Sick Days

As an adult, it's kind of funny how weird I've become about taking sick days. I hate hate hate to take them. Hate mixed with fear. I have too much going on to be sick. Being sick ruins the momentum I've built up around work, family, home, kid lessons, and other stuff like volunteering on a board and pretending I write regularly on this blog. If I stop "swimming" I might die. Like a shark. This is a shark fact I think I know. I dope up (on Dayquil, cough syrup, headache medicine, coke zero, plus always honey and cinnamon because duh, I'm "earthy") and pretend I'm fine until I'm fine.

But as a parent, when the kids are taken down, there is no choice. This is going to be day two of staying home with a sick kid. Otto was yesterday with a little fever, a little throw up, some glassy eyes. He rallied by afternoon and I was like, "Praise ye gods my health-robot golden child has beaten another flu season!" Then Loretta got sent home from preschool with a fever, glassy eyes.... Effff. Emmmm. Ellllll.

When Otto's sick he looks at you with puppy dog eyes and asks, please, for crackers and Disney Infinity. When Loretta's sick you ask her if she wants crackers and she scream growls, "NO MY NO WANT CRACKERRRRRS!" And when you stroke her forehead and whisper, "Ok, no crackers," she screams, "WANT MY CRACKERS NOW!"

In other words, I am in for it today. We all held our breath thinking she'd sleep it off like Otto and his 4-hour illness. But no.

And so I find myself about to take my second sick day in a row. And I'm like panicking. About work. About momentum. About existential shit which, why am I doing that? This day, in the great scheme of things, will be made up for. Loretta and I will get a one-on-one day, and it will be special. Just like yesterday with Otto was pretty great. We played board games and watched way too much tv. Loretta and I can do the same. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, here we come.