The summer cold is much better, but not completely gone, mainly because I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in six nights. Why, you ask? Well, my husband was out of town for the past week while Wito and I were left here to drown in our snot. Of course, I couldn’t tell you this because I’m filled with paranoia self-destroya about announcing to the internet that I’m all by myself, PLEASE COME KILL ME.
(Also, I think it’s important to point out that while I was dying over here, he was in the midst of a furnishings installation at one of his client’s homes in a swanky resort town, sipping pinot noir and marveling at the majestic beauty of the mountains.)
(For six days.)
(While I died.)
So, yes, AS USUAL, within thirty minutes of dropping D off at the airport last Tuesday, Wito was covered in phlegm. (Why is that the case, people? WHY??? 3 out of the 4 times he has left town, Wito has come down with an uber illness! GAH.)
However, my positive attitude was steadfast. Wito’s cold was not going to put a hamper on our time alone! I put him down for a nap, hopped on the Wii Fit for a rousing round of Super Hula, and within 15 minutes, felt that familiar raw tingling in my throat.
That was 2:45 on Tuesday. Game over.
Since that time, my nights and days have been filled with frequent wakings (Wito) and frequent tantrums (me). That second child we were thinking about attempting? After this week of horrible sleep? Maybe we should push that out a leeetle further, honey.
And the best part? Right as Wito started feeling better and sleeping through the night, my cough started and I hacked my damn brains out all night.
(The complaining! How do I stop it?)
The bright side! D is back, the babysitter watched Wito while D and I had a nice lunch at a fab restaurant with the ocean breeze blowing through my horribly tangled hair, and I’m feeling much better. I think I need to be a Lady Who Lunches. You know, just in case you were wondering. I can’t even remember the last time I had lunch without worrying about Wito being messy/bored/not eating/too loud. I’m sick of the parental shifts, where one parent scarfs down food while the other walks around with the child. DOWN WITH THE SHIFTS! JOIN THE REVOLUTION!
I think I would be an excellent LWL, and I must admit, the one Cadillac margarita I had before my meal was the perfect cocktail to give me that tingly buzz while the sun warmed my raw nose. (Of course, the Alka Seltzer Cold Medicine gelcap I took beforehand might have played a mild part in the buzzing…honest mistake, I swear.)
Now, if I could quit blowing my nose every 32 seconds, my life would be heavenly.
(I bought a Neti Pot. I’m scared to use it. More on that later.)
Good night to all.
Miguelina
July 1, 2008 at 7:37 pmYou’re a brave woman, trying that Neti pot. You must tell us more.
The kids and I *always* get sick when my husband is out of town. And if they don’t I can never get to sleep. And then he calls complaining about having to eat room service alone.
Grr.
amanda
July 1, 2008 at 8:03 pmI bet you’d make an incredible LWL, but I don’t think those ladies use Neti-Pots. I turned the video off before its conclusion, so distressed was I by the sudden stream of water from her nose and the wicked lisp the spokeswoman had.
Hope you are feeling better.
Sonja
July 1, 2008 at 8:27 pmI’ve got to join Abi and recommend the Sinus Rinse bottle over the Neti pot. My pharmacist said that it was more effective than the Neti pot because you’re actually applying some pressure and not just pouring it through. It pushes it our harder – which as gross as it sounds – is what you want! First time is wierd, but you can do it! It’s not anything as bad as when you snort water up your nose!
justJENN
July 2, 2008 at 6:45 amMy summer cold turned into walking pneumonia. I am eyeing my kids carefully. While I lay dying, I don’t know if I’d go so far as to get the courage to use a neti pot, though.
Lyndsay
July 2, 2008 at 6:51 amIt is so true – Doodles is healthy as a horse when Hubby is in town. The minute he leaves – fevers spike and we head to the after hours clinic. And then I proceed to take three days off of work and watch 29 episodes of Wonder Pets resenting Hubby the entire time.
megan
July 2, 2008 at 7:12 amcareful with the neti pot! my roommate has one, and the first time she used it she put too much salt in. and then basically cried all day – she said it felt like the ocean went up her nose! the WHOLE OCEAN.
so just use a little sea salt, so you can save your nostrils…
Heidi
July 2, 2008 at 9:22 amFear not! The neti-pot is awesome. Words of advice – make sure that all of the salt has dissolved completely. Just put your finger in the pot and see if you feel any crystals at the bottom. If not, you are good to go. Also, when you start pouring into your nostril the first time you will fill that strange “I just breathed in water” feeling for a split second. Just when you think “I don’t like this,” the feeling will go away. Depending on how clogged you are to begin with, you might have to do it a couple of times for it to break through all of the gunk. Good Luck! Can’t wait to hear how it all works out.
ali
July 2, 2008 at 9:29 am…and that is why i NEVER take my kids to restaurants. :)
ginny starr
July 2, 2008 at 10:51 amoh.my.god, i had to hurry and exit out of the neti pot illustration, that is sincerely disgusting!! The only reason I even clicked on it was to see what the hell a neti pot was. Gross!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Catherine
July 2, 2008 at 11:05 amMy husband is in the Army and deployed to Iraq 10 months ago, when our son, Lucas, was 10 months old. Lucas had NEVER been sick. Within a few days of my hubby leaving, Lucas and I both got the WORST STOMACH FLU EVER. Since then, he’s had several colds, another bout of the stomach bug, a reaction to his MMR shot, Pinkeye (which I got FOUR TIMES), and Hand Foot and Mouth disease. The hubby is due back in two weeks (WOOOHOOOO) so hopefully all of Lucas’s illnesses will magically disappear. If they don’t, I’m running away and leaving the hubby to deal with it!
martymankins
July 4, 2008 at 6:07 amSummer colds are very hard to deal with. There’s one that’s been trying to stake it’s claim on me twice now in the last couple of weeks, but I’ve taken to a couple of antioxidant measures that seem to either keep it at bay or move it off for another couple of weeks: green tea and grapefruit seed extract. Taken in regular doses, it really does help (even if it’s some sort of placebo).
Hope Wito gets better and you have a safe and happy 4th.
abby
July 21, 2008 at 7:14 pmI love the part of your post about the lunch shifts. That is exactly how I feel. It isn’t even fun to go out to dinner anymore because we eat in shifts and are worried the little man will lose it at some point because it is semi near his bedtime. I like your “Lady who lunches” plan.