By Kurt Goerke a dad ’ s LIFE
I WANT MY MOMMY
( Confessions of a Grown Man )
It ’ s just no fun being sick anymore . When I got sick as a kid , I was treated like royalty . My mom ’ s pleasantenough-normal speaking voice would become sugary sweet and even the most mundane conversations would become loving , caring comforting verbal hugs . “ Good morning , sweetie .” “ Can I get you anything honey ?” It almost made having to spend the night with my chin on the toilet seat worthwhile . “ Let me refresh that cold washcloth that I put on your forehead earlier .” “ Can I fluff your pillow ?”
I now look back yearning for those pleasant times that I spent with strep throat and the measles . When you were sick as a kid , if it was like you became the center of the universe in your own home . Your mom was right there at your beck and call . Nowadays when I ’ m sick , I feel more like I ’ m in a black hole !
I was sick recently with the flu ( it may have just been a really bad cold , but for the sake of drama , let ’ s call it the flu ). I was stuffed up to the point that , one night , I felt that my head would burst . I was feverish , first hot then cold with the chills . I will spare you the whole laundry list of my woes , but sum up by saying , and I ’ m not making this up , that my teeth even hurt !
Each day upon waking , having fought throughout the night for my very life , I would hear my wives ’ cranky voice … “ I hope you ’ re not going to be sick again today . I ’ m exhausted and could use your help getting the kids to school .” This was always followed by a list of the added burdens that my inconsiderate sickness was placing on her . She would say something like , “ I hope you don ’ t need anything , because I need to make the boys ’ breakfast , and I ’ ve already loaded the dishwasher , started laundry and walked the dog .” By the end of the list , I was afraid to ask for a glass of water or a crust of bread !
When you were a kid , half the fun was setting up your pillow and your blanky on the couch and getting to watch TV , while your siblings toiled at school with math and proper sentence structure . Now when I am sick , but just starting to feel a little better , and I trudge out to the couch with my pillow and blanky in hand , turn on the TV and collapse onto the couch with a sigh , only moments pass before my wife says something like , “ Well , if you ’ re well enough to watch old “ Seinfeld ” reruns , then you are well enough to take my mother grocery shopping and to clean the rabbit ’ s cage .”
In my wife ’ s defense , I ’ m sure I ’ m no replacement for what her mom used to do for her when she was young and home sick . Let me paint a picture for you . If my wife was under the weather as a child , her mother gave her a bell to ring . When her mom heard it , she would sprint from wherever she was in the house or yard to her bedside , arriving like an eager genie willing to grant any and all wishes . In fairness to my wife , she could have probably written this same story from her perspective . Maybe it ’ s a common story for couples in the throes of childrearing and all of the inherent demands .
The funny thing is ( and honestly it only makes things worse ) that my wife is very loving and compassionate when one of our kids is sick . “ Let me get you some more Kleenex ,” “ Is it ok if I stop rubbing your feet and feeding you grapes while I run and get a new box , Sweetie ?” Well GREAT for them ! I ’ m not jealous or anything . Let them enjoy it . Besides , one day when they ’ re all grown and married , they ’ ll be lucky if their spouse will get them an aspirin !
So I ’ m feeling better now , and I was pretty proud of myself for being tough and manly about feeling sick . I never once broke down and cried , “ I want my Mommy ”! Though I wanted to !
PHOTOS FROM BIGSTOCK . COM
Kurt Goerke is a father of two , an almost bearable husband , master of Cocoa the dog , professional writer and a Regional Director with the American Lung Association of Florida .
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