Blogging from the bubble

I was looking forward to the school holidays. I had Plans. I knew it was going to be a bit hectic, and the boys would probably watch more movies than I'd like, but there were a few key things we were going to do that was going to make sure it was a worthwhile holiday.

But the universe would have none of it. First, Ben got chicken pox. That was ok, it was the last week of school, and he wasn't very sick. Then, just as he was getting over the pox, he got a throat infection that landed him in Emergency on the Monday of the first week. He was ok - nothing that a massive dose of steroids wouldn't fix, but it screwed up his social life no end. Then he kindly passed that throat infection on to me, which didn't quite knock me out, but definitely knocked me down.

I managed one reasonable day in which we saw friends. The kids had fun and we had a sensational sushi night. At least our holiday highlight was a thumpingly good one.

Then I started to get a little ill again, and I thought it was the tail end of the throat infection. Not so. Eventually the little red spots started to appear, then I crashed completely. Chicken pox. I was very tempted to inflict you with the full litany of symptoms, but suffice it to say that there are systemic as well as rash-related symptoms, and one should remember that the rash gets everywhere. Think on that while you see how it looked on my face.

Now think about that everywhere. Ice packs were involved, people.

And it got worse. This was two days later.

Yes, that's as painful as it looks. That stuff about pox rash being itchy? Rubbish. The spots on my back were itchy, and I barely noticed it. It was all about the pain. And it went on and on. It's still going on, 9 days since the first symptom and 7 days since I hit the bed. I'm still in bed, but definitely on the improve. Why am I telling you this? Because there is a vaccine available for adults. If you didn't have the pox as a kid, get your immunity tested, and get vaccinated if need be, because this is a special kind of hell you don't want to go through.

On a lighter note, it was Crazy Hair Day at school today, and Ben was sent off, suitably crazied.

He was pretty chuffed, despite being told he looked like a girl. He's promised me next time he won't defend this with "I've never seen a girl with 6 pony tails straight over her head", but rather "Saying I look like a girl is the same as saying 'I look like a person'". (His wording on both counts, not mine.)

And no doubt Blogger is still going to left align these photos rather than centering them as they appear here in my editor, and I'm sorry, but I don't have the energy to wrestle with it. I'll just watch the rain instead.

There has to be a better way

On days like today, I want to pack up and move to somewhere cheap, finish my degree, tack a dip ed on the end and get myself a job as a teacher. Crash can make clocks. And I won't have to have days like today.

I woke up at 4am with tonsillitis. The throat was the least of it, every joint in my body is killing me. And I knew I had to work all day today, regardless of how I felt. It was stressful work, and it was interspersed with even more stressful work. I took Ben to gymnastics because it meant a break - well, except for the phone calls.

And tomorrow I have a lot more work to do, and I probably won't be able to take Elissa to day care because of the conjunctivitis. We are probably going to have to play pass the baby parcel as we both have work to do in the city.

I want my mummy

I am coming down with the lurgi, and I want my mummy. Or at least I would, if my mother wasn't the last person on earth you want around when you are ill.

I love my mother, don't get me wrong. I even like her a lot, enjoy her company and all that, but she is a member of the Codral Cult. When presented with illness, one attempts to deny it for as long as humanly possible, and then if that becomes impossible, one Soldiers On. A small amount of whinging is permitted, even obligatory, but Life continues. All of it. No dodging responsibility, no retreating to bed and whimpering.

This had its interesting side effects. She never believed either of us kids when we broke bones. My sister had to wait a minimum of overnight to be taken to hospital for each of her three breaks. My break was only a greenstick fracture, and I was never taken to hospital. It was diagnosed when I was 25.

On the plus side, it probably prepared me well for parenting, because in all reality, hiding in bed and whimpering is probably not going to work. The 8 month old is unlikely to feed and bathe herself and then tuck herself into bed. That could be pushing my independence barrow just a little too far. And the cold and flu tablets I take leave me with a quiet buzz akin to 2 glasses of wine.

But still, my teddy and a book look very attractive...

Dropping like flies

Ben is finally recovering today. He had to go to school yesterday because he was going to his friends place to play in the afternoon. It nearly did him in. When I went to pick him up he could no longer speak and was only just able to drag himself up the hill home. He still sounds pretty croaky.

Charlie has a cough and sounds very chesty, but has so far stubbornly refused to become croupy. Of course. Now I am prepared, he starts getting different illnesses.

Crash has a stomach bug that had laid him out all day.

Thank the gods Elissa has so far stayed well. UPDATE: Not so much, she's got a cold now...

I have been feeling nauseous, which I am denying by eating as much as is humanly possible. I feel like I've lived everyone else's illnesses, I don't need one of my own.