Sickness makes me mean

I have been home sick for 6 days and I'm not kidding, I feel as bad today as I did 6 days ago.

I'm hunting for the silver lining but it's really hard. I keep trying to tell myself it's just a cold and I'll be better and it's not fatal that I have to live with forever. That most of it is over a paid holiday from work so I didn't have to take all my PTO time. At least I have insurance now and went to the doctor rather than "wait it out" or sit for 6 hours at the free clinic in hopes of being seen.

But I'm still really down about being sick and not feeling like I'm getting better.

I went to the doc yesterday and I have an ear infection, an upper respiratory infection, and the Rhino Virus. Not even Mac's jokes about rhinos made me feel better, other than a few giggles. I had meds but still feel icky and gross.

I haven't had the energy or the ability to concentrate on anything, which also sucks. I've been at home for 6 days and I haven't finished a book, written a letter or even watched a movie. I move from chair to couch to bed and feel ick. I really hate this. I stare at TV because it's about all I can handle.

Also, I'm thinking mean thoughts and fixating on stuff in my life that I don't like, and try and second guess every choice I'm making. Should I apply for a job in the town where I went to college and move there on my own, thus ending my relationship with TheGuy? I hate this apartment. I hate everything. I'm pissed at Mac.  I guess the silver lining to this is that I'm keeping the hatefulness inside instead of pissing everyone around me off. Stuff I usually ignore or I'm too busy to really "think" about are all thoughts that have swum to the surface of my brain.

I feel so useless and sick. I hate that I've had some paid time off because of NYE/ NYD and I'm sick. Time off with this job is so very precious and valuable but here I am pissing it away because I'm sick. I hate my job so much that I LIVE for days off, look forward to each and every one of our rare 10 paid holidays but here I am spending this with the Rhino virus.

I'm feeling ugly inside and out right now. If I had the money I'd check into a hotel, alone, for the rest of the weekend.

I just want to feel better.... But from reading what I have written here, I think  I have things that need to be better that a z-pak won't cure.

Maggie

The road to Hell is paved with...

I had every intention of blogging at least once a week. I started out strong and was rejuvenated and then I became overwhelmed with "life" and went back to not blogging. Ugh!

I'd like to say it was because we were rolling into holiday season but in all honesty, I just got behind, tired and busy with other things and every day I thought "I'll blog today" and then today came and went without a post.

One thing I hate is that I have the urge to blog when I can't. I feel the muse at weird times, like when driving or on a conference call, and it's impossible to blog then. By the end of the day, after a 1 hour commute, dinner, laundry, all I want to do is nothing. I also still say the back that I start at 2 huge computer monitors for 9-10 hours a day plays a part into my inability to have drive to blog.

BUT... things have been busy here. November was Thanksgiving and Christmas shopping, as well at book club, taking the dog to the groomer, and a haircut for myself. It sounds silly to say but everything in a "big" city takes longer. For example, it took me 30 minutes to drive to book club. My hair dressed it 45 minutes from my office and an hour from home. Add in traffic to that equation... heck, it takes me about 20 minutes to drive TO the grocery store.

December was all sorts of crazy, but crazy in a good way. More Christmas shopping of course. Several trips "back home" for the actual holiday celebration AND for other seasonal commitments. We also took a few days off to go on a free vacation for TheGuy's birthday. I also gave him a surprise party, which took some planning and time. One week we had something every single night: symphony tickets, my company Christmas party, a hair appointment, a city wide bazaar with over 150 vendors, TheGuy's company Christmas party, and meeting my dad half way so he can take my dog to dog sit so we could go on vacation. Whew!

Oh... and. I'm sick. I got the mother of all flus on Monday. I went to work and by the end of the day I was running a fever and felt like crap. I stayed at home Tues and NYE, with a fever and lots of snot, aches, coughing and just a general crud. Today is the first day I've felt human all week long. And I'm still half way through my second jumbo box of tissues, have 5 cough drops left, and almost completed an entire box of meds. And I'm still sneezing and snotting. YES, so gross.

NYE, rather than going to the big party we were invited to, was spend watching GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and eating junk food, then watching the ball drop, all while drinking hot tea, blowing my nose, coughing, and sneezing. What a "great" way to ring in the New Year, right? It's the year of the sheep... I wanted to make a joke about sheep and sickness, or a pun, and I'm too sick to come up with anything. That' so baaaaaaaaah-ad I feel. (feeble attempt, I know).

