The past few days E has been coughing and generally feeling a bit ordinary. I have sent him to school as I'm conscious that I'm still really new in my job and feel like I should be there as I want to prove myself as a someone with a good work ethic. But this morning my poor little guy woke up sounding like he was going to cough up a lung, you know that sort of bark that sounds like a dirty great german shepherd has taken up residence in your chest. He was feeling really weak and listless and it hurt just to listen to him.
You know the poor boy is sick when you give him the choice of going to school and enjoying jumping castles, tuckshop, building a robot and chocolate versus staying home, and he says to you:
It's a hard decision but I have to make the right choice, not the choice I WANT to make.
Awww.
So we trooped off to the nearest doctor this morning, which unfortunately didn't take appointments and we had to wait our turn...for 90 minutes. Apparently we got lucky as the usual wait is 2 hours plus, but still! Luckily we came prepared with books and also they had comfy couches so E dozed on my lap for part of the time. The doc has diagnosed him with a general viral infection, and from the sounds of all the coughing coming from the waiting room it seems like it's spreading through Toowoomba like wildfire! I wanted a surgical mask just to sit there! Unfortunately this means prescribed rest, liquids and cough medicine for E and not a lot else that can be done.
Meanwhile I'm feeling crazy guilty because I'm not at work, which shows pretty bad form in your first month, but what do you do? It's a horrible choice although at the same time really not a choice at all. Luckily I've been given a work phone so was able to receive and send emails both from the phone and from my computer when we eventually made it home from the docs. At least feeling in touch somewhat and letting people know I was instantly available helped ease the guilt a little, but I still felt like I was doing something wrong.
So the day has been pretty much non-eventful, with E resting on the couch and OD'ing on ABC 3 whilst I pottered around getting a few chores done.
I know this is an awful thing to say but how cute are kids when they're sick? E lay on the couch looking equal parts angelic and pathetic and I couldn't help but serve him meals on a tray while he reclined there like some kind of old school king with his handmaidens around. I drew the line at feeding him grapes.
So I have finished the books I was looking forward to reading and have now embarked on my next freebie...it's called That's My Teenage Son: How Moms Can Influence Their Boys to Become Good Men. I know it sounds like I'm going on a self-help quest and maybe I am, but I'm always interested in books that just MIGHT give me some guidance and insight into teenage boys as they're pretty much a mystery. I've talked before of my deficiency in speaking Boy, as I was raised in a mainly female dominated environment, and I only need to speak to friends who went to sleep with an adorable 12 year old only to wake up to a 13 year old alien invading their home. E is in the adorable phase, but I won't be putting my money on this lasting for long.
I'm intrigued that the book is written by a man, which is a little condescending in my book. And it's had more than it's fair share of church references thus far but I'll persevere. I find with these types of books that even if you only get one tip out of the whole thing, then it's worthwhile. So I'll let you know my opinion when I'm done.
So another novelty of living in suburbia: having people knock on your door. I'd forgotten what this was like having been inaccessible in a secured building for so many years but so far today we've had someone wanting to preach the word of Lord, Our God, and someone trying to sell chocolates. Fortunately for us we have blinds and frosted glass on every window so it's also pretty easy to pretend we're not home, which will be a wonderful thing I'm sure if we're on the well-tread Mormon-conversion circuit.
In Cairns one of our neighbours showed up at the door naked and invited the Mormons in, which meant that from thereon in, all of them gave our entire street a wide berth forever more.
There is a God.
Anyhoo I'm not quite that brave but I might get to know the neighbours and see if one of the blokes is keen to carry on the legacy. Anything for a bit of peace and quiet.
So what's your day been like? Do you feel as guilty as me when you have to stay home from work to look after your sick kids? How do you deal with it?
xx
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