They Don't Want Me To Take Care of My Child!

Last night while typing on the laptop, Dylan sat next to me on the sofa and laid his head across my hands on the keyboard.  He was hot.  Even though he had no cough or sniffling, he had been lethargic all day and zoning out a lot (at one point we thought he was having a seizure). Tod laid him on the sofa and covered him up. Dylan was already moaning by then, typical flu symptoms. Tod got out the thermometer and sure enough, the thermometer was broke. He got the Tylenol anyway.  We knew it was going to be a long night. Our pediatrician tells us to alternate Tylenol and Motrin during times of spiked fever. It has decreased the number of times we've had to use cold compresses or frozen vegis to bring a dangerously high fever down. And it keeps him from getting too uncomfortable with body aches and chills.

Tod was with him all night. I was up, too, but in the other room. You see, I just got out of the hospital after being incarcerate for double pneumonia. I was under quarantine, too. And although I am taking enough antibiotics to clean up Congress (and maybe Sacramento, too), I have no defense against a viral infection. I could end up back in the hospital in worse shape than I was before. Then I become a burden and not a help.

But, I'm the mom! My poor baby needs me! How can I sit by helplessly while he's sick? Not that Tod isn't doing a great job. But, I"M THE MOM! I remember reading somewhere that your child will always remember how you treated them when they were sick. I remember my mom- gently putting in eardrops, letting me eat chicken noodle soup on a tv tray in the living room. Comforting me when I broke out with chicken pox. I knew it was ok when I puked  because mom wasn't scared. And then there were those sweet kisses on my forehead to check my temperature. How can I deprive my child of this?

Well, I'm not, as safely as I can. By washing hands, letting Tod distribute medicine, using TraderJoe's hand-sanitizer and continuing to do all the things I need to do for my recovery. Oh, and this....