Friday night I am sitting on the couch watching Strawberry Shortcake on DVD for the umpteenth time that day. My girl is huddled beside me, towel and sick basin on her lap. Hubby has thoughtfully picked up take away on his way back from Jacob's football practice, so the non puking ones of us have eaten. It's cold, and we are all sick... but hey it could be worse I think.
My boy is quiet, much quieter than normal. "You feeling okay?" I ask. Please not another vomiting child I am thinking. He shrugs. "I guess so" is the mumbled reply. At first I think that he is as sick of Strawberry, Lemon Delicious, Blueberry Shortcake and her other hunger inducing friends as I am. When you are eight, and a boy, well then Strawberry is not considered even the slightest bit cool. But he gets more and more despondent.
I plonk the girl on hubby's lap and haul him onto the couch with me. "I'm just being silly" he says... "but what if, you know Bianca has some terrible disease" I explain that Bianca has a stomach virus, a particularly long lasting stomach virus, but that she should be better soon. "But what if she's not?" "Well then we will take her to the Doctor, and he will make her better" I reply. "But what if they can"t? And then finally in a flood of tears "What if she dies and there is just me here?" I tell him that she is fine. I can't promise that his sister or anyone else will never die, but that is not what is happening now. " I'm not worried" I say. " So you don't need to worry either"
Saturday morning and the crack of dawn finds us at the Emergency Doctor. My girl is in pain, feverish and lethargic. She lies on the Doctor's bench with tears tracking silently down her cheeks. There is lots of poking and prodding, mumbling about swollen glands and appendicitis. Finally it is decided whatever she has is viral and we can head home for breakfast.
My boy has sat quietly, seemingly engrossed in his game boy. As we unlock the car he asks "Can I stop worrying now?" "Sure you can" I reply. He grins and hops in the car. As I shut my door he asks from the back "But what if.....?"
6 comments:
Oh.my.goodness.
What a trip - that boy of yours is something else. Hug him tight.
Glad it was "just" viral. Still scary though.
I hope your girl is much better now - that is some crazy nasty virus! And your boy... what a wonderful young man he is... a reflection of his parents no doubt!
It's amazing how a child's mind works and how they compute what is happening. He is incredible, what a beautiful heart he has.
Oh Jodie...that boy of yours is DEEP.
(There's only a SMALL age gap...can I claim him for Emily? Sounds like the perfect son-in-law)
I'm glad that it was viral, and I hope that your DD recuperates very quickly. Hugs to you all, especially your deep hearted son.
Aww I think he just made me tear up! I am so glad she WILL get better and what a nice boy. I dare say i would have sat wondering what if too.. but not in the same NICE way he was.. but then.. i wasn't that keen on my sister at the best of times. (I feel safe saying she felt/feels the same way and I am not a monster!)
Give them both a big hug.. hope all is well again soon.
and yay for DH.. takeaway is a wonderful thing!
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