When Mom Gets Sick! OH NO!

 

 

What To Do, When The Kid Becomes You. 

 Handling Life as Mom, While Sick!

 

9-3-2010

 

 

 

Being ill over the past 5 or 6 days now, and dealing with a 5 yr old semi-sick diva, who thankfully hasn’t gotten as sick as I, but has sill, got a slight cold, and having two awnery twin babies, who thankfully, have only an occassional cough & sneeze, but frequent bouts of crying & displeasure.  Again I say thankfully, because my ride has been TOUGH, I can’t imagine their little bodies feeling this badly, so I’m thankful, if I’m keeping the worst of it away from them.  *Knock on wood*!

 

I have been as absolutely careful as humanly possible with them all, but how does mom manage being sick, and  feeling like dog poop stuck to the bottom of an old man’s shoe, on the side walk, and all of the many, daily demands, of being a homemaker, mother & wife?   Not easilly, sums it up pretty well.  Here are a few things you should know.

 

 

 

#2-  Staying away from our kids  (Well, as much as we can).  My husband tries keeping me as far from my kids as possible while I’m sick.  As much as he is able to do of course, and I appreciate it, though I miss my kids, and it hurts my heart terribly,  I’m also glad they *usually* don’t get my illnesses, and that he’s just able to help out, and the rest gets you back up to par sooner.  If you don’t have babies, and your children are a bit older, maybe you could ask your sister or friend, if your kids could sleep over a couple nights, especially if this is a normal thing, then asking won’t be as odd, and it will be normal for your child or children as well, so  ’Non stressful’, for all parties involved.  A good friend or family member will likely offer anyway, just never be afraid to ask, you may get asked one day, yourself. 

 

In a perfect world staying away from your kids, gives everyone a better chance of staying well, but it isn’t always a possibility.  Just try and be as careful as you possibly can be, if you need to do everything, because your partner works and you have little or no help around you.   Wash your hands frequently, and in-between,  carry around hand sanitizer, that you don’t need any water for, you just put a dab on, and rub it into your hands, until it vanishes.  Make sure as hard as it is, to not kiss your kiddies on the face, or cough in their directions, share cups, or utensils, etc. etc.  I know it’s hard to not kiss and hug them, but you have their best interests at heart. 

 

** If you have twins like I do, now is a time to not let them share an unfinished bottle,  swap pacifiers from baby to baby, or eat solids off of the same spoon, regardless of how well or unwell they seem at the time.  Usually when one twin gets sick, the other will succumb, but that is not set in stone, so  you can always try your darned hardest, to keep that from happening.  1 sick child is better then 2, but hopefully, with help, you can keep both safe and sound, and ZERO will become ill.  Just take precautions, as if one were sick, and don’t allow your kids to share at this time.**

 

 

#3-  SLOW DOWN!!   Your immune system is weakened when you are sick, and your body, overall, feels fatigue, not to mention just the pain that you feel from being sick all on it’s own.  It’s like an atom bomb hitting your entire body, so how can you expect to be  miss perfect homemaker, when going through such an ordeal?  You cannot be.  You have to let things go and relax a little.  Let the dishes pile up, the vacuuming go awhile, and the laundry accumulate.  If you have help at your leisure to help out in those areas, terrific, but if not, don’t try and be super mom & super woman, because frankly when you are ill, SOMETHING has got to give, don’t let it be your mind.  Let certain things go, that normally you wouldn’t, and try and think about yourself for a change, and you getting better, so things can be normal again. 

 

 

#4-  Some things that you may find soothing while sick.   A hot cup of tea with honey, hits the spot when I am sick…(like right now).   A luke warm bubble bath.  Finally catching up on your soap opera for the 1st time since your 4 yr old child was born.   Go and take a nappie-poo, of your very own.  Grab a blankie, and slide underneath the covers,  and back into childhood again.   There are big kids living deep down inside of all of us adults, anyway.  Or didn’t you know? 

Try drinking some soothing liquid Theraflu,  with a good book in hand,  that you usually can’t read, because it’s too chaotic, in the house.  If you get REALLY lucky, perhaps you have a significant other that may massage your aching body parts, and really help ease your tension, unless you have a husband like mine, who is more running away from you, then towards you, when you are sick.  BABIES!

 

 A sick mom is rarely a happy one, though I have been quite good at faking it anyway.  Children need a positive, non- grumpy mentor, so hopefully your partner will be able to help take over for a few days, but never feel guilty about not being able to do it all.  Illness takes a lot of strength, and fight out of you, which we need a lot of, raising our broods. HE, HE!

 

And just remember, an illness, no matter what kind or strain, has to do one thing, and one thing only…RUN IT’S COURSE, and the course usually starts in the sinuses & nose, and finishes off, in the chest, with a deep cough, before it makes it’s way out for good.  You can help your illness run it’s couse a bit faster, by not running yourself ragged, and accepting help at every opportunity.  Rest will get you better faster.  I have had some colds linger for over a month, when I didn’t succomb, and let myself heal.   Who wants THAT?

 

There is no reason to feel guilty,  in any way, at all.  Being a mom does not mean you are a super hero, eventhough in many ways, I feel that we are, we are also real human beings, we feel, and we hurt, and we need to rest and re-coop, so take the burden off of your shoulders, and allow yourself to recover, hopefully with a lot of loving support in your corner, which can really save the day.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by, and have a healthy, illness free day!

 

(I wanted to blog more today, but my head feels as if  it’s spinning like a top.  Tomorrow, IF not sooner, I’ll be back with more, and a personalized twinkie post! 

 I’m also a tad nervous about this ‘Hurricane’ thing,  I heard nothing about, until last night.  (Told ya I have been sick, and no one thought to tell me, I guess).  I’m not a fan of storms,  AT ALL.   I still remember Gloria VERY well, when I was 10 yrs old. I went to a shelter I was so petrified, so please, wish us all luck here on the East Coast.  Love & Hugs to all, from me!)