Why Purell is my new best friend

Normally I think nothing of walking around licking doorknobs and rubbing my face on the counter, and I encourage my children to do the same, even going so far as to serve dinner to them off the dirty floor.

(smiley)

Not really.

Normally, I don't do much in the way of barricading myself from bacteria or viruses, except I do wash my hands before preparing food and after using the bathroom. But Matt has the flu--probably just the generic flu, not the one you can't get from pigs--and I found myself, yesterday, going around with a Lysol wipe and disinfecting most Matt-high surfaces in the house. And I've been using hand sanitizer every time I bring Matt a drink. I've also been using it on the thermometer after every time he takes his temperature.

Yes, Matt takes his own temperature. He didn't even tell me he was sick on Wednesday morning until he had rock-solid proof. He didn't whine or moan, he just said, "Mom, I felt hot when I woke up so I took my temperature and it's 101." It kind of took all the fun out of playing "Mom." I didn't get to hem and haw and feel his forehead with the back of my hand or dig through the medicine shelf for the thermometer, all the while thinking, I hope he's not sick, I hope he's just warm from being in bed. He did all of it himself.

Matt has been a good little patient, except last night was he was thoroughly sick of being sick. He was bored and wanted to go back to school today in the worst way. But the virus needed another day to exhaust itself and so he's home again today, watching a movie.

I remember enjoying sick days when I was a kid. Most of those years, my mother was a substitute teacher and usually had to work on those days I stayed home. I would get out a pen and the TV guide that came with the Sunday newspaper and circle all the programs I would watch. I'd pull up a TV tray laden with toast and 7-up and watch TV ALL. DAY. LONG. I'd watch Sesame Street (even when I was in junior high), The Price is Right, and all the soaps--All My Children (because that reminded me of one of my grandmas--she called it "her story," as in "go outside and play while I watch my story"), One Life to Live, and General Hospital (because that reminded me of the other grandma, who would let us watch it when we stayed with her).

Matt tried watching the movie that he swears makes him feel better--the Spongebob Squarepants movie--but it didn't work this time. I told him maybe it only works when he has a stomachache. It doesn't work on fevers.

He woke up this morning with no fever, but I'm keeping him home for one more day of recuperation.

Please please please let me not get sick.

Comments

Jen said…
You're doomed. I'm convinced everyone in our entire town is sick. It's ridiculous how many people are sick here. I do hope the bug bypasses the rest of your family.
Jenni said…
I remember enjoying days home sick and watching TV ALL. DAY. LONG. because we never got to do that. No sickies here (crossing fingers and knocking on wood). Morgan and I got general flu shots but I didn't get us the H1N1 shot. Chin up and all that to Matt. He'll be running around in no time.