I guess today would be the perfect time to make a blogging resolution. But I'm not. Because... well... we know why.

Happy New Year and I hope you're all happy and healthy (and had a great Thanksgiving- if you celebrate it- and a great December holiday, if you celebrate anything!).

To be continued...
Maggie

Cooties!

Daddy-O went on his annual snowbirding trip to the Lone Star state. He left last Friday and will be gone around 2 weeks- the spring thaw; whenever he feels the need to come home. So until then, I have the house to myself! Whoot-whoot! go me!

However, Mother Nature has had different plans for me for the first week of my solo single girl life running the house. While I thought I'd be doing my thing: cooking, listening to music at top volume, watching movies and TV shows he would hate, having the girlfriends over for supper or movie nights, instead, it's been a totally different experience.

I have had the flu. Or one hellva cold.

I got home a week ago today from taking him to the train station. I got to the house at 10:30pm LAST Friday night and didn't leave the house until noon on Wednesday when I thought I felt well enough to go back to work. And frankly, that wasn't even the case. I felt guilty that my students didn't have new library books and I feel guilty when I miss that much work. So I went.

But since waking up last Saturday I've felt terrible. My ears hurt, my throat was sore, I have a runny nose, cough, congestion, aches, pains, upset stomach "issues", eyes were aching and scratchy, and just felt crummy all over. The only thing I didn't have was a fever.

And today the ears don't hurt but I still have all the other stuff. I was planning to substitute teach today and undecorate the office for Christmas tomorrow and work my part time weekend receptionist job this weekend and ow.... blech.

All I am doing is laying on the couch until I have to go to the receptionist job at 4pm. There will be no decoratinung and there was no subbing.

I'm working on my 3rd box of Puffs. I've drank tons of cups of tea, 7-up, and coffee. Nyquil is my friend as is Tylenol.

And this whole week there was nothing fun but laying on couch and sleeping or watching crap TV. (Okay, I did watch some "good TV"; I finally caught up on all the stuff I've DVR-ed over the last 5 months, so I guess we could say I did accomplish something.) My eyes hurt so much that I didn't even want to read. I felt so crappy that I couldn't concentrate, anyway. I didn't watch movies either because I couldn't concentrate that long. I have the fireplace on and the dog and I just lay here. I hope he can't get sick...!

I bet Daddy-O is glad he hasn't been here for the 'sick girl' experience. Hell, I'm the sick girl and I don't want to be here. Ugh!

I hope everyone is feeling well and healthy, though! I wouldn't wish this stuff on anyone!

Sniffly, stuffy,
Mags

Feed or starve a fever?

I think I have the flu or some virus or something like that.

I didn't "feel good" yesterday. I couldn't put my finger on it but you know when you just don't right? that's how it was for me yesterday.

As the day progressed I really knew I felt poorly. My stomach really hurt and my back and I had a headache. Did I also mention I had a terrible stomach ache? And the shakes from a fever or what I thought was a fever. And tummy troubles.

I covered up with a blanket and shivered for an hour and fell asleep, sort of an in and out of consciousness feeling. I remember waking up and laying in the bathtub in a shower, shivering. I remember wrapping up in a warm blanket and falling asleep, or passing out, or whatever.

I was staying over with a friend who helped take care of me. I woke up in the night and the fever had broken. I was covered with sweat and the bed was practically wet with it. I took another shower and got clean sheets and jammies. I ate some toast and went back to sleep.

Today I feel a little better. It's a huge better when I no longer felt like I had a fever/ chills/ uncontrollable shivers. But my stomach has still hurt all day today, and I've felt icky, sort of blobby, achy still and a little bit of a headache.

And the weird thing is that I guess last night I said i was hungry and we went to dinner to Applebees and I don't remember going at all. I guess I got sick there and we left. I don't remember AT ALL! And no alcohol was involved.

Maybe there's something going around or all the stress in my life caught up with me and it's now manifested itself in physical ailments. Or maybe I don't want to go to work tomorrow, but that doesn't explain the icks yesterday.

I dunno. Whatever it is, I hope I feel better tomorrow!

Mags

I can't

I have one of those headaches that hurt worse with sound and light, that makes me feel like puking, that just seems to get worse and worse as the day goes on.

