The Way-Too-Common Cold

I woke up before the alarm went off this morning not because I was feeling fine and well rested but because my head was aching, my nose was congested, and my mouth was dry. Yes, once again Andrew, Emily, and I are all suffering with the way-too-common cold. Since I was awake early, I decided to go down and fix the kids a real breakfast: eggs, toast, grits and hot tea with chasers of Tylenol and Sudafed.

Andrew and I were both up in the night, drinking water, grabbing lip balm and dabbing vile Vapo-Rub under our noses. I can’t take decongestants at all and he can’t take them at night so we rely on the greasy, nasty smelling substance that is as revolting as it is effective.

I wanted to keep Andrew home from school, but instead I sent him because he has several tests today that I don’t want him to miss and have to make up later. Fourth grade has proved to be challenging, and his teacher holds him to a high standard. We spend a lot of time on homework, and we’re trying to do better this quarter because last quarter was lackluster. It is all too easy to get behind and harder to catch up.

Still, while my intentions are good, I feel guilty. Part of me knows that when you have a cold, you always feel the worst when you first get up and then you feel better. But I also know that sending him to school with a cold and a pocket full of Kleenex exposes other kids to the same fate. Yesterday I was at school teaching writing to second graders, and it seemed nearly every kid in the class had sniffles. It’s that time of year. I tell myself if I kept the kids home for every head cold, they would miss a lot of school. He isn’t coughing, sneezing or running a fever, I rationalize, we can deal with this. Another good sign: he eats an enormous breakfast, and I’m glad I took the time to fix it.

I make sure Andrew is dressed warmly in his softest sweats. I load his pockets with Kleenex and Chapstick. I tell him to call me if he doesn’t feel better by lunch time. I’m hoping the medication will relieve the hungover feeling you get with a cold overnight, and he’ll do OK.

Meanwhile, I’m popping some ibuprofen and drinking lots of tea, trying to relieve my aching head. Wish I could take something for my guilty heart. There is no cure for the common cold--or the difficulty and self-doubt of parenting.

© 2005 Veronica McCabe Deschambault. All rights reserved.

November 17, 2005

Comments

[Shirl Grrrl]

So sorry to hear ya'll are feeling poorly!But I wouldn't feel too guilty about sending A to school. Kids are so much more resiliant than we are! It has been my experience that keeping a kid home from school usually ends up with me having to say over and over, "no, you can't ride your bike, you're sick" or "no, you can't play with friends because you're sick", etc. Also said kid never wants to lay down and take a nap like I would want to do, but instead plays GameCube all day. So, don't worry too much about him. If he were home he'd probably be driving you crazy and as for spreading germs, hell, the germs are already out there! Where do you think he picked them up from in the first place?! So, you take the naps and feel better yourself, because we all know it will take you twice as long to feel better than it will the kids.

[Brooke]

I'm so sorry to hear you're feeling like crap. It took me the entire freakin' month of October to get over what I thought was just a way-too-common cold. Come to find out I had strep AND bronchitis.

So be careful, but worry not over your son. Kids bounce back. We're the ones who collapse.

[Granola-grrrl]

--CoughcoughcoughHAAAACKcough[spit grossness out]blow nose[try to get boogs out of nose ring]---

I've been taking as much echinacea and vitamin C as I can without giving myself diarrhea. That'd be great on top of the rest of it. Ew.

Poor Andrew-- at least you dressed him snuggly. I once sent Alex to school even though I suspected he might be coming down with something. He didn't have any awful symptoms. I felt terrible, but I had to work. Sure enough, as I was packing up to leave the client's house, the school nurse called and said he had "fallen asleep in class, you Loser Mom!" (ok, she didn't say that last part, but I know that's what she meant.)

That's the hardest part of being a single parent for me. Actually, it's the secondary concern, after "tiny budget." Fortunately now I can shuffle clients around a little if kids are sick. But I still pump them full of herbs and vitamins at the first sign of a sniffle (the kids, not my clients). ;)

So I feel your guilt, mama. I hope you guys are feeling way better way soon. Hugs to everyone. Uhhh.... I'm glad they're virtual hugs, or we'd trade new germs and just get sicker. :D