Being A Nurse's Kid

Being a nurse's kid has to be hard. You don't get a lot of sympathy for scrapes and scratches.  On the other hand, you get lectured a lot for all the horrible things that might happen if you aren't extremely careful. You get a lot of education about hand washing, and safety and all the things that might (but honestly, probably won't) happen. 

It really stinks to be a nurse's kid when you maybe have a tendency to exaggerate your symptoms, have some reason to miss school a few times a week (which amazingly resolves about 1 hour after school starts), and maybe might possess just a teensy flare for the dramatic. 

Today this nurse's kid didn't feel good.  However, he doesn't feel good about 3 days out of the school week. Some days it's a headache. Sometimes he's soooo tired.  Some mornings it's a really bad stomach ache.  I'm not saying it's not true, or that he doesn't feel crummy some days. However, most of the time if I let him stay home (which has happened a LOT this year), he is fine pretty soon after the school bell rings. 

Last night this boy had some stomach issues.  They are real, and need to be addressed, however it is transient and not related to illness caused by germs.  I helped him out with some over the counter meds and he slept pretty well the second half of the night.  He really didn't want to go to school but I made him.  Well, I bribed him.  I told him if he could make it through the day I'd get him a reward.  He went, and seemed okay after school.  I had planned to go with him to a Relay for Life event with some people from work, and the person I was going with had a boy his age.  He was happy to go with me.  Then we arrived and almost instantly he didn't feel well.  I pushed him to stay for a bit longer, until I put my hand on his head and realized he felt warm.  Darn it.  I was wrong this time. 

Poor kid suffered all day at school, then mom drags him to an event that mostly involves a lot of walking.  He's on the couch beside me now with a fever.  When I gave him some tylenol for the fever, he was having trouble taking it. Rolling it around in his mouth, not drinking the water I had for him. (Drama.) These words came out of my mouth: "Be a good patient, Ben.  You know how to take a pill." 

There are definitely a few drawbacks of being a nurse's kid. 

It's been awhile

The last few years have brought changes and growth for our family.  Little things like nursing school and transitioning to full time working have gotten in the way of writing.  Big changes are on the horizon which have me thinking a lot.  When I think a lot things can kind of spiral and it gets hard to process everything..  Maybe if I get back to writing about our little adventures I'll be able to retain a little sanity.