M...

Random Monday stuff

I'm going to read The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton this month. If anyone wants to read along and then chat about it via a blog post/ comments/ emails, that would be cool! Drop me a comment if you want to take this challenge on. (It's available on Kindle and Nook, for those of you lucky dogs with such devices!)

Daddy-O subscribed to Netflix. We can download movies to our laptops. All three of us, Mac, Dad and me, can watch a different movie all at the same time. OMG- this is gonna be cool. Dad and Mac spend hours looking at the huge list of downloadable films. I was semi-comatose on the coach during this but it seems pretty awesome. Maybe I'll feel better enough to give it a whirl!

I'm still sick. I'm still running a fever but not as high. I ache everywhere; even my hair hurts. I can't believe I'm staying home sick on the first day day from Christmas vacation. I was up and down most of the night, too. I said I wasn't ready to go back and wanted to stay an extra day but this wasn't what I had in mind. Daddy-O asked if I needed to go to the ER and I said no (I have no health insurance so I'd probably end up at the morgue before the ER. I HAVE life insurance). I had dreams about being dipped in tubs of ice cubes and Little House on the Prairie and Mac shining bright lights in my face and questioning me over and over. I had all sorts of weird dreams.

I remember in 1999 I was super ill with a really high fever. I remember when that fever broke I woke up drenched in sweat; my skin literally looked like I had been swimming, and I was all glistening. I was that slick with sweat. My hair was drenched, too. It was so gross. I was living with CanadaSam then. I remember he helped me into the shower and then he changed all the sheets on the bed and got me clean jammies. I remember I felt better but just weak. I keep thinking this fever will break like that. But I think it's just going to go down and then away; nothing real dramatic.

I want to write a post about New Year's Eve and Christmas day but I just don't have what it takes, yet. I can't believe I wrote this much.

Mags

For the love of...

I'm sick. Again.

Temp of 102, upset stomach, vomiting.

Doing too much

Yesterday I tried to do too much after having been sick. I felt like poop in the morning but felt better in the afternoon so I went shopping. And to get new books from the library. And for coffee at Starbucks. And took ITSam shopping. And for a haircut. And stayed up late.

Then around midnight I had the full body shivers again and chattering teeth and shaking. So I downed more meds, took another hot shower and then went to bed.

Today I now have a snotty chest cough and a scratchy throat and just feel crappy.

Mac asked me if I was going to be an extra in the Day of the Dead.

However, my new hair cut looks great and I'm almost done shopping.

I must get better by tomorrow because I'm driving a huge transit of 8 kids on about a 14 hour journey so I have to be better.

Must rest.

And I wish I were more creative here but I can't even think of creative let alone put it into words. Too much snot.

Hoping for a healthier Wednesday,
Maggie

the sick day

The plan for yesterday was to sort the gifts, finish shopping, wrap some stuff, see Curly, see Princess, see Daddy-O's cantata, see the Christmas lights in the park, and drink Starbucks.

The reality of yesterday was get up, take meds, drink hot tea, blog, read emails, drink more tea, decide I'm too sick to do anything so I go back to sleep. Wake up at 12:30 pm and repeat previous steps. Wake up again at 4 pm and repeat all these steps. At this point I had a conversation with Daddy-O that I was too sick to attended cantata. Had a conversation with Mac, arranging transportation for Curly. Contacted Princess's jailers to let her know I was too ill to see her. Let ITSam know I was too ill to see him. Went back to sleep.

Wake up again at 6:30 pm. No one is home. I decide I must stay awake until something that resembles bed time. And a time not so close to the Day-Quil dosage so I can take my Ny-Quil dosage. So I talk to ITSam who brings pizza. I try to make tea but doze off in the chair and wake to the smell of the kettle being singed since I ran it out of water. I eat. I try to watch TV but don't have the strength to concentrate so I turn it off. Ditto blogging, reading blogs, surfing the 'net, and reading emails. Ditto reading books. Mac gets home so I take a shower. I don't have the energy to hold the hair dryer so I sit with my hoodie over my head. I beg Mac to make me tea. He does.

I finally say to hell with the closeness of day and ny-quil doses (I was off by an hour) and take it anyway and go back to bed.

