Sunday, August 01, 2004

Summertime Flu

Husband got the dreaded flu Friday night. It made for a very unhappy night & much lack of sleep for both of us. This was the first time I was ever graced with the sounds of my husband's stomach turning inside out & I'm ashamed to say I had to cover my ears. It was a horrible sound & I just couldn't take it. Call me weak, call me a bad wife. I don't know how my mom spent all those years when I was growing up, holding my hair back when I was sick. I wish I could be that nurturing & comforting & hopefully when I have kids it'll be different & I'll be able to do that but Friday night, I just wasn't there. I did, however, go into the bathroom after the puking stopped to make sure my dear husband was ok & to see if I could do anything for him. I do love him afterall, but I admit, there are limits.
Apart from Husband's appendix surgery 2 months after we were married, he just hasn't been sick during the 3 years I've known him. (Believe me, I'm seeing this as a blessing). I don't like when he's sick. I don't like those feelings of helplessness & worthlessness as I'm lying in bed at 1 a.m. & 4 a.m. & 6 a.m. & my husband is making horrible noises in the bathroom. Now I know what he's gone through all those times I've had a migraine & I've had my head in the toilet. Up to this point, Husband has seemingly had an invincible immune system. Perhaps there were little men inside of him warding off germs & viruses with shields & swords. But now that we've moved to Michigan, these little guys are taking too many skinny dips in Lake Michigan, and abandoning their armour on the beach in Husband's time of need.

He woke up feeling better today but then we took a trip to the grocery store & that sent him straight back to bed. However, there's Shark Week Marathon on Discovery channel today so he's not doing too bad.
I've managed to escape the flu so far. We'll see how long that lasts. Hopefully my mom will escape it as well. And again, thank you Mom for all those times when I was sick & you brought me cold washcloths & held my hair back as I puked. I hope one day I can live up to that with my family.

Speaking of illness & healing, please send up some prayers for our friends Mike & Kelly who just moved back to Grand Rapids from Seattle. Mike had his appendix out on Friday. Kelly just started her new position as Resident Director at Calvin College the same day as his surgery so please pray for both of them as they're adjusting to Kelly's new job & living on campus, Mike's pain from his surgery, missing friends back in Seattle, Mike looking for a counseling job, etc. Thanks! And Mike & Kelly, we're so glad you're here & can't wait to hang out with you again. Hope you feel better soon Mike!
Happy Birthday to my brother-in-law. Hope you're having a great day!
I'm gonna head downstairs & watch some Shark Week with my hubby. Hope you all are healthy & enjoying this first of August! Twenty days til my birthday! Woo Hoo!! :)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

blaughegaugh.

Rob

Anonymous said...

Jenna, you are so normal!! Who can stand to hear someone puke??! I puke all the time but since i am the puker and not the pukee I don't get bothered by the sounds. However, Rob, Tim and Gary can tell you about the sounds they had to endure! Gary hasn't puked since our first year of marriage when we both got a horrid week long flu. Thank goodness for that!
You won't have to endure many times w/Rob puking since I can't remember him being sick much as a kid.
I am praying that you and your mom bypass this flu thing too.
Jean