Taking a sick day

As a stay at home mom, you don't really get sick days.

It kinda sucks.

When Robert is home, I know I can go and lie down if I'm not feeling well (or, say, just need to escape.)

But guess what? Robert isn't here right now.

Guess it's a good thing that I'm not the sick one...yet.

Yesterday and last night everything was fine. This morning, Sara came into our bedroom asking for a drink of water. Not long after that was what I call the cough of spewing.

Robert has horrible acid reflux. So does his dad, so does his mom. So it wouldn't be unheard of if one of our kids ends up with acid reflux too.

Meet Sara, resident diva and often astounding drama queen.

We've never had her diagnosed because taking Sara to the doctor goes something like this:

S: I don't feeeeeel good.
Parent: What's wrong?
S: I don't know.
Parent: Hmm. When you know let me know and we'll try to figure it out.
S: I don't feeeeeeeeel good!!!
Parent: What hurts?
S: My stomach.
Parent: How does your stomach hurt?
S: I don't know.
Parent: Sharp pain? Cramp? Achy?
S: I DON'T KNOW!
Parent: Want a tums?
S: Yes.
::chewing::
Parent (after a couple minutes): Are you feeling better?
S: No, but can I have a cookie?
Parent: Um, no.
S: I don't feel good. :: whining, crying, flinging herself about in hysterics::
Parent: Okay, I'll make an appointment with the doctor to see if we can figure this out.

four to sixteen days later:

Dr: So what's the problem?
Parent: She keeps complaining that her stomach hurts.
Dr: Does she have a virus?
Parent: No.
Dr: blood in her stool?
Parent: Not that I've seen.
Dr: What does she eat?
Parent: For breakfast usually cereal, yogurt, or fruit. For lunch, usually a PB&J, chips or carrots, and dinner she'll eat a chicken, mac and cheese, pasta, veggies, fruits..she eats pretty well. She doesn't like meat very much or anything spicy. She normally drinks milk, water, or kool-aid.
Dr:  ::poking on her stomach:: well, I think she's okay.

So helpful.

These days, she'll ask for a Tums if her stomach is bothering her. So when she came in this morning and asked for water and then started coughing after she swallowed, I knew what was coming.

Me: Sara, does your tummy hurt?
S: NO! (this means yes, btw)
Me: Okay, let's go into the bathroom, okay?
S: NO! I DON'T NEED TO! ::shrieking::
Me: Well, I need to go to the bathroom.

as I'm sitting on the toilet, she walks to the door of the bathroom with her hand on her throat, swallowing rapidly.

Me: Sara if you need to throw up, please at least throw up in here so I don't have to clean the carpet or the mattress.
S: I DON'T!!! ::banshee type screaming.   pause.    gurgling.   more swallowing:: I DON........

photo from http://www.mypapercrane.com. Genius!!

Cue vomit.                        

I knew it. I had the trashcan at the ready, so with my super mom ninja skills I slid it under her as she doubled over to vomit all over my bathroom. Most of it even went in there. Score!

Guess I know what I'm going to be doing today.

Having a sick day. With any luck it will just be today and Tucker and I will escape the toilet and trash can tour.

The question is....::in my best albeit pathetic Clint Eastwood voice:: do I feel lucky, punk?

I'm Thankful Anyway

ANYWAY

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Be good anyway.

Honesty and frankness will make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People need help but will attack you if you help them.
Help them anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.

*Kent Keith originated this poem in 1968, and Mother Teresa placed it on her children's home in Calcutta in a slightly different version. As a result, many have attributed it to Mother Teresa.

Sara came into our bedroom around 4 am this morning complaining that her neck hurt. I settled her into bed with us and was drifting off to sleep when I heard it....the cough that I can't describe but know even in a dead sleep means she's going to be throwing up in less than three seconds. 

I jump out of bed and fling the covers back and away from both of us. The thing about Sara needing to vomit is that she doesn't care to do it in the bathroom and will fight you when you try to get her anywhere that doesn't have carpet, a bedspread, some other type of absorbent material. 

Robert, hearing me jump at the sound of her cough, jumps up too - likely because I've scared him half to death what with the flinging of the blankets and sudden movements. He picks Sara up, carries her into the bathroom where she starts screaming bloody murder, and stays with her while she empties her stomach. The bathroom is barely big enough for the two of them, so I lurk in the doorway trying not to breathe too deeply. 

We get her cleaned up, changed, and settled on the floor of our bedroom where she falls asleep almost immediately. 

Interestingly enough, if one eats ice cream with blue sprinkles on it at dinner and then succumbs to a stomach virus, everything you throw up will be bright blue. 

I'm not cooking Thanksgiving this year, Mom and Richard are here and we are going to the Club for lunch. Since Sara was all in my face yesterday, I'm curious how long it will be before I'm sick and whether or not Robert and Tucker will be sick too. 

Do we dare eat at the club knowing that we might all be sick later?  Luckily we have a few hours to decide.  

Sigh. 

But today, especially today, I'm thankful anyway. 

My family will be together this Thanksgiving. 

For the most part, we are all happy and healthy. 

We can decide whether or not we want to make and/or eat Thanksgiving dinner. 

Either way, we will have the luxury of full stomachs, clean drinking water, reliable transportation, and the freedom to announce our opinion about any or all of it. We have a roof over our heads, heat or air conditioning at will, beds to sleep in, clothes to wear, shoes for our feet, coats if it's cold, access to health care 24 hours a day. 

Thanksgiving or not, there is so much to be thankful for. 

Even if there weren't, I could happily be thankful anyway because I am surrounded by people that I love and who love me. 

I guess what I really am is thankful and grateful. 

Happy Thanksgiving.