How could I sleep that much? How could I have so little energy that breathing takes effort? How could I have that much snot? I hate it when I'm so congested I have to sleep with my mouth open, which dries my mouth which wakes me up coughing. My chest aches from all the coughing.

Please let me feel better today.

Mags

I'm sick

I started sneezing and having watery eyes on Friday night. I was not going to get sick. I just wasn't.

Yesterday I woke up blowing my nose and all stuffed up. I sounded terrible but I thought I would be okay. I took my tissues with me and had a pocket full of them, as well as a purse full. Every time we got out of the car, I blew my nose.

Last night we got home from shopping and I carried everything in the house. I had one more thing to do. Yesterday was ITSam's birthday and I was going to take him to dinner. Since I got home so late I thought he'd eaten but he waited so we went to dinner. Sitting in Applebee's I got the shivers and couldn't stop. I shivered all the way home. My teeth were chattering and I couldn't stop shaking. I think it all caught up to me. The heat was on full blast in the car but I still couldn't warm up.

I came straight home and took the hottest shower I could stand until I warmed up. I never did. I pulled on layers of jammies and went to bed. I piled on the covers. The fever broke sometime in the night.

I feel a little better this morning. I still feel like a bus ran over me. I'm blowing green snot this morning. Not a good sign. My left ear hurts and my glands are swollen all over. I'm coughing. I feel great... yeah, right. I'm taking handfuls of Tylanol and Day-Quil. I'm having hot tea right now.

I hate being sick. The first two days of my Christmas vacation and I'm ick. Damn it.

My plan was to sort gifts and finish my shopping today. Tonight I was going to Daddy-O's cantata concert. I'm not shopping, that's for sure. I thought I might watch White Christmas and wrap presents but I think dripping snot on gifts sort of ruins the holiday season. Don't you?

Maggie

Health stuff

I have a huge cold. Now, I know it's just a stupid cold and people get these all the time. But I've been sick now for 1 week and 1 day. My ears hurt and my nose is running. It's been running for the entire time. And I can't catch it. My ears pop and crackle. My eyes water and if I had a dollar for every sneeze I could retire. And I'm exhausted after showering and getting dressed. I can't stop sweating the cold sweats. This is a nasty cold/ flu/ illness crappy thingy.

No, really, I just feel terrible. I'm all full of snot with huge amounts of pressure. I can press on my cheeks and feel the snot bubbles pop. I've gone through 3 HUGE boxes of Puffs. I finally started taking a leftover prescription of Amoxil and am hoping for the best. I just feel like crap. I even took a day and a half off last week and thought I was feeling better but it came back with a vengeance yesterday. It just sucks.

And is saps my energy. I'm just wiped out. But I have a huge amount on my plate this week. Today I volunteered to help with an acting clinic at school. XRayGirl and I have dinner and movie plans. Tuesday I agreed to help with auditions for the school play and then I'm in charge of the concession stand for the volleyball game. Wednesday is the last day of the auditions. Thursday I have another nigh of training for my part time job. Friday night I have to see Mac do his lifter/ cheerleading stuff (and hopefully have some video on youtube of this next week). I get to do all that while having this crappy head cold. I'm not excited. This sort of week would be no big deal; it would actually be FUN any other time, but with a cold, it just sucks.

This week is also the week I need to get a doc appointment so I can renew my birth control pill prescription. Just one more damn thing. I thought I had one more month of pills left but alas, I was wrong. I usually go to Planned Parenthood but the one I've gone to has closed. So now I have to call the new one, get an appointment, go, pay for it, and it's about 1 hour away. Just one more damn thing on my to do list that I didn't plan on. And I usually have a pap come back as "slightly abnormal" so I get to worry for 30 days while we do ANOTHER test to ANOTHER lab and it always comes back fine. And I feel like hell while getting to do this. I won't even mention how close my period is... I said this post was about health stuff, right?

Should I bitch about being fatter than ever on top of it? Okay, I can save that for a post called "fat stuff" or "diet stuff" or "stupid girl stuff".

I HATE being sick! I know, who doesn't? But still, it just seems like everything else in life sucks when I'm sick.

And my nose is so red that I'm giving Rudolph a run for his money,
Maggie

Keeping the alligators fed

Stephen King once wrote an article about why people crave horror movies. In summary, and a summary that doesn't do the article justice, is that people need to keep the 'alligators' fed-- we need to watch horror movies so we don't turn into chainsaw welding, hockey mask wearing killers. He thinks we all have this "sick" side to us, sorry Mr. King for the poor paraphrasing, and if we watch horror movies we don't act on these urges; hence, we keep the gators fed.

