By Rahila Ovais
Parents are partners in crime (of sorts). There should be a mechanism whereby both parents can never fall sick together, because if they do, this is what happens:
Day 1
Wake up by a loud thud around 3 a.m., determine that the noise came from the washroom and hubby was there. Bring hubby out of the washroom and he falls again in the bedroom. Panic sets in, place a call to 911. Paramedics arrive, assess and take hubby to hospital. I follow in my own car. Notice that during this entire hullabaloo the kids are still sleeping. I later learned that daughter thought it was ‘just a thunderstorm’ *Sigh*
At the hospital, hubby is given a dose of Percocet, he becomes very delusional and wants to know if his hair (whatever remains of it) looks okay and is reciting love quotes publicly. Yes, a definite sign that the meds are working.
Day 4
Hubby’s pain returns, another trip to urgent care center discloses cracked ribs on his left. Pampering hubby with pain meds, ice and hot packs and lots of rest.
Day 6
Wake up with chills and fever and thinking this is SO not a good time to be sick myself.
Day 8
We establish ‘to each their own’; he can take care of his ailments and I will take care of myself. My daughters don’t even realize that I am sick; for them mommy is always miserable when asked for food and at least once a month!
Day 10
Diagnosed with Strep, ask hubby to pick up my prescription, some oatmeal and yogurt. He returns with the meds and cat food! Sigh and thank God that at least he remembered to get the meds.
Day 12
Baby decides he wants to sleep with ammi abbu because ‘he wants to take care of us. (Mind you baby is soon to be 5 years old but he is still baby of the house). I would be darned if I let him sleep with us and I will be darned guilty if I don’t. In the end he is sprawled between us on our queen sized bed and in the middle of the night, he is laying horizontally between us with his legs poking his dad’s injured ribs and his little arms on my sore throat. We are doomed, but we will survive!
Lessons learned
As parents, one never stops caring for their kids. As partners too you just can not stop caring for each other even if you feel like you dont care anymore. Most importantly just because you vowed to be always together, never ever, ever fall sick together again!
Vive Les Parents!
About the Author:
Rahila Ovais is a mother to four ranging from 20 to 5 years old. She’s called Jeddah, KSA, where she was born and Karachi, Pakistan, where she was brought up, her homes before moving to Toronto twenty years ago. She is also a very opinionated person who has a hard time keeping her thoughts to herself. You can follow her on Facebook: HijabiMommy
Leave a Comment