clothing that I swore I had put into the “outgrown bin” to be passed onto smaller children. At this point I was so dehydrated and suffering from my own undernourishment that I justified the sad visage with, “Oh. The kids look like they have grown.” I coughed violently which set off vomiting and headaches that I turned around and went back to bed.
If ever there was evidence of entropy, my house was it.
A reluctant trip to the doctor and a cabinet full of medications later, I am finally with it enough to piece the house back together. I went through my kindergartener’s school bag and found homework that she had not completed. *sigh* It’s so incredibly difficult when a parent gets sick.
Does your house just go to pot too when you get sick?
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Ouch. But I am glad you feel better now. My wife and I caught the same virus. We took turn staying in the bed, and tending to kido. Luckily kido has not caught anything from us. Wife is all better now, but I still cought every now and then.. and I have been refusing to see a doctor! (I know I know, that male pride thingy.)