Okay, I like the premise and I like Mr. King's article insomuch I use it in teaching any time I have the opportunity. Sometimes I even create lesson plans just so I can use this essay of his. Of course, I use it at my film class at Alcatraz. But this time, my thoughts went a different direction.

What happens when the gators are fed but people still do unspeakable horrors to others? Oh, I don't mean killers like in slasher movies type of horrors, the Jack the Rippers and Son of Sams. Yes, they are horrific, but that's not the group I'm referring to. It's the other unspeakable acts of horror people perpetrate on each other.

Sorry for the scattering of thought processes here... stay with me if you will, please.

The kids who are sentenced to Alcatraz all live in houses. They are grouped by their offenses. So for example, if you have kids who were kleptomaniacs, performed B&E, or who are car thieves, they all get put in the same house. Druggies are all housed together. And the kids who are sex offenders are all grouped together. Some of the kids have crossover crimes: he was a druggie who stole stuff to pay for his habit- so where does he go type of issues, but you get the gist.

My problem is my students told me which group of kids live in what house. And the kids who live in houses C and G are the sex offenders: child molesters, rapists, sexual offenses that don't fit into one of these two groups.

Now, I have a problem. A personal problem.

I personally do not think child molesters or sex offenders can be rehabilitated. I just don't believe it. I also think child molesters and rapists are some of the most vile people on Earth because of the acts they've committed. I don't care about the BS that molesters were molested themselves; even a worse argument if you ask be because they know how HORRIBLE it is so why make someone else feel that way? I think child molesters and rapists deserve the death penalty, after a public flogging on the courthouse square, after having been covered in honey and fire ants, after having bamboo chutes shoved under their nails and Chinese water torture for nine days. I'm just sayin'.

Herein lies my problem: I have kids from houses C and G in my classes. Okay. There they sit, every day. I have to treat them like I would any other kid. I have to be as nice to them as I would anyone else. That is very, very hard for me. Very. I even find myself watching the way I do treat the kids, because I don't want to be extra mean to them if they misbehave in my classroom because I think they are the scum of the Earth. Yeah, guess I'm having one of those professional roadblocks. I think it goes a little more than a "personal problem."

Those kids in houses C and G would never know how I feel about them. I find myself watching myself to make sure I smile at them like I do any other kid, that I call on them the same amount, and that I give them the same 'leeway' in discipline as I do any other kid. But it's hard. Oh so very hard.

And to top it off? To make matters worse... my second favorite Alcatraz student lives in house C...

Damn alligators...

Maggie

Well, now, doesn't that just suck?

• Mac is sick. He has bronchitis and tonsillitis (no strep according to the test!). He had to miss school today and will again tomorrow. He's been nursing a sore throat since Thursday night but we thought it was part of stressing his voice for the play; guess NOT! And no matter how old my kid is, or how big he is, when he looks at me and says, "Mommy, I hurt" it just KILLS me!
• The Pizza Hut Sam is MARRIED! Cross him off the list. Not that there's a list or anything, but if there were a list, he would be crossed off of it.
• I am sick as well. Believe it or not, it doesn't seem to be teeth nor lump-in-throat related. I have a virus. And because I have a common cold virus I am no longer scheduled for oral surgery in the morning. It's been postponed until April 13. Great! (<-- see sarcasm?)

Maggie

On another note....................

Tids and Bits

Remember two weeks ago when I told you Mac went to District Vocal contest and received a First place so he would be going to State?

Well, he went to State yesterday. And no I didn't go since I've been feeling under the weather. And my car is also feeling under the weather and I thought it might just fall to pieces if I were to drive it to our state capital about 2 hours away. And it was suppose to snow and I am sick to death of driving in the feckin' snow! Also, Sperm Donor was going and since I heard Mac sing at District AND he and I had a very serious talk about how he would feel if I didn't go (and he was okay with it), he rode with his father and I stayed home. Honestly, I was torn. I thought I should be there NO. MATTER. WHAT. because that what moms do, right? Well, I was also such a nervous wreck at District for him that is made him WAY more nervous than he should've been so it was almost better that I stayed home.

