Friday, January 18, 2008

Dulldroms

Thanks everybody for all your kind wishes for healing. I'm definitely feeling much better now!

I got a heckofa cold which settled into my sinuses and both ears. But as most Mom's know, you can't EVAH be sick on your own. The creeping crud goes round and round. Usually.

You got to weed out the--uh--fakers--or more kindly, those struck with "mental colds by association which renders them completely helpless so they expect to be waited on hand and foot".


In other words, the men in my house. I'll give them a foot.

With a bad cold, for the most part, on day one, you start feeling a little punky. Day two, you realize you got issues, but you hope that popping 12 vitamin C tablets will ward it off (too little, too late, and then you get acid burny butt on top of it).

Day three is when it really kicks in and makes you feel like death on a platter. Day four and five---if it's a really bad cold---is when you might end up with bronchitis, an ear or sinus infection.

So those of you who are familiar with the characters in my family might think this is pretty amusing. Yes, I exaggerated a bit. Maybe. A little. But in my feverish state, I swear this is a true happening. ;-)

Day three into my cold, Little Guy came home from school. He asked if he could take a nap. This is the kid who NEVER tells you he's sick until he's got a 104 fever.

"You ok?" I croaked.

My throat is a little sore. Can you ask Dad to bring home orange juice?

I call Hubby and tell him that I think Little Guy is sick. Could he bring home orange juice? Me? Still in the throes of heinie of fire, not going to touch anything citrus with a 10-foot-pole.

I'm feeling a little sniffly too. I think I have what you have. I can't be sick now. I have too much stuff to do!!

An hour or so later, Big Kid emerges from his cave, where over the last 3 weeks, with birthday and Xmas money, he's upgraded his Xbox 360 so he can play online with people all over the world who are a lot better at the games than he is.

Is Little Guy home from school?

"He's sick and he's taking a nap."

I sneezed a couple of hours ago. Do you think I might have pneumonia? Can I wake Little Guy up to go out to the garage to bring me in some soda? I'd feel better with soda, and if I expose my frail pneumatic body to the cold it would make it worse. Some guy said so on his MySpace page. And you know that everything you read on the Internet is true!

I didn't have enough energy to respond verbally, but he ran off back to his room after I bounced a hairbrush off his head.

Curled up next to the woodstove, wrapped in a blanket and reading a book (just couldn't seem to keep warm), the phone rang. It was Hubby.

I had to blow my nose, so I'm leaving the office. I know I caught what you have! I can't be sick now! I have too much work to do! Do we need anything besides orange juice from the store? Do we have Nyquil? Do we have cough drops? I can't believe I'm sick! &*^%$$!!

I said I didn't know and I'd be damned if I was going to go and hunt it all out. I'm wrapped up, I'm finally warm, and I ain't moving an inch. Might as well buy it at the store, we'd probably use it at some point during the cold and flu season.

Big Kid comes back out of the Bat Cave. Was that Dad? Is he coming home? Could you ask him to pick me up some cigarettes?

"WTF? You had a new pack this morning? You smoked a whole freaking pack in 9 hours?"

I've been feeling stressed out! And my chest feels really heavy. Do you think I might have a lung tumor? Since I probably have pneumonia, can I smoke INSIDE the house because it's really cold outside and as you know, experts say that cold temperatures can make pneumonia worse! I probably got pneumonia because I have to smoke outside in the freezing cold!

He didn't run fast enough out of the room. I'm sure my book left a good dent on his head next to the one left by the hairbrush. If he'd even GOTTEN the irony over that exchange, I might have just thrown my slipper from hell. The entire stupidity of it deserved the force of a big hard-backed book.

I'd stuck a huge pork roast in the oven that morning to slow cook over the day without anybody having to watch over it. Like I could. Saute a little peppers and onions, throw on some sauce, BBQ sandwiches for everybody who is up to eating.

Hubby came home loaded for bear. Bottles of Nyquil. Several bags of cough drops. Gallons of orange juice. Lubricated kleenex for his sensitive widdle nose.

I can't believe I'm sick! I can't afford to catch this crap right now! I've got too much work to do! I'm really starting to feel like sh*t! I know I'm on the verge of being horribly sick, and I just don't have the time for it!

Oh....do I smell BBQ?

Big Kid came out of the Bat Cave again and forgot to mention that he couldn't breathe any more.

MMMMmmmm!

Little Guy woke up, and I asked him how he was feeling. His throat was a "little sore", but he had bright red cheeks and Charles Manson crazy eyes. Would he like some soup? Some jello maybe?

Did you make BBQ?

Hubby and Big Kid chowed down. Little Guy had a bit. Then he started walking into walls.

"Honey, can I make you a cup of Theraflu?"

In a little bit, Mom. As soon as my dinner taste goes away.

Snarf.

Got him dosed, and I fell into bed without dinner. Woke up the next morning to unopened Nyquil and bags of cough drops on the counter. My "sick"--ha--and noisy guys hadn't even touched them. And they were both fine when they woke up.

Little Guy had the full whammy though.

I don't know if it's been the gray and freezing days, or trying to bounce back from my cold, but I've just been suffering from a really crushing depression, in which I feel almost paralyzed.
I haven't felt like writing. I haven't felt like reading. I don't want to get out of bed at all.
I have a mountain of paperwork to do, which I wrote about here in Disaboom a week or so ago. It's partially done, which is a good thing.

I truly thank you Friends, for all your lovely comments. You really are the best!

Love,

ATM

23 comments:

Brenda said...

I'm glad you're feeling better, but of course you had to, in self defense!

