Stomach Virus of 2023 Recap
Ha! This post was supposed to be a race recap, but we all know how that turned out. Instead I’ll share some thoughts on the recent situation here. The main takeaway is, as always, you just have to take the good with the bad. On Thursday night, while I was lying in bed feeling queasy but not actually sick yet, I kept thinking “But I have to get up at 5:45! I have to run! I can’t stay home from work tomorrow- I’m fully booked with clients!” It was causing me so much stress that when I finally got sick, it was a relief to realize that none of those things would even be physically possible. In spite of the discomfort of being ill, there was a certain pleasure in that moment where I knew I had to let it all go. My daughter had started throwing up right before bedtime, and Friday was the first day she’s ever stayed home sick from middle school. I know. How is that even possible???. She had a 100% perfect attendance record for 6th grade and 7th grade, and then so far in 8th grade she had a few excused absences for things like All-State and All-County band rehearsals, but had never called out sick. I guess a stomach virus is the one thing you can’t fight off. If my daughter and I both had to be sick, I’m glad it was at the same time. Even though she’s 14 and can stay home alone, a stomach virus is a whole different experience. I felt like she needed me to make the toast and tea, and remind her to sip her water slowly. ALSO… It seems like this should be obvious to everyone, but somehow isn’t to kids- there are good places to throw up and bad places. A good place would be the bucket next to your bed, or the toilet. An example of a bad place would be the bathroom SINK. Sigh. Kids need a little extra guidance sometimes. In other news, now I know what the cats do all day when we’re gone… ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. No wonder they’re getting so chubby! On Friday, I lay on the couch all day and my snuggly calico slept between my legs. Our other cat, who’s a little more aloof, slept on the other end of the couch. I was touched that she wanted to be near us (but not too near, of course.) Since I really couldn’t do anything else, I read two books! I thoroughly enjoyed both of these, although they were vastly different from one another. Central Places was a beautifully-written book that made me re-live my own childhood and high school years. Although I wouldn’t presume to say I know what it feels like to be the only Asian American in a small town in Illinois, I think most of us can relate to family struggles while growing up, and the feeling of being an outsider. And although I didn’t live in a small town, Illinois is my home state, and I always have a soft spot for books set in the Midwest. Without giving anything away, I also loved how in the end, Audrey focused on the truly important relationships in her life. The Paris Apartment was just fun to read. It was easy, it was interesting, and kept me happily occupied. We’re feeling better now and happy to get back to our regular lives! That’s the other thing I always realize when I’m sick- it’s kind of nice to have a break every once in a while, but my regular life is pretty good. Have you read either of those books? What do you do when you’re sick?