Oh, yes, I should probably tell you how he did... my son kicked some State vocal butt and walked out with a Gold Medal! Whoot-whoot, he got another first, with an excellent score of 12!!! I am SO PROUD of him!!!!!!

And do you also remember when I said Mac wanted to sing "It's Raining Men" for the Spring Spec concert? Well, that idea isn't gonna fly. It has nothing to do with his song choice, him being in drag, or the choreography. It has to do with the fact that the seniors picked "2000: The Decade" as the theme and since that song is NOT from that era, he can't do it. I can't decide if I'm bummed or relieved. Or worried about what he WILL do now...

I still have the golf ball sized lump in the middle of my throat and yes, my worry is growing exponentially about it. I've been the the meds for four whole days and it hasn't gone away or gotten smaller. Is it time to panic or do I wait the entire 10 days to see if it's a virus that can't be killed by an antibiotic and just goes away on its own?

So I was given an award by my blogging friend Jesse, the artist. Thank you Jesse!!!! I *heart* you!

As seems common practice in the blogger world when one wins an award, there are some suggestions such as Linking to the blogger who gave you the award (check), write 10 things that make me happy (check), share it with 10 friends (check), and have fun!

Okay here goes my happy list:

1. It makes me happy when I work with Kool.

2. It makes me happy to spend time with Mac that's FUN time!

3. It makes me happy when we have snow days.

4. It makes me happy when I can spend time with friends and Daddy-O.

5. It makes me happy to get a bunch of blog comments.

6. It makes me happy to finish projects and cross things off my to-do list.

7. It makes me happy when I don't have late library books. (I'm working on that!)

8. It makes me happy when snow melts.

9. It makes me happy when I can eat chocolate.

10. It makes me happy to get get new shoes.

And I have to say I just LOVE this award because it's pink, it makes an educators reference, and it has CUPCAKES on it, which we all know are the world's most perfect dessert. Thank you again, Jesse!

For the last bit, the 10 people to share in the award love, who I have my own reasons for picking (ask me and I'll tell ya why!): Bragger, Wiley, Shan, Jimmie Earl, The Duchess of Tea, D-Nice, The Eejit, Anna, Cheryl, and Evil Pixie.

And I think this wraps up enough bits for me today!

Maggie Mae

Doctor, doctor, gimme the news, I got... well, what have I got? What do you MEAN you don't know?

I suppose I should write something today, but I am just not up to it.

In addition to my stupid teeth, I now have a huge sore throat which is making my ears hurt. And to top that off, my throat is swollen up, like an enormous golf ball stuck in my esophagus and it hurts like hell. It hurts to swallow, to speak, to chew, to basically do anything.

I broke down and visited a 'doc in the box' since I don't have a personal doctor any more and since I also have no health insurance. (Holy cow this was expensive!) He told me my ears looked fine and my throat was just a little red, but yes, I did have some swelling in my glands, but not where everyone usually gets swelling. Gee, thanks- now not only do I have swelling, but I have unusual swelling. I told him I was worried because it was such a huge knot and he said he would give me an antibiotic. In 3-4 days I should see some difference in the swelling but to give it 10 days and if it doesn't go away to come back because then it might be more than swollen glands. And since my ears and throat look fine, other than the huge swollen gullet, then I probably have a virus or a bacterial infection and should feel better in ten days regardless.

So for $133 I have no idea what's wrong with me or if the swollen knot thingy will go away or even what it is.

Oh oh oh and this part I loved. He told me if the swelling got so bad it impaired my breathing I should go to the nearest hospital immediately. I'm SO thankful he gave me that advice since I would never have figure out to get medical care on my own if I couldn't breathe.

Health care is not something I feel the love for. Gawd, I probably have some rare weird thing that would make me a patient on House, MD if he were real.

He did rule out mumps. Gee, thank goodness for small favors..............

Maggie

Okay maybe I'm a better mother than I thought

Yesterday Mac was sick. He got that stomach flu that seems to be ripping through the Midwest. It ain't pretty. I had it over Christmas break and I know from whence I speak- it was terrible and was not food poisoning.

He started feeling poorly late Tuesday night and couldn't stay out of the bathroom. He also complained of being hot and then freezing, and of hurting all over. Yup, stomach flu. He also said he felt like "blowing chunks." he felt so bad, I made up the couch like a bed because he didn't think he could make if from his bed to the bathroom without incident. Ewwwwwww!

