Mommy Sick Mode

Child 1 and Child 3 got sick at the same time but with two, very different things. Child 3's was painful and long lasting. Child 1 got an antibiotic and was at school the next day. Child 3 was sick and crying for a week. Child 2 jumped on the scene with Child 3's illness about halfway through Child 3's recovery, extending mommy sick mode by another 4 to 5 days.

Mommy sick mode...
No continuous sleep longer than 2.5 hours.

No continuous sitting longer than 10-15 minutes.

Medicine locator, dispenser, log keeper.

Magician...be able to open tiny packets of medication at 2 o'clock in the morning after having had 1.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep, making sure to read tiny writing on tiny packet first, to double check dosage.

Pharmacist...must know amount of medicine to give based on weight and age, dosage times, what medicines interact with others to be the most beneficial to child.

Creative cook...must creatively think of things that child will eat, make them over and over again, time this well with medication so child feels good enough to eat it.

Line cook...make many different items with one bite eaten from them and then turned down, time this well with medication so child feels good enough to eat that one bite. Don't forget to cook dinner for those healthy family members.

Angel...do not ever lose patience with sick children. It is not their fault, combat the ceaseless whining and crying with hugs, kisses and love.

Entertainer...think of things that sick child can do while spending a week at home, miserable.

Teacher...help child make up mountain of work that has been missed, time this well with medication so child feels good enough to do it.

Interpreter...discern meaning of hand gestures and grunts.

Germ eradicator...wash sheets and pj's in hot water to ensure elimination of evil germs, wipe down all counters multiple times a day, clean bathrooms, don't forget door handles or toilet handles used repeatedly by sick child

These duties are in addition to other errands, chores and parenting of a teenager girl. Fear not, mommy sick mode is saved only for those illnesses with a duration longer than your average ear infection, strep throat or vomiting in the middle of the night illness. There are other lists for those types of illnesses.

But truly, this should be easy...I'm a stay home mom after all. What else do I have to do?

Now, why I am grateful...
I have money to buy medicine. I have money to buy a variety of foods to try on the sick ones. I don't have to miss a week and a half of work to care for sick ones. I have a big enough bed for all the sickies when snuggle time is a necessity in the middle of the night. I know they WILL get better. This is a virus not a life threatening disease. I have toys, video games and books galore to entertain them. It is not Thanksgiving day. My husband will come home and tell me that I am awesome. The teenage daughter still comes home from school and gives me a big hug and tells me that she loves me. Life is good.