Moms Are Entitled to Sick Days

There ought to be a rule about moms getting sick.  I mean when that happens, it isn't as if I can call my kids around me and say, "Listen, mom feels pretty sick today so you are all on your own" as I hand the baby his diaper bag full of fruit snacks, wet wipes and diapers and send him upstairs to watch cartoons.

No. Mom has to be on 24/7, there is no relief for her...

Unless you are me.

I take getting sick pretty serious around here.  But, just like the analogy of the oxygen mask on the airplane, I realize that sometimes I must take care of myself so that I'm able to take care of everyone else.

I started coughing on my anniversary weekend trip.  It wasn't anything unusual, I figured there was something in the air in Snowflake that was agitating me so I didn't think twice.  By Thursday, I had had enough.  I called in a nursing student friend and had her listen with her stethescope, but she said it sounded fairly clear.  The next day, my home teacher RN showed up and said maybe there was something down low on one side, but I ought to go have it checked out.  Did I?  No.  I didn't have time.  It was already Friday afternoon and tomorrow was Saturday.  There were chores to be done, football pictures to volunteer at, primary lessons to finish preparing.  I kept it under control with some over the counter cough medicine and cough drops and I maxed out on my ibuprofen and aceteminophen daily dosages.  By Saturday night, I was wiped out.  I had to buy a new bottle of cough medicine and then found some Tylenol with codeine in my medicine cupboard.  For the next 24 hours in between fits of coughing and achiness, I slept...a little.

By Monday, I had enough.

I went to my doctor's office.  (Jensen Family Medicine in QC are the best!)

Trevor sent me for an x-ray.  I have pneumonia.

I have taken my antibiotic for today and used my new inhalor properly every 4 hours.  I know it will take me a few days to feel better, but I know I will.

Sometimes our bodies just get sick but sometimes they are trying to tell us we need to slow down.  I feel like I am pretty good at giving my body the rest it needs, but suddenly, in the last 3 months, I have been sicker than I have been in the last 10 years.  I have to take a serious look at my life and reevaluate:  Let's see, I go to college (and did all summer long), I had all 8 kids home all summer with no schedules (that stresses me out to the max), I am trying to get a son out on a mission next month (my emotions are on a roller coaster ride), money is tight, etc., etc., etc.  Yeah yeah yeah, you know what I'm talking about.  So what is my point?

Tomorrow I'm taking a sick day.  For real.

My friend is bringing dinner and my sister is watching my babies all day.  I plan on taking a good long nap in the morning then going to my clase de espanol at ASU (no choice there), then coming home for another quick nap before the rest of the kids get home from school.  I won't be leaving the house once I'm home because I. Am. Sick. and I'm calling in.