My husband has the plague.
The same plague that, er, plagued The Poo and I for the past 12 days. She and I are just about at the tail end of it, but folks, I gotta tell ya, it is still kicking my ass.
By 5 p.m. I’m ready for a hot toddy and my cool sheets.
So, here it is, rounding 5 p.m. in these here parts of the Middle West, and I am dead on my feet. We leave tomorrow for Ohio and there are still gifts to be wrapped and laundry to be done. Our houseguest and an ill-advised (but festive!) cookie party conspired to leave a lot of loose ends to tie up before we leave.
As it is, we won’t get out of here until about 1 p.m., because The Poo has her first holiday concert at 11:30 and we’ll have to feed her before we leave.
That puts us in Cleveland at about 9 p.m., with time allotted for stops, if we are lucky and don’t hit any inclement weather.
So, as I said before, it’s just about 5 p.m.
I have wrapped 10 gifts, washed three loads of laundry, and dried and put away two. I have cleaned the kitchen, emptied the trash and handed over the spare key to the babysitter.
I did preschool drop-off (without even brushing my teeth) and pick-up, bringing with me a box of cookies for the teacher and a bag of colored sugar for the cookie-decorating extravaganza The Poo will miss on Thursday.
I took out the garbage and hauled in the cans from the curb, and while I was out there I got the mail. I went to the grocery store to procure two money cards, children’s shampoo, several boxes of “long skinny mac” and juice for the car ride tomorrow.
I went to the library and paid my fines from Thanksgiving, so as not to start the New Year as a scofflaw.
I set out all the clothing I need to pack for The Poo and I, and I got two huge suitcase out of the basement and then dragged one of them upstairs.
I have not yet showered.
What did my husband do?
Why, he napped, of course.
Not that I begrudge him (well, maybe I do, a little). The plague is terrible and it would have made me very, very happy to have had a nap at the zenith of my illness.
But I assure you - quite confidently - that had I been sick today, I would still have accomplished all the chores listed above, with little or no sympathy.
I’m just sayin’.
December 18th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
Didn’t you know that as a mom you only get about 2 sick days a year (if you’re lucky)? Daddies can get sick all they want and act like small children.
I swear, my hubby has the weakest constitution. He gets sick at the drop of a hat. And then I have 3 kids to care for. Sheesh.
My condolences to Mr. C., though. I hope he feels better soon. Alka-Seltzer immunity defense might help. I used it when I had a cold.
You are Super Woman! We do because if we didn’t it wouldn’t get done, yes? Man, I feel like taking a nap after reading all you did. And I’m healthy (knock on wood).
Merry Christmas.
December 18th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
When I am sick, I am your husband. I am thankful that my husband hates to be sick and will get up and go just to prove he can. Wishing you well on your trip.
December 18th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
I understand. My husband has diabetes and other health problems, so he catches *everything*, and most of the time I have to function as normal while sick. Luckily I do not get sick often, but when I do it seems to be limited to a nap, and then I am magically “cured.”
Travel safe!
December 18th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
Yep, those are the cards we’re dealt! A mom’s job is never done!
My husband has gotten the children’s cold and is about to make a run to Walgreen’s.
My eyes are dripping with sticky allergy funk.
Happy holidays, I say!
December 18th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
Isn’t it amazing how our men all get “more sick” than us? No matter how sick we get, they then have to get so sick they can’t do anything other than lay on the couch. Oh, and play computer games all day.
I guess we can feel good that we are truly the glue that holds the world together.
December 18th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
I’m tired, across the miles, just listening. I hope all this plague-having makes you bulletproof the rest of the season…
December 18th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
I hear that.
Safe travels…
December 18th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
Men are babies.
December 18th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
Men. Rrgh. Safe journey.
December 18th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
Ach! I can TOTALLY relate. I’ve been fighting this thing for what seems like weeks, and just have to plow right on through as if everything is fine. I’m in a total state of unsolicited denial. Which is probably why it is still lingering on and on and on and on…and on.
What I wouldn’t give for just one day of rest! Perhaps in another ten years or so.
I hope you feel better soon. Try and take it easy - (maybe after the holidays..?)
December 18th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
As a fellow chambananite who also has to make a trek to the Cleveland area (ok– Akron, but I like to dream)– have a safe and fast drive
December 18th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Of course he napped. And, of course, you wouldn’t have. That is just the way it is. And. It. Is. Wrong.
December 18th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
Dude, when I am sick I milk it. I don’t lie around, but I will take a thirty minute shower. I took another sick day today for my plague and finally went to the Dr. Turns out this particular plague needs antibiotics, which is why my whole head is still swollen and throbbing after the hack and snot had basically receded. One hour after I took the antibiotics and I could literally feel my ears and glands start draining. Finally some relief.
December 18th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
If it were me I would have let him sleep, but I would have hit him with a pillow once or twice.
Have a great trip!
December 18th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
That’s how things run at our house too. My husband gets sick a lot for a man…at least that’s what I think.
I have to be fairly deathly ill to pull that kind of thing though.
December 18th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
Having a husband who has just emerged from an illness, I totally hear you. It’s brutal. I actually heard the words, “I just took a turn from the worse” moaned from the couch and had to turn away and bit my lip so as not to laugh out loud at him! Here’s my new strategy: get one of the kids to go in and see if Daddy needs anything - that cuts down on the whining I have to listen to. Good luck getting it all done and I hope your trip is great - despite the plague!
December 18th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
Don’t ya LOVE when that happens?
That was me last week. I did nothing, but surprisingly, neither did my dear husband. It’s times like those I wonder what would happen if I kicked the bucket. Seriously.
December 18th, 2007 at 10:12 pm
clearly you would have, and probably all while looking fabulous and still being nurse to your sweet hubby and the Poo.
December 18th, 2007 at 10:50 pm
Ok. I too wrote about this last year when the plague befell our house. In the midst of my own diarrhea, fever, and vomiting, I was still able to accomplish more than my able-bodied husband. But of course when he fell ill, well, the whole freakin’ world had to stop and revolve around him. Oh…and he got to call in sick. No sick days for SAH-mommies.
Good for you! You deserve the toddy! Hell, if I lived closer, I’d come over and make it for you!
December 19th, 2007 at 2:17 am
Men are wimpballs. I’m just sayin’.
December 19th, 2007 at 8:41 am
But that’s only because there is NO way he could do it all correctly!
December 19th, 2007 at 9:08 am
I feel your pain. I have a bad back and hubby used to laugh at me when I would get stuck in the bed, when his back went out, I was expected to wait on him hand and foot. Its the same when he is sick, you know men are always sicker than women! Its something to do with how they never get sick and when they do get sick it is so much worse. Or at least thats what I am told.
December 19th, 2007 at 9:53 am
And that is why women are the stronger and smarter sex. We can keep going when we are sick with death and trick the guys into doing the dirty work all the other times.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
why do these things always kick their asses? ooo yeah. they have wives to take up the slack. mine can’t get a sniffle that’s not the flu.
feel better, mama!
December 19th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
Oh, an Amen and a Hallelujah to you, sister. (Only in the sense that I Hear You, not that I agree with the general principle.) Mommies get no sick days. Daddies? Get to take to their beds and fully recover. Which totally sucks.
December 19th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
It took me 3 hours to read this post because I kept needing to rest just reading everything you did today.
Superwoman you are.