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| They're playing: "Poor Me!" |
I was not the only parent collecting their child from the sick room, just possibly the only one who knows their way there and is on first name terms with Matron.
This shouldn't be surprising really, as me and sick rooms have a long history.
I was in the Sanatorium so often during my school years that when Nurse retired I was invited to her leaving-do and my parents have harboured a long running family joke that I was 'head of house' - the prefect in charge of the sanatorium in my latter years at school. I was not amused then and the irony of the current situation is not lost on me now.
However, I now reside in a home full of cough, cough, cough, ek, ek, ek! And I feel like I should be painting a great red cross on the front door and ringing a bell calling out: "Unclean! Unclean! Unclean!"
Despite my familiarity with sick rooms I am not a good nurse. I don't do "ill" or indeed "sick". When I am ill, I am ill and take to my bed leaving everyone in peace or so I like to think. When my sons are ill I am on 24 hour call without even volunteering.
They get into my bed all hot and sweaty saying they've had nightmares and are feeling sick and they need me. They breath, and then cough in my face. They surreptitiously wipe their snot ridden noses all over their clothes and worse they demand cuddles then wipe their noses all over mine!
They are demanding and whinge about being too hot or too cold, about having headaches and sore throats. They don't want to eat followed rapidly by the fact that they're hungry or thirsty. They need water. "Not warm water, Mummy! Cold water!"
Then they're bored and can they watch TV, play on the Nintendo/computer, watch a movie, go outside? The answer to these last few queries is a resounding: " NO!" At which point there is much snuffling, bewailing about how ill they are and finally silent tears streaking down their faces and I am undone.
I allow myself to be cuddled and hugged and breathed upon and all the time I am fully aware that no work is being done and deadlines are approaching far too fast and the terrible fear grows that next week I could be the one who is ill - and who will look after me?
6 comments:
Same here. The one day when I had a doc appointment and husband couldn't work from home, the Little Guy got up white as a sheet and so unwell that he was crying. We have been huddling on the sofa because he doesn't know what to do with himself and all I can think is, Please don't spread these germs to me.
I don't get ill almost ever (well only if I've had too many nights on the turps) I think the stress of working and doing the home-kids thing too must be tough. Get better soonest! Water and sleep cure a lot. If you do find yourself in bed to have to watch New Girl.
As a teacher, I'd like to say thanks for taking/keeping them home Tattie. Often I get close to a child, helping them with their schoolwork, and I get coughed at right in the face - worse if I am floor-level and there is a particularly windy boy (always the boys) around face level!!! The joys of teaching/mothering the young eh! They more than make up for it in other ways.
Oh dear, this is horrid. Your boys don't know how to do sickness properly! I hope you don't get sick in the process. Deadlines can be so unforgiving.
Blessings and Bear hugs.
I'm trying to be sympathetic, honest, but I'm still chuckling at you being Head of House of the sanitorium.
My boy was quite poorly at the beginning of term and managed to sleep even though the bathroom fitters were making a hell of a din in the next room. I do have the great advantage of being able to ring for doctor's home visit when my lad is ill. He can't not come out to see his own son.
Aww, cuddle up to them Tattie, they grow up so quickly, and these are special times when they really need their mum, so enjoy x Next week will take care of itself....
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