Tag Team Vomiting
Hey Dad,
Didn’t write yesterday because I was exhausted. Didn’t really sleep much the night before because Cal (6) and Maggie (9 today) were sick. I was getting smug too about how healthy we’ve been this winter. That all changed Sunday night.
About 8:30pm Cal was upchucking in the toilet. Like any father I was hoping it was fluke, maybe something he ate…maybe he was choking on a chicken bone. A half hour later, I knew it was more.
So we stuck him beside our bed so we could keep an eye on him and make sure he made it to the wastebasket without much hassle. I should note he was on MY side of the bed…because I do all body fluids in my house. Debbie is a gagger and gaggers…gag.
So about every 20-30 minutes all night Cal was heaving into the trashcan. I was there right beside him mopping and emptying. Then about 12:30am Katherine (16) walked into my bedroom and announced, “Maggie is throwing up.”
“Of course she is,” I said. I found her, cleaned things up and brought her to the couch in our room. Now I had two of them puking like clock work. Eventually around 4AM they quieted down, and I was dropped dead tired and could feel the germs climbing up my arms to infect me.
Today, is Maggie’s birthday. Cal seems normal, but my birthday girl doesn’t have her sparkle. I love her sparkle…except when I don’t. But somehow I miss it more when she doesn’t have it.
All that to say…it’s good being a dad. It’s important…more than anything else.
You ‘da dad…and keep a bucket handy,
Todd
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Sinking a 3 pointer in your basketball game is one thing, but it doesn’t match the thrill of catching all the puke in a bowl!
Nothing but net!!!
We are right there with you. Thankfully, Asher is the last and everyone else is on the mend after an average of 4 days down and out! What a Mighty God we serve that gave us bodies to heal and families to love us!
Reminds me of the good old days. Hannah (who is 26 now,married with one fairly newborn) wasn’t feeling well one night when she was about 6 or so. She came to my side of the bed (because I, like you, do all bodily fluids for the same reason as you), and I let her crawl in…no puke yet. She nestled in the crook of my arm and went back to sleep. So did I. Then suddenly I was awakened rather intensely by the ear full of puke she gave me as she had woken up and before she could say anything to wake me, simply unloaded on the side of my head. I was shaking it out of my ear like a swimmer who gets water in their ear at the pool. Ah, the best of times…
Todd, that’s been the story of this year for us too. At one time, I had both boys and my wife in the ER for the flu, and the docs admitted Pam with pneumonia. We’ve been scrambling on the Dad front here!
Years ago my husband established a rule that if you made it to the bathroom toliet or into the wastebasket without hitting the floor or anything else you earned a dollar for each time. I have to admit it has been money well spent over the years. And there is nothing better to wake up too at four am then a sick but smiling 8 year old boy who is telling you he made it to the basket.
My little princess was going through it on the same day your little ones were. Slowly getting better now though.