Chronicles of a Sick Kid

I am horrible at caring for sick men.  I can't get over feeling like they are big babies and despite my best efforts to mask it they seem to see right through it.  My inability to conquer this skill apparently applies not only to sick husbands but also to sick little boys.  JAC battled a feverish flu for the last four days and we all suffered. 

Sometimes I hear stories of sick little boys who love to cuddle on the couch with their mothers.  JAC doesn't fit this mold.  On the first day of sickness he wanted to watch T.V and he absolutely didn't want me around.  He banished me to the kitchen and spent the morning consuming massive amounts of PBS kids programming.  I hate to admit that I appreciated the banishment and took the opportunity to read my Newsweek and The Economist cover to cover. 

The second day of sickness JAC turned into a snarling monster completely unsatisfied with all things.  Any attempt to comfort him was met with being hit or kicked.  The magnitude of his bad attitude was met only by the magnitude of never ending snot coming from his nose.  It was REALLY gross.  He resisted any attempt for me to wipe it and I took to sneaking up behind him with a Kleenex.  By mid morning any sympathy for my snot encrusted kid was quickly dwindling as I grew more frustrated. 

JAC really needed a bath.  He was smelly and covered in snot.  JAC fought the bath like a little devil and as I wrangled him into the tub I marveled at how long and lanky my kicking, fighting child had become.  I scrubbed him head to toe and stepped out to check my pot of white chili on the stove.  Moments later I heard loud splashes.  I walked into the bathroom to see JAC flooding the room.  He dismantled his child-sized potty and used it to scoop buckets of water onto the floor.  The water flowed through the bathroom vents and also flooded the basement below.  I cleaned up the mess, took deep breaths, prayed and tried to remain calm.  JAC refused to get out of the bath and because I'm a slow learner and because I was really sick of my kid I went into the kitchen to check on our dinner.  When I returned JAC was standing on the edge of the tub gleefully peeing everywhere.  It was JAC's revenge  for my bad attitude but I had had enough.  I put him in pajamas and threw him in his room for a nap.  He could come out when his dad returned home!

When Jess arrived home we were both very happy to see him.  JAC recognizing that the more sympathetic parent had arrived pushed me away and clung to his dad.  For the next day and half they were best buddies.  They crashed on the couch and argued over T.V selections while eating handfuls of Cheerios.  I hid out in the kitchen clearly unwelcome in the living room.  Jess even taught JAC how to wipe his nose on his sleeve - Kleenex needed.  Thanks Dad!

Sick kids are harrowing but eventually they get better.  I keep trying to remind myself of that.  JAC seems to be on the mend.  The fever broke yesterday and I think despite my husband's talent for sympathy our sick kid wore him out too.  Yesterday, exhausted he took a three hour nap while JAC and I took in some sun at the park.