So Wednesday when I got him up for school I knew it wasn't happening. He said he had been up most of the night, ill. And he told me his butt hurt and I stopped him there, not wanting any more details! I asked him if he wanted me to stay home with him and he said he would just sleep, and I was okay with that. I told him to call me at school if he needed ANYTHING. I also told him that when I had it 2 weeks ago, how glad I was that my dad what here with me because even thought I was 38 years old, with this flu, I didn't want to be left alone. He mumbled something about "I'll be okay" and he went back to bed.

I called him on my lunch break and he said he was still sick, threw up in the shower, and just felt weak and achy all over. I told him to go back to bed and call if he needed anything.

About an hour later I got a text message asking me if I could come home; he felt terrible, was shaky, and still puking. So, I told my boss, got my classes covered, and left. When I called him he said he puked some more, as well as saying, "Gawd, how can I just be pooping water?" GROSS! I told him there were some Jello cups in the fridge but he said he couldn't find them so he eat yogurt instead and threw it up. I can't even think about yogurt barf.

I bought some 7Up, Cherry and regular, some chicken noodle soup, more jello cups already made (because we all know I cannot make jello. Baked Alaska yes, Jello No), and some yogurt- that was for me. Then I went home and made him tea and dry toast, gave him some medicine, cleaned up the bathroom, and changed the TP roll. I also gave him jello and poured him 7Up. I got him a book from the library.

He told me while he felt dumb being 16 years old and wanting his mom home while he was sick, it was nice having me there to take care of him.

Now I'm gonna go make him some scrambled eggs with dry toast and see if that stays put. Poor kid.

So, maybe I'm not such a bad mom after all?

Maggie

Two words: food poisoning

XRay Girl and I had dinner last night- Mexican.

From midnight to 630am this morning, I have been in the bathroom every 20 minutes, either vomiting, having an "upset stomach", or both at the same time. Every 20 minutes.

I never want to eat again. Anything. Nothing.

OMG, will it ever end?

Christmas Randomosity

I'm sitting here at the dining room table with the curtains at the windows open. I'm watching the snow fall, the big fat flakes and falling softly. I've got my Christmas tunes playing, with a steaming cup of coffee at my elbow. (And a bit box of tissues since I have a cold, after all). I've got my warm flannel jammies on, and it's just nice. I'm really feeling the Christmas spirit right now. It snowed all day yesterday and we certainly have several inches of accumulation so it might be a white Christmas here.

Mac is going to be the angel Gabriel in a Christmas cantata that my father's church choir is doing. I've been helping him memorize his lines and all I can say is that I hope he gets Jesus's name right with the whole "he shall be called wonderful" ,etc. He keeps forgetting some of it and at one point he just said, "Name the little dude Jesus." Oh. my. God. And, I must point out, he'll be wearing a halo. I canNOT wait for those pictures! Mac, in a halo...

I started wrapping gifts and listening to Christmas music today and it was lots of fun. This year I'm not doing fancy ribbon though, because the Divine Ms K. eats everything off the floor right now; she at the age where everything she touches goes into her mouth. Reminds me of the years we couldn't have ribbon because of the cats...

We have several Christmas light displays in our area and I'm hoping to go see them all. We have a new community garden park and it's lit each evening this week. There are also carolers strolling about, and cookies and hot cider are given away to visitors.

I blogged earlier this week that I thought I was getting sick and then I felt better and then I felt sick. BUT I do have a 'wonderful' Christmas cold, with a stuffy nose, sore throat and congestion. I am going to even put a positive spin on this- at least I'm sick this weekend rather than next weekend, Christmas day. and I'm almost done with sweats/ chills part. I hope. And I'm thankful for Puffs Plus with aloe.

Since my brother has to work Christmas day, we're doing out family Christmas on Christmas eve day. And that leaves Christmas day open to relax. So I'm holding back a gift or two for Mac for the actual day, and then Daddy-O, Mac, XRay Girl (her sons are at their dad's on Christmas day this year so she'll be home alone otherwise), and I are going to see Sherlock Holmes. I'm totally psyched about hanging with family and friends, and seeing a movie.

