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Monday, October 24, 2005
the GUILT
Well, I can talk again. (Sorry, everyone.) The unfortunate thing is, though, that now I actually think I am, you know, SICK. With a cough, and this whole sinusy thing going, and stuff. And the REALLY unfortunate thing is that over the weekend, our friends brought their miracle baby for a visit.
Which would, of course, NOT be an unfortunate thing at all (isn't she adorable?), except that they arrived just as I went from sounding kind of cool and hoarse like Bonnie Raitt or Colleen Dewhurst, through having, I dunno, scalding coffee poured directly down my throat every time I tried to speak, and landed on "nothing comes out but whispers no matter how hard I try but at least it's not painful" (but they left well before this morning's arrival at "hit by a Mack truck"). So not only did I spend their entire visit whispering, scribbling notes, and attempting to croak out words... I also possibly gave them and their ten-month-old this miserable yuck (although I was careful not to touch the baby or their things and I never did get a fever and I washed my hands every time I moved and look at me trying to justify myself!).
Go ahead, you can despise me now, like the mom who drops off her green-snot-nosed child in the church nursery and swears it's "just allergies", like the parents who send their kids to school sick and contagious because they can't get the day off work, like everyone else who heedlessly infects innocent cherubs with vile illnesses. Your loathing for me will be nothing compared to mine, I assure you.
And with that I'm going to take my cough, my guilt, and a box of tissues back to bed for a while. I feel a "writing assignment, free reading and math worksheet" school day coming on.
Comments
That sounds miserable, Rachel! I hope you feel better soon. It did not start out with an earache did it??
Posted by: debi at October 24, 2005 09:06 AM
Well, see, you didn't GO TO THE BABY to infect her, she came to you (and boy is she cute!). It sounds like you did all you could to not infect her so do not beat yourself up.
My husband's cousin has that kid. Actually, those kids. At the time, he had two kids (has since added a third) who had "just allergies" at Thanksgiving and we all went to their house. Those kids were COVERED in snot and in fact left slime trails (ala snails) all over the house. Darn near killed the grandparents with the "allergies". I was off work for several days and still sick besides that. NO ONE escaped that house without getting sick.
I know that person and you are not her.
Posted by: mary at October 24, 2005 09:31 AM
Oh, she is so cute! What nationality are they? She looks Middle-Eastern. My cold is, for the most part pretty much gone, but the sinusy thing and the chest congestion linger...Yeah, did you get an ear infection? I thought I was going to, but it didn't get any worse than stuffiness and some pain. Sorry you feel so miserable, I truly feel for you. My boss was so cool, she made me stay home. She didn't want me coming in and getting everyone else sick. The first job I've ever had that did not threaten to fire me if I called out sick. She said in Norway it is like against the law to come to work sick or send your kids to school sick.
Posted by: jenn at October 24, 2005 05:42 PM
I agree with Mary, you have no need to beat yourself up. I hope you feel better soon.
Posted by: Maria at October 24, 2005 11:10 PM
How are you feeling?? I hope you are getting better!!
Posted by: debi at October 26, 2005 12:55 PM
What is the woman going to buy????
Posted by: debi at October 27, 2005 11:00 AM