Been over to read your Disaboom entry and I feel for ya for what you'll be going through with the government and SSI. (although, Katie Couric's special about SSI turning all claims down initially probably put a little hurt on them). We have friends who's daughter has Downs, she's 32 and functions about as well as a 7 yr old. Her mother had to quit work a few years ago to care for her because she couldn't find appropriate daycare for her so they applied for SSI. She qualified, after many months. Then last month the good old SS Administration sent them a letter that stated "she should be capable of going back to work now" so the SSI income would stop.

They've had to get an Attorney to deal with those crazy SS folks who've never laid eyes on their child.

Do you see something wrong with the system here?

KL said...

So sorry to hear that you and little guy are sick!!

Yes, Brenda, there is a problem with they system! I know I was originally denied and had to hire an atty. I wonder if the atty's talk them into denying them all, so they can make money? LOL

Sadly, there is no way to fix the problem from my end that I know of :(

Amie Adams said...

I definitely need to keep many more throwable objects around me at all times. Living with four "boys" myself I know the feeling.

Get better soon!! I had it a few weeks ago. It wasn't pretty, but are we allowed to suffer? NO!

L said...

My husband is a big faker too. Once my son, my mom and I all had this terrible cold at the same time. We were hacking and coughing like anything. my husband claimed to be sick too and wallowed like the rest of us but...I never heard him cough. Not once. And he was miraculously better at the same time we were. It can be frustrating but it's also quite humorous.

Hope you are feeling better soon.

Litzi said...

Hi Attila,
Whoa! It sounds like you might have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Some people are particularly sensitive to light deprivation caused by the decrease in daylight hours during the winter which can trigger depression. Add a horrendous cold and an ailing son to the mix and you’ve got a case of the doldrums. Or perhaps your listlessness is your body’s way of trying to tell you “slow down and rest” for a few days and recharge your batteries.

When do your classes resume for the winter semester? Maybe returning to school will give you a new outlook on things…

Achoo! Take care.

Anonymous said...

Oh hon, it's going around here too.
It's freezing and the weather was almost 70 last week, now it's -10 below. Give me a break. Then we wonder why we're all sick.

GRRRRR.
Hope your house is starting to get well!

Beth said...

The only thing worse than being sick with a cold is being sick with a bunch of males in the house who happen to think they're sick too!

Go with the blahs, the depression...ride it out. I'll bet is is due to the aftermath of that lousy cold/flu. Energy level (both mind and body) sapped...
Baby yourself for awhile before you take on EVERYTHING again.

Ali said...

our sites have the same name. funny! :)

Chris H said...

TRULY WONDERFUL Post ... I can totally relate to it being the mother of 4 sons and 4 daughters and married to another male.... lucky your older boy didn't come out and whinge again, god only knows what you would have thrown at him next! The chair? LOL

Mary said...

Glad you're on the mend. I'm a bad caretaker. Whenever I get sick, hubby gets sick too, except always MORE so, and then I'm a bad person for not dropping everything to wait on him. I feel your pain.

And the depression thing? Totally with ya. It seems particularly bad this year for a lot of people. HURRY UP, SPRING!

Mrs. G. said...

Glad you are on the mend. The part about the male drama? No big surprise. Don't even try to tell me that we aren't the superior sex.

Anonymous said...

Don't you know you can never be sick alone? They will always be sicker, need more medicine, rest, be in more pain, etc. Hubby, always starts with needing ginger ale. Drives me crazy.
I am glad you are feeling better.
Sorry about the SSI. Keep appealing, it the only way. I swear, I deal with it ever day at work. It is so frustrating!!!!

Take care and have a good weekend.
XOXO

Angela said...

men turn into such babies when they are sick or faking sick.

Hoping you feel smiles soon

Unknown said...

Hi Attila hon!!

Hope everyone's getting to feeling better over at your house! I had to chuckle when you used the word punky for not feeling well....reminded me of my Dad who would use that word now and then for not feeling well....you don't hear it often used like that anymore.

Hope you stick it to the SSI folks babe.....go get 'em!!!!

Anonymous said...

2 words - Man Flu!

Glad you are feeling better. We've had the winter lurgy this side of the atlantic too!

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear you're doing better and sorry to hear the Little Guy go it. I must have the lite version of what hit you, it's just sinus congestion and painful ears. Speaking of, they hurt really badly, can you get me some more coffee? *snicker*

stinkypaw said...

You also need to take care of yourself. The way you're feeling could only due to your cold, or simply because you do need a blogging break. Whatever the reason, know that I'll be thinking of you, dear blend, and is looking forward to see you around! *hugs*

Anonymous said...

I was sick for a while there, too and at a couple of points I was feeling sorry for myself because I was all alone. Now that I've read this post, I assure you I will not wallow in self-pity again if I come down with a cold. Good lord, lads!

Michelle Flaherty said...

Men make the absolute worst patients don't?!

I'm sorry you're feeling blue. I think it has something to do with the cold weather where you are. When I lived up north, I was depressed all winter long. It's one thing to visit from a snow-free place and see how beautiful it is but if you live year-long in a place that gets icy cold and snowy in the winter, it can bring you down.

Queen of the Mayhem said...

I guess you ARE depressed! Dealing with your cast of characters can be draining (and wonderful) under normal circumstances....but when you're sick? Forget about it!

I hope you feel better soon....in EVERY way! :)

Anonymous said...

I'll have to remember that "...give them the foot..." thing next time my guys are "sick".

Too funny!

phlegmfatale said...

garsh, when it rains, it pours! Glad yer feelin' better.

Anonymous said...

((ATM + little guys))
I'm sorry you're feeling blue! Think of you! xoxo