Lessons in Sickness

 
Things I've learned in the last three weeks:

• There is a mathematical formula by which you can calculate how much extra sleep you need to compensate for each time you are awakened during the night and how long you stay up. I don't know what this formula actually is, but I do know the compensation needed is about tripled if you are over forty.
• A shower is worth at least three hours sleep.
• Even if you have numerous boxes and bottles of every age and dosage of Tylenol in the house you can still run out.
• If you pray enough continuous Hail Mary's it is possible to keep praying them in your sleep, and when you wake up again in the middle of one you just automatically continue.
• My pediatrician's telephone number. (For the first time in twenty years I have it memorized.)
• Sometimes fairy tales do come true and those stories you read in books about children who cook and clean and tidy and wash dishes while you are blissfully sleeping through the night really happen. And you don't even need to pinch yourself when you wake up because you can smell the raisin biscuits for real.

 
(rice pudding recipe here )

Things I've known for years but have had greatly reinforced the last three weeks:

• Always keep a plastic basin in the car and under every bed, especially your own bed. Always. I learned this many years ago from a sweet Irish nurse, bless her heart. And if a child seems the slightest bit off in any way the basin comes out from under and stays on the bed for the night.
• A temporal scanning thermometer is worth every penny and then some.
• Vaporizers are fabulous.
• A med chart is a must when you have various children on various drugs.
• My pediatrician is truly wonderful. And when I call him over and over again he meets our needs and when I say thank you he replies, my pleasure.

I would do well to learn to answer my pleasure whenever someone asks something of me, especially when I am asked for the same thing over and over again. Thanks for everything, Dr. B.

Comments

[Nana]

Surviving your own AND your children's illnesses is quite a feat. You almost make it sound like fun!
Hope everyone is on the mend and that no one comes down with anything else for a long time. Love, Nana xox

[Barbara]

I'm sorry you've had a tough few weeks -- we're still recovering in our house as well. Good advice -- especially the basins.;-)

Love your dosage charts too -- I had to use the math white board and markers for my husband's many pneumonia medications.

I pray that's all the sickness you have for 2010.

[Amy Caroline]

This is awesome advice and so very true! I truly hope you are all better soon!

[Kelly]

Hope everyone is better soon. I've woken up so many times praying the Hail Mary (actually the Ave Maria), I can't even count. It is a blessing!

[mary@evlogia]

We have been walking the same path lately. Our family has battled illness for at least a month and is finally recovering...although the baby seems congested again.

Prayers for health and strength.

Much love to you.

[Meredith]

Oh, no--what a challenge!

Thank you for the basin tip. I will pray you won't need to pull them out again anytime soon.