Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Cough cough sneeze cough sneeze cough cough cough

(Sorry, I was just hacking my guts up over here.)

I cannot believe this. Not only was my son home sick Monday AND Tuesday. Not only was my daughter home sick today and again tomorrow, if not Friday as well. No, that's not all. The universe has decided that four straight days of kids home sick was not enough and decreed that I too should catch their plague - for the second time in three weeks!

I'm back to coughing, sneezing, coughing some more, sneezing, coughing again, and wheezing, and just for added fun I seem to be losing my voice. AGAIN. So unfair. Seriously, I really must protest, this is not fair. Not fair at all, and not the slightest bit fun, and is not doing good things for my work productivity either. (I work from home, so obviously I'm not getting very much done this week.)

I think the fates might be getting their revenge for me having spoken too gleefully about all those mid-January trips to the beach.

If so, it might just have been worth it, but just in case I'll whisper that very softly...

And before I collapse into bed a question for you, dear readers. When your spouse/person you share a bed with is sick, do you still sleep together or does one of you relocate? When one of us is sick the other one sleeps on the couch, both to get away from the incessant wracking cough of the plagued party (that would generally be me, the wracking cough one that is, not the couch-surfing one) and to avoid getting sick theirself. After all, someone has to stay healthy enough to take care of the rest, right? This seemed like common sense to me but from my mother's terribly shocked reaction when I happened to mention it I'm wondering if perhaps the rest of you are a bit more cavalier about the whole germ-sharing thing?
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22 comments:

Anonymous said...

ACK!!! I hope you all get better real soon. Sorry to hear this. Get better soon :)

Jennifer said...

Robin, hugs to you and the kids. I'm sorry you are all battling the crud...again. We had a horrible virus in December that went through our family 1 1/2 times and it was a doozey. DH and I have slept separately when sickness is in the house before, and sometimes we still sleep together - depending on what illness we are dealing with. If it is contageous, he keeps his distance, but we still share a bed. If I am barfing, he'll relocate to the couch and come to check on me a lot. If he is barfing, I usually sleep with him because I figure I've already been exposed and I can take better care of him if I'm near. If the kids are sick, we split camp and each of us takes care of a kid. And if one kid is sick, then one of us will keep the watch, or we'll take shifts. So, we have all manner of sleeping going on at our house. After writing this, I wonder at us getting any rest at all!!!

Keep warm, and if they sell Mucinex over there, get some. It really helps us get over all these respiratory things. I use Mucinex, Little Noses, and Vick's. My triple-threat to kick the crud in the bootie.

Gentle, healing hugs!!

Janet said...

hang in there and I hope you feel better soon!

kayerj said...

LOL! that just might be! hope you're feeling better soon.

Mojo said...

Whoa bummer. Yeah, SO not fair. Hope you're back on your feet again real soon babe.

Been too long since I shared a bed with anyone to remember how the arrangements were handled in times of sickness. I suppose it probably depended on the type and severity of the illness in question, but I honestly don't remember.

Mommy, I'm Home said...

So sorry you're sick.

To answer your question, we tend to just stay in the same bed if one of us gets sick.

RoeH said...

My sympathy extends clear around the globe! I'm just getting over it and it lasts a whole lot longer than my patience level. I'm getting better. I watched television in the living room today instead of in bed. Does that mean getting better? :)

Dimple said...

Sorry you're sick. To answer the question: my hubby and I generally don't worry about sleeping in diff places if one of us is sick. We live in the same house and breathe the same air, and by the time the symptoms manifest, probably the other one is already exposed. But whatever you and yours decide on works, as well!
I recommend zinc lozenges, echinacea, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D to treat such things, along with the standard rest (I know--what's that?) and liquids. Blessings, and get well soon!

bichonpawz said...

So sorry to hear that you are sick again...and that your whole family is ill! We have the same sleeping arrangements as you have. It works well for us....at least the non-ill party gets some sleep!! Feel better soon!! And I agree...if you can get some Mucinex...it does help!

RivkA with a capital A said...

1. Feel better soon!

2. Really. 'Cause I ain't roomin' with no sick person!

3. Moshe makes me sleep facing away from him, so I don't cough in his face.

4. I don't remember a time when Moshe slept on the couch when I was sick, but in the summer time, when it was really hot, he would sleep on the couch, 'cause we have an A/C unit in the living room.

In fact, one particularly hot summer, EVERYONE in our household slept in the living room, 'cause of the A/C. Except me -- I'm the only one who seems to get cold here.

Jael said...

Hope you and your kids will soon feel better!

Anonymous said...

We definitely do the separation when sick thing - especially since some people snore more when they have colds... and it bothers the other party who is a light sleeper.

But typically its not the couch - just the reasonably comfy bed in the guest room so not so awful.

Maude Lynn said...

When I'm sick, I relocate so my husband can sleep.

Feel better soon!

MommyLisa said...

Neither one of us wants to be uncomfortable - so we brave the germs.

Daryl said...

When ToonMan gets sick he is not permitted to exhale whilst in our apartment ..

Anonymous said...

Sorry you're sick again! That's awful- you've more than paid your dues in that department.

I tend to couch-surf when I'm sick, mostly because I can't sleep and I don't want to keep the Chef awake. Who would cook for me, then?

:)

storyteller said...

Oh no ... so sorry to learn you've caught what the kids had. Sending you wishes for a speedy recovery. These days I live alone (except for Molly and Ms Kitty), so your question is moot ... but when I was married it depended on how sick one of us was and how much we needed the sleep.
Hugs and blessings,

Tammy said...

We have the crud going through our house too!

Usually the person who is sick sleeps somewhere else. This is normally because when sick with coughing, stuffy head, throwing up, etc you are not sleeping too much anyway.

Runny Babbit said...

well, on the upside, you don't have 15 different sets of germs to potentially catch--my 3rd graders are the reason i haven't felt well since august.

hope you get to feeling better soon!

and one of us usually relocates when sick. especially since jason has a tendency to snore (loudly) when he's stuffed up. :)

magiceye said...

get well soon!

Jill said...

Oh feel good my friend! It took me almost 2 months to get over my cough...

And we actually still sleep in the same bed when we're sick - because we're total gluttons for punishment... dorks if you will. Of course, I"m usually sick more often than my husband - so I figure that if he really doesn't want to get sick, he'll move to the other room. Never happens - he just ultimately gets sick and then blames me.

Sandy said...

Sorry you're sick! I've had two colds this season which is maddening because sometimes I go years without a cold.

Regarding your question, I have gone into the spare room when I was sick but my husband will not! He says if it's bothering me, I should move. Not the most considerate man about such things. But I'll keep him.

Bust honestly with or without sleeping in the same bed, I figure the germs are around anyway and it's not going to make much difference.

Feel better soon!