A Mom's Touch

     I know that I am not the only one...I posted on Facebook and several people agreed with me.  When we are sick, most of us want our moms.  Moms don't cure our sickness, but they provide the comfort that we all want when we are sick.  They have familiar remedies and routines for us when we are sick.  These remedies might not cure anything, but in most cases they provide a measure of comfort to us!

     Growing up, my mom made me drink hot tea, no matter what was wrong with me.  I still associate tea with being sick.  I can't stand regular tea, hot or cold.  I can drink herbal teas or specialty teas, but plain old Lipton tea, no thank you!  She also served me toast when I was sick, with butter, cinnamon, and sugar, cut into thirds.  I still love my toast that way, but I no longer need it in thirds, even when I am sick.  When I would vomit, she held my hair back so that I didn't get anything in it.  Mostly, it was just the thought that someone was near by in case I needed them.

     I spent two days last week sick in bed.  I had some sort of stomach virus that came on suddenly.  Luckily, Jim took over all my normal tasks and gave me the opportunity to stay in bed and recover. However, Jim is not the type who will hold my hair back when I puke.  He knows how I feel about plain tea, so he's never tried to bring me any.  Instead, he just quietly took over getting D to and from school, homework and bed time, along with dinner for the family.   He brought home Sprite and orange juice so that I can make my sick drink, nothing fancy, part Sprite, part orange juice.  I call it a shandy, not sure why, but that's what I call it.

     D has been battling allergies for over a week now.  Her seasonal allergies go crazy when the weather goes from cold to warm, but never really gets a good freeze.  Her issues are mostly just a low fever, coughing, and mucus...lots of mucus.  When she gets sick, I am pretty sure that she also wants her mom near.  I don't do much, hold her hair when she vomits, make her a shandy to drink, tuck her in bed, and listen to hear if she has any issues.  You know, the typical stuff that moms do when the kids are sick.  

     I don't wish sickness of any kind on anyone.  But if you are sick, I hope that you have someone who can provide that mother's comfort that we all want when we are sick.  Stay well!