Sometimes I Write

As I struggle to free myself from the entangled mess my blankets have become, it dawns on me how much I toss and turn when I don’t feel good. At what point during the night had my unsettled stomach turned into a churning flask of yuckiness? Will I make it to the bathroom in time? Do I care if I don’t? Do I care about anything other than the pounding between my ears and the achiness that holds my body captive? Deep breath…o.k., not too deep…you can make it.

3 Saltine crackers and 6 oz. of Sprite later, I’m sure I’m going to die. Feeling this bad is not normal. I hear the faint sounds of my children playing on the other end of the house as everything becomes hazy and I drift back into a sleep so deep no prince’s kiss could wake me. The next thing I know, my prince is nudging me awake telling me I need to drink something. I look at the clock. 4 p.m. I’ve just slept the entire afternoon away after sleeping all morning. What-am I going for a record? I try to sit up and find that I don’t have the energy to do even that by myself. I’m feeling 100 years old, weak, and frail. Neither of those words could be used to describe me on any other day.

So what can I do from the sitting position of my bed? Check my email? Read? Nope. I can’t focus and the words on the page are fuzzy. Watch a movie? I can try, but I know I’m about to fall asleep again. I’m fighting it -knowing I’ll want to sleep tonight. Oh what’s the use? I drift off again. The movie was dumb anyway.

I sleep through the night, only waking long enough to change positions and relieve my aching body. I’m hot. Now I’m cold. And I’m hot again. What’s that old saying? Feed a fever, starve a cold? Or was it the other way around? I’m hungry but the thought of food makes me queasy. Queasy…what a funny word.

I’m missing a birthday party and band practice today. All I can think about is snuggling down in my blankets and ignoring the world. A little chicken soup and more Sprite and I’m ready to once again sleep the afternoon away. I’m thanking God for my prince keeping things under control while I rest.