Sick Days

It's that time of year again. Cold and flu season. With five little ones in the home, it usually hits us pretty hard. Especially now that I have three in school. They bring home all sorts of wonderful bugs!

This past week it happened to be a cold bug. It started with a sore throat. Then it moved into the sinuses and finally, settled into my chest. Every single one of us has it, but this is the worst cold I have had in a long time. I am glad that I am finally on the up side of it. It has really sapped any and all energy out of me.

Some time in the middle of my misery, a friend asked "how do you take care of your family when you feel that crummy?" Well, I stick to the basics. Food, sleep, and clothing. If everyone is fed, I consider that a victory. If they have clean clothes to wear, we're doing good. Then I put everyone in bed, including myself, and start all over the next day. Anything that is not an absolute necessity, can wait.

I also recruit help. Fortunately, I have a very helpful husband. The kids can all pitch in in one way or another too. This weekend I was extra lucky to have my mom and sister around to help out. (Hopefully they don't get what we had!) I've learned not to feel guilty about asking for help when I am sick. It's good to give yourself permission to rest and recover. The important thing is to focus on getting healthy again.

Then, when I am feeling better, I take preventative measures. I keep a stock of disinfecting wipes, hand lotion, and spray around the house and in the car. I sanitize as much as possible, encourage hand washing, and make sure everyone is taking their vitamins along with drinking a lot of water. I'm teaching my kids to cough into their sleeves, and be alert about how easily germs spread. We'll get through this cold and flu season just like we have before...one bug at a time. But it's good to know that we're doing all that we can to stay healthy.