The Slow Return to Health

I thought that my family was recovering from the flu-like symptoms that walloped them this past week.  Fevers broke, coughs lightened, fewer Kleenex filled our waste paper baskets, and feisty irritation between siblings picked up again, which always is a sure sign of feeling better.  Nobody randomly fell asleep in their chairs while watching TV, reading, or just looking at things, either, so the sensation that I was living in a nursing home lifted.

The older two girls returned to school mid-week.  Early that same morning, my husband got a call that our five-year-old had thrown up during gym class.

Now I wasn't there, but considering that none of her symptoms prior (or latter) had been stomach related, I imagine that gym class went something like this: the exercise caused coughing, and extended coughing caused gagging, and extended gagging caused, well, you know, and all of this combined caused poor Mr. George, the janitor, to mop up a puddle of my daughter's tossed cookies while the rest of her classmates were safely ushered to the opposite side of the gym to continue their rousing game of barnyard tag.

Needless to say, she didn't go back to school the next day.  You never return anywhere the day after you publicly vomit.  There's an unwritten rule about that, I think.

Today I thought that our normal schedules would resume.  Then I noticed the school district's calendar magneted to the side of our refrigerator, and how the box for Friday, January 17 was marked with a stripe, indicating "no school" for some undefinable reason.  (Inservice?  Record keeping? Spite?)

I've spent the bulk of the afternoon washing all the towels, sheets, blankets, and stuffed animals that have been touched, slept with, potentially drooled upon, or perhaps just looked at by offending germy family members.  The task has been liberating.

Even if we haven't had a fighting shot at a regular schedule in weeks due to holidays, artic snow days, and illness, the family is on the mend, and that's what matters. 

Plus, Monday is a new day.  We'll get there.

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5 comments

  1. I hit a point with every family sickness where I think I can visibly see the germs on every single surface of my house. The resulting cleaning typhoon DOES make you feel so much better about yourself. Let's hope that Monday is a germ-free, illness-free, back on schedule kind of day. (Also, if you say the word "schedule" with a British accent, it makes you feel more organized. Truly.)

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  2. :) i think if a single person is ill it takes a toll on us all. Glad that family is well. :)

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  3. Glad to hear everyone is on the mend. Puking in the gym? Poor kid.


    Remember how I shared that my daughter vomited in the middle of the night in December the 6th/7th? Yes I have these days memorized for some weird reason). Well, my daughter talks about that night almost every single day and has removed about half of her stuffed animals from her bed because she doesn't want to accidentally puke on them AND she insists on having a puke bowl under her bed... just in case.


    My point is, these things stick. Hopefully your daughter doesn't have a lifelong fear of barnyard tag.


    Wishing you a blessed day.

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  4. She STILL has the puke bowl under her bed? That's one proactive child. You never can be too prepared, eh?
    I'll keep watch for any lingering fear of barnyard tag. ;)

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