As a playful reminder for readers to get their flu shots, the New York Times' Motherlode links today to a blog entry on how tough it can be to deal with sick loved ones. Mom-blogger Jennifer Bowen writes of her family's various "personalities of illness:"
Gabby sits around and makes sure everyone knows how terrible she is feeling. She points out each ache she has and gets out every electric blanket to spend her sickness curled up on the couch, glaring at everyone who glances her way as if they were the root cause of her misery...
Boogie doesn't stop moving unless she is truly incapacitated. She'll take her medicine if she feels really bad. But honestly, she has to feel pretty terrible to be willing to take it. It's when she'd rather lie around and be silent that I know she's feeling really, really bad and needs to stay home and just veg in front of "Dragonball Z" for the day...
The Dad, oh, the Dad. He's the absolute worst sick person I know. He can't just lie there, take his medicine and deal with it. He has to whine about it and make sure everyone knows exactly how horrible he feels and how you should be doing everything for him while he's sick.
As a mom to two little ones (and, admittedly, the horrible-while-sick "Dad" of my family), I can certainly relate to these different personas. And I also understand why flu shots are so appealing to Bowen and other parents:
...If a simple little vaccination will keep my kids healthy through the winter months, why wouldn't I do it? I'd rather them complain and whine about having to get a little shot than have to nurse them through miserable illness after miserable illness all season.
Photo by welivefast
