January 20, 2024

The other side of sickness

When I was younger and dumber and drank more I sometime suffered a traditional post-drinking ailment... a hangover. Andy and I joked that the best part of hangover was when it finally disappeared, and suddenly you felt like you could do anything.

I think illness is the mom-of-4 and nearing 40 version of this.  On Sunday Isaac wasn't well, and he was off school on Monday.  On Wednesday night both Lilah and I came down with fevers.  Lilah laid on the sofa all day on Thursday... I still had two other babies to look after.  Andy took a day of holiday to look after everyone.  I don't think it was his most memorable holiday.

I can't remember how we used to classify illnesses.  I feel that having a fever is the dividing line between a cold and... not a cold?  I asked Andy what a disease with a fever, hacking cough, runny nose and sore throat is.  He said it's called a "winter nasty".  So it appears we have all survived a winter nasty.

Thankfully after two nights of high temperatures both Lilah and I are on the mend today.  I was too ill to do a grocery order so we have a house full of food but no bread or bagels. The kids have mostly eaten pasta since Monday, and we have been defrosting freezer meals for ourselves.

Very soon I can look back on this week and think "I"m glad we're not in that week anymore". 

We are 10 days away from 3 months of baby twins.  3 months is the time Andy expects us to feel the worst.  I am not wishing time away, but I am excited to be on the other side of this fourth trimester.

In other news - twins have now moved out of their bedside cot and we have moved their crib into our bedroom.  This is no longer our view:

4 comments:

  1. I know what you mean. When I'm sick I'm suddenly in a world of things that I cannot do - a simple workout is beyond reach and my brain doesn't brain. It lasts forever and then suddenly all of the obstacles are removed and I'm "me" again. At least with a hangover I have the satisfaction of having brought it on myself, but no one can control getting sick.

    Anyway good riddance to this week! I don't wish the time away either, but I hope that the final slog of the 4th trimester passes quickly.

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  2. I am glad you are over the sickness hump for now! I rarely remember my Mom being sick, except for one time when she lay on the couch all day and I was kind of frightened of seeing my Mom laid low! Even now, and I know this is different, she takes a daily nap and she looks so vulnerable with her mouth hung open, passed out in the middle of the day. Moms are invincible, aren't they? I guess in the end Moms are just real people too. :)

    Good luck with the fourth trimester; hopefully it will go fast for the bad parts and slow for the good ones!

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  3. A winter nasty! That is the perfect name for it. Fevers are awful and I'm so glad you are on the mend. Being sick as a parent is so hard, especially when you have babies to care for.

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  4. A winter nasty. Oh Rachel. I wish I lived down the street and could come clean your bathrooms and cook a hot meal and hold those sweet babies while YOU TAKE A NAP and a shower (maybe both at the same time).

    You're definitely pushing through to the hardest part and I bet Andy is right and you'll peak and then notice huge improvements in sleep and fussiness soon. Hang in there <3

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