Our town has eight reported cases of swine flu. We've gotten notices sent home from all schools, emails from the local Board of Health, and our elementary school was the backdrop for interviews conducted by the big town local news.
It's almost like that six degrees of separation: I know someone who knows someone whose brother has swine flu and the whole household is under quarantine for seven days.
The advice being handed down is consistently:
If you're sick stay home.
If you cough; use a tissue or your elbow.
Wash your hands; then wash them again.
And then my own personal favorite for all those teenagers in love: Give each other a little bit of space. It's only a week...
This morning my oldest came down for breakfast with the sniffles. Not only did I do a homerun head swing in her general direction, I glared at her. "How do you feel?"
"Allergies"
"Your allergies aren't to pollen and such; cats and dust. (Now that I think about it, she may have a point there with the dust thing...) How do you feel?"
"I'm fine."
Now, I have this weird sympathetic response that happens anytime my kids are sick. Any and every time they are sick, viral or bacterial, I get a sore throat. It happened this morning. I'm standing at the sink, rinsing out Capri Sun juice pouches for the little inventor's recycling efforts, (2 cents a piece via terracycle.net) feeling just fine, no pains, no worries, until I heard the track star sneeze then voila instant sore throat. She hadn't even got within 12 feet of me.
Of course, now I'm having visions of the town prescribed seven day full house quarantine. I wonder if we could set up a milk and egg drop off by the back door?
My last words to the lovely: If you feel the slightest bit sick, go to the nurse. And I love you.
Nothing like the swine flu to throw a monkey wrench in the family schedule. I have been trying to squeeze in some ultra quiet down time... I guess I should really be careful about what I ask for. It could end up being my Mother's Day gift. Really all I want is peace and quiet and cleaned bathrooms... and of course, no swine flu.
4 comments:
If, the house is quarantined I will promise to drop off milk and eggs when you need them. We can talk through the window and wave to each other. I will ask mom why you can not come out to play and then I will make funny faces at you and taunt you. Yeah, that is what I will do, I will support you the best way I know how.
If no one has said yet, I hope you have a very nice mother’s day. I pray that you get your wish of quiet and peaceful times to spend with your family and gardens.
All my love,
Bro
What a nice comment. What else would I expect from the best "big" kids in the world.
Love, M
I'm paranoid enough as it is. I can't imagine what you're going through with kids! Hope it is indeed allergies and that she feels better.
If I were close enough, I would be happy to drop the milk and eggs by the door. I know where you're coming from, we just got over a bout of bronchitis and an asthma flare-up with the little one and he has a cold again! When he first said his throat was sore, I immediately took his temperature - us mothers! Hope you have a peaceful and enjoyable Mother's Day as well as a healthy one for the whole family.
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