On Monday I'm doing the final Christmas shopping with Daddy-O and Curley. I think Tuesday is when Hecate and I are having our pre-Christmas rockin' girls time out (I should get that printed on t-shirts for us!) and I'm hoping that I feel better enough to stay home on Wednesday and do some baking. And that my cold germs are gone by then so I won't contaminate everyone! I want to make fudge and my mom's cut out Christmas cookies, and pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting. And sour cream coffee cake. And pecan tartlettes minus the pecans since I'm allergic. So it tastes like pecan pie but with just the goo.

I'm hoping the day that I bake (and before that day and after that day... and probably after that day since the list is huge) I'll be able to watch some of my favorite Christmas movies: When Harry Met Sally (though this one could wait until New Year's Eve, per usual), Love Actually, and The Holiday. And don't forget a version of The Christmas Carol with Albert Finney. I want to indulge in my classic favorites, too, like White Christmas and The Bishop's Wife. I also want to see It's a Wonderful Life because I've never watched it before- I know, I know. Part of me wants to NEVER watch it just because I've made it 38 years without, but that seems wrong somehow. I also thought I might indulge in a few new films like The Perfect Holiday and This Christmas.

So, what are ya'll up to this holiday season?

Merry Maggie

The welcoming of the annual Christmas cold

I think I'm getting a cold. If I had a dollar for each time I sneezed today I wouldn't have to work for the rest of the week. And then tonight, I sneezed and suddenly I have a stuffy nose and I can't breath through my nose at all, I sound like I morphed into Sneezey Dwarf, and if I press on my cheeks I can feel snot bubbles pop- yeah, totally gross, but Mac said I had to say it. And my whole body aches. This is not good.

This is a bad time for a full blown cold since we have final exams this week. And I still have all that stuff to do like baking and wrapping and being festive and all that holiday shit.

XRayGirl gave me a huge bottle of Vitamin C so maybe that will help ward off the evil. Is it true if you take too much Vitamin C you'll turn orange?

I swear it's only because of the kids' cooties.

Okay, I'm gonna go and lay on the couch and wait to get better.

Tomorrow I'll tell you about the weekend, Sock Monkey, and a random email from a Sam.

Maggie

Super Trooper* (yeah, I've been dying to say that!)

So, Trooper had back surgery on Friday, after our date last Wednesday. He was in the hospital little more than 24 hours and came home Saturday afternoon. And since he has to be such a guy, a macho one at that, of course, he doesn't want help from anyone and insists he can take care of himself, even though the hospital recommended he go to a nursing home for a week rather than go home alone. That's how serious this surgery was, but nope, he went home and is toughing it out. He's such a tough guy that his best buddy came to visit him the day he got home from the hospital to "help him out" and they watched a Packers football game. Only guys would do that!

And after a text message where he relayed he was barely alive and felt like he was hit by a truck (I asked Semi or pickup and he said he would let me know later... I was just curious), he seems to be getting along fine. He also offered to send me a picture of the incision, but I declined. I don't "do" incisions or anything else that could be considered medically icky. And though he did recognize I would make a lousy nurse, he inquired as to my sponge bath giving skills... Hmmmmmmm.... such a guy!

He seems to be getting along really well actually, other than it hurts to sit down, but the incision is right above his butt in the center of his lower back- he'll need a nice tramp stamp tat to cover the scar, I tease him; he's semi- amused- I think. He was actually feeling well enough to go stroll around Menard's yesterday with his dad, who drove him. (Thank goodness his dad lives down the road a piece from him so Trooper does have someone checking on him regularly).

So he's out of commission for 4-6 weeks. And no, there's no talk of another date. Other than whipping text messages back and forth, there's been no talk at all, at least via the phone. And he is the only person I know who doesn't have the Internet at home. So... I have nothing to report as to whether there will be another date or not. We didn't talk about the date the other night (which had a weirdly awkward end to it anyway) nor mentioned a future one, so I'm not holding my breath. With his back incapacitating him for now he can't drive, and I live about 4-5 hours from him, so I would have to go there to see him, which I wouldn't mind but that would throw out all sorts of other weird scenarios to deal with (visiting his house, where would I stay, his kids, he doesn't want anyone seeing him 'sick'...). Oh well! As I say when it comes to me and the dating world- doesn't really matter!

Anyway, he's getting along fine and dandy! Good for him and I wish him well!

Well wisher,
Maggie

* And it's spelled differently than the ABBA song but still!