Flu Bug

 Where was I? Oh, yes. Leaving Walgreens and driving that last leg of the trip back home. I drove, he complained like a toddler who had had their tonsils removed.

As I drove up the side of the mountain, I gave instructions to him. "Stay in the car until I get inside and remove the pee pads and any obstacles you could trip on. I will come back and get you with your cane and slippers." He said something about getting cold in the car and I assured him I would be quick and to keep the doors closed. One would assume that last statement should not have been neccessary, but some of the food we buy has instructions on the front to remove the packaging before eating, so ....

I heard my babies as I walked to the door, barking, howling and singing. They were so happy to see me and I was equally happy to see them. I quickly removed all the pee pads and had to do a quick mop up of what didn't quite make it on the pee pad. Then I grabbed the slippers with the thick rubber soles and where was the cane? I couldn't find it and let's face it, I could see everything without moving from the center of the room. I grabbed one with elephants on it that was supposed to be purely decorative, but it was sturdy enough.

I got to the car and he sat there waiting for me to open the door and put the slippers on his feet. Upon seeing the "cane" he demanded to know where his cane was. This was followed by me telling him I couldn't find it and him suggesting places to look. I ignored most of it and offered my arm for him to heave himself to a standing position. We made our way inside and I got him settled in his recliner, leg on two pillows. He wasn't hungry, so I made a beverage for him and gave him a pain pill. Then I hid them. I know him well enough to know that after 15 minutes or so, he would proclaim it to be "not working" and take another.

We made it through the week, with the periods of time between pain pills gradually extending. He was feeling downright good when he limped into the doctor's office exactly 7 days post-op. We went to Walmart to pick up my RX and some neccessities. I did that while he sat in the car, then we headed home.

He didn't eat much of a supper and went to bed early. He was up all night vomiting, then diarrhea. How do I know this? Because I was awake all night, too! I am a light sleeper and everytime he lunged up and out of the bed, I woke. He seemed to think I had gotten a good nights sleep the next day. Hoping this was just a night with an upset stomach, I went about my normal routine. Sadly, I was wrong. It was an intestinal flu that lasted 7 days. 

Why are men so needy? Wait, that is wrong. My Dad was never like this, preferring to be alone with his illness until it passed. Even when he was near the end of his life, as the cancer had spread everywhere, he never asked for assistance. Doesn't mean we didn't give it, he was just that type of person. I don't like to be attended to when I am sick, either. Just let me be and I will let you know when I feel better.

Yesterday, Christmas Day, he said he was feeling much better and looking forward to eating some solid food. We had ham, green bean casserole and sweet potato souffle with biscuits and an apple pie. All the food was his requests. We sat down to eat and he dug in. After only a few bites, though, he was in distress again with stomach pains. He refused all my offers to take him to the hospital. Nobody wants to go to the ER on Christmas or any other day, but I would happily check into the mental ward for a few days of peace and quiet!

Finally better today, but still very careful about his food, he is much better. Me? Happy to sleep all night!

 Like the rest of the country we were hit with a major freeze. 8 degrees when I woke on Christmas Eve. Actual temperature, don't know what the wind chill was. It was warmer today, getting up to 33. But the stream that is constantly moving is frozen in part. As I looked out the window today, I almost thought it was snow. Supposed to get up to 60 by the weekend. That will make me happy!