* Unless I'm forgetting an illness, but I don't think I am.
The first time occurred way back in January. I mentioned it in this post, but didn't write much about it. To summarize, that was the weekend in which one after another, every member of my family got sick with abdominal stuff. Boom, boom, boom. We were down like dominoes. It nailed us hard, but fortunately it didn't stick around too long. However, in the midst of it, it was so bad that when one of the boys threw up, Jeff and I would look at each other and try to figure out which one of us was strong enough to go to the aid of our son. Neither of us felt like we could do it; but each time, one of us managed to hold ourselves together enough to be of some assistance. I don't think there's ever been a time when both Jeff and I were so sick at the same time, and I hope we never have to deal with that again!
Fortunately, this sickness that we're dealing with now is just a common cold, I think; but I haven't had a cold in so long that I had forgotten how absolutely miserable they can make a person feel. All this past week, I had not been feeling the greatest; but I had chalked it up to allergies. When you know you have allergies and you can literally see the cloud of pollen descend from the branches of the pine tree when it's shaken, it's a safe guess to assume that you might suffer a little. By Thursday, Tobin was dealing with a runny nose, sneezing, waking up in the night with a harsh barking cough, etc. At that point, I realized that he must be getting a cold; but I assumed it would somehow bypass me...until Friday morning when I woke up feeling awful and admitted that it probably wasn't just my allergies that were bothering me. That was the day we were supposed to have people over in the evening for our monthly fellowship potluck - unfortunate timing. It didn't take us too long though to decide to postpone it until next week; and when we did, we heard back from at least four people/families that said that it actually suits them a whole lot better to have it next week. You think that's the reason we got sick?? :)
Today I was supposed to go to northern Virginia for the baby shower of one of my dearly-loved college roommates; and although I was doubtful last evening that I would recover sufficiently to make the trip, I still clung to the hope of a miraculous turn-around in my health. Until I woke up at 12:08 AM, that is. Besides the headache and sinus pressure and nasal congestion and all that lovely stuff, I was also freezing cold. I went downstairs to take some medicine; and after I came back to bed, Jeff woke up and went down to get some medicine for himself. When he came back, I told him how cold I was, so he said he would snuggle with me to help me get warm. He did, and immediately said, "You're really hot, probably hotter than I've ever felt you before." It wasn't exactly a compliment, if you know what I mean. ;) After a very short time, he rolled away from me and moved to the far side of the bed, saying, "It's too hot to be close to you. You're 142 degrees!" :) Oh, but I was freezing! At least, until I woke up a while later after the fever broke, sweating, throwing back the covers, and going to the bathroom to splash cold water on my face. Fevers are so strange.
Needless to say, the trip to northern Virginia didn't happen. Instead, I stayed close to home and tried to keep three under-the-weather boys happy (Josiah spent much of the day at the barbershop with Jeff) - a difficult task, especially in my own discomfort. It's been one of those days in which I've constantly had to remind myself: this won't last forever, someday David and Tobin will stop pushing each other's buttons and will be good buddies, someday Tobin will be able to speak everything that he wants to express and will not resort to screaming, someday he will peacefully and happily go to bed and stay there, someday I won't have to change any diapers, someday Shav will consistently sleep through the night, someday my little ones won't require so much hands-on assistance from me but will be fully mobile and verbal all by themselves. Someday...
This too shall pass. It really will. And although I don't want to wish my life away, and I want to be very intentional about enjoying each stage and relishing these fleeting moments, at the end of a day like today, I can't help but say, "Thank You, God, that they will grow up!"
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I almost forgot to mention that on Thursday, I posted a recipe on The Foodie Spot - two recipes, actually. And I also included a great quote from Winnie the Pooh. I love that bear!
4 comments:
I hope you feel better soon Davene! It's tough when you can't just curl up on the couch when you're sick! Somehow motherhood doesn't stop no matter how we're feeling!
I hope you feel better quickly and I can relate with the self talk about things getting better eventually. It helps to see that things will not always be this hard or this exhausting and you'll be sad when these days are gone. I caught myself thinking how nice it will be when we aren't lugging a baby seat around with us all the time, but that would mean we no longer have a baby.
I'm so sorry you're sick! Oh, that's awful! I know the fever thing, and it's so uncomfortable.
After Paul was born, and then Hannah, I thought my life would be an endless cycle of feedings, diapers, crying, meeting needs of babies, and it would never, ever be any different. Now that they are older, I know it does pass. That gives me hope and strength to face the babyhood of our next baby. I hope I can remember it in the midst of sleepless nights, potty-training, the clingy-crawly stage, and all those so very dependent times. I'm glad you can live with the realization that it does pass, and things do change (and, I think, improve).
Hang in there! I'll be praying for you.
We've had it, too. It's most hard on everybody, I think, when Mom is sick, too. I'm late with this comment, but hope you're feeling better now! Sorry you couldn't make the trip.
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