Do you know why they put that shit in the VOWS that you say when you're getting hitched to someone for life?
They put that shit in the vows because it TOTALLY SUCKS when someone you love is sick, that's why. It sucks so bad that they actually have to make you PROMISE not to haul ass. And, you know, even though it's bad, The Man Cold isn't enough to make [me] you actually haul-ass. It's the bigger, scarier stuff that they're talking about, I'd imagine.
When you have kids, though, you don't make any vows that promise that your ass will stay put when they get sick. I think that the universe knows that most mothers are, uh, bonded to their kids in a way that makes taking vows to clean up the puke and whatnot a little redundant. But I have to tell you, it's one of the things that I hate about being a mother, the nagging worry that my kid is going to get sick.
And I'm not even talking about the big and scary.
On that kind of craziness, I have a reasonably well-tightened lid.
And although MY brand of craziness may be even crazier, I'll out myself. What I'm talking about, is the regular, run-of-the-mill, middle of the night, fever-spike-accompanied-by-copious-puke that is the standard signal that all is not well with The Littlest New Girl's immune system. If she's got no appetite at dinner, if she's laying down while watching tv, if she's sniffling or coughing or otherwise not tip-top health-wise, I start to spin some serious dread. Capital D dread. And I hate it.
HATE.
Anyway, I have a friend who has three kids who are substantially older than mine. She told me once, a long time ago, that every time they plan their yearly vacation that she starts to worry that one of her kids is going to get sick. I responded, 'What do you mean? That they'll get sick and you won't be able to go?' and she said, 'No. That they'll get sick while we're there.' As a childless woman, I admit that I just didn't get that. I didn't get it at all.
But now? Oh, ho ho!
I have a DOCTORATE in that shit.
That, along with my conspicuous lack of patience are the two Dark Spots on the Sun of My Motherhood, yo, and I'm NOT being dramatic. Well, all right, that's a little dramatic but it's fucking 2:58 in the AM and I'm starting to smell a little puke on my hand from the insta-regurge of the meds that I [tried to] put into my kid to help her to stop coughing and get back to sleep.
So, I feel I'm ENTITLED to a little drama. Sue me.
Just wait until I'm better rested.
Like, sometime in 2022.
I have a similar fear. But then, Sasha has a tendancy to do particularly bad with a little illness. Stomach bug? Required hospitalization for dehydration. Allergy season? An at home nebulizer with treatments every 6 hrs. And so on.
So when we go on vacay? I find a good pediatrician and the good emergency room and program them into my phone's GPS. Lord knows, one day we'll need it.
Posted by: becominmg-mommy | June 25, 2009 at 03:18 PM
Worse than the kids getting sick on vacation is MOMMY GETTING SICK ON VACATION. Like, driving across Nebraska and Wyoming and Idaho and Utah with 104 degree fever, and ear infection and flu-like symptoms. Yeah, a vacation we planned for an entire year. Yellowstone Park. I don't remember half of it.
Posted by: The Domestic Goddess | June 16, 2009 at 10:48 AM
Heard, understood and responded to with wishes for the funk to get the fuck out.
Posted by: amanda | June 15, 2009 at 01:02 PM
Okay, so I'm not the only mama dealing with puke right now? My apologies. It blows, chunks.
Posted by: Kelly | June 15, 2009 at 08:36 AM
Whenever they're sick, I'm deathly afraid that I'm going to get sick...and then who's going to take care of all of us? Me! That's who. And that sucks!
Posted by: Manic Mommy | June 14, 2009 at 07:46 PM
I wrote my own vows, and quite purposely omitted both that 'in sickness' bit and the whole 'fidelity' line, too. Because you just never know, yo. :)
Posted by: Mr Lady | June 14, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Beth: ME TOO. I really HATE to read sick posts and generally avoid writing/posting them myself. Last night, my own resistance was down.
Posted by: TNG | June 14, 2009 at 12:12 PM
I gotta say not only do I feel/think the same way, but when I read about others being sick I start to panic like if I keep reading this in some karmic way one of my kids will get sick. Now that is really insane, I know!
Posted by: Beth | June 14, 2009 at 10:14 AM
Swistle: I KNOW. I'm ALREADY worried about number 2 getting it and well, we can be relatively sure that THAT'S not going to happen. YET. GAH.
Posted by: The New Girl | June 14, 2009 at 09:16 AM
For me, the knell of doom [I don't think I'm using knell correctly---I'm thinking of, like, the bong sound of a bell) is thinking about the SPREAD. The first child gets sick and I think "OH GOD IT WILL GET US ALL!!!"
Posted by: Swistle | June 14, 2009 at 08:35 AM
I dread the colds too.
Posted by: Secret Mom Thoughts | June 14, 2009 at 07:44 AM
Dude, the common cold around here is enough to send my anxiety into complete fits.
Posted by: Motherhood Uncensored | June 14, 2009 at 07:00 AM