Thankful

Last year at Thanksgiving Spencer was sick, and I was sicker.  Neither of us got flu tests, but I am positive I had the flu.   I'm ninety percent sure he had it too--before me, and we just called it a virus.  We had both received one of the two immunizations they made for the flu last year--apparently the wrong one.  

I cried in bed while Jonathan took Spencer to both of our family's Thanksgivings.  Jonathan took care of Spencer for three days and two nights.  He even attempted to dress him up in the turkey costume I had bought on clearance at Babies R Us.  Spencer didn't love it.

I had not spent that much time away from Spencer before (and I don't think I've spent that much time away from him since).  This Thanksgiving, Spencer was in the middle of a round of antibiotics for a sinus infection.  He seemed to be doing pretty well, considering.  Snottiness was gone, cough was gone, upset tummy was manageable, diaper rash under control.  But he came down with a little fever virus at some point, and his parents finally took notice last night.  He wasn't miserable, and he slept all night without any Tylenol.  He's been a little wimpy today, but his fever is gone.  He seems to be fine.

Two years ago today, Spencer was not sick.  He was in utero.  I, funnily enough, was sick.  With a cold.  I'm truly not sick that often, but this is "my time of year."  I missed semester exams multiple years in junior high and high school with either a stomach virus or fever and cold symptoms.  After high school, I finally became convinced of my mother's belief that I get sick whenever I don't get enough sleep.  And now I sleep religiously, deeply, for long periods.  It really does wonders for your health.  But when you're nine months pregnant, you are not sleeping much.  No matter how many people tell you to "rest while you can," you can't.  I was huge.  Truly huge.  Over seventy-five pounds "huger" than I am right now.  So, I caught a cold and held onto it through my delivery with Spencer.

When I came down with the cold, I was worried that it would hang on to my due date.  I really should not have worried, because with everything else you have to "worry" about during the delivery, there's not much time to focus on a stuffy nose.  I just think it's funny that our illnesses are so predictable; yet I'm always surprised by it.  I have my planner for 2011 in the drawer in the kitchen.  I might as well get it out and mark the weeks leading up to and including Thanksgiving and Christmas as "Lauren and Spencer Sick."  Maybe I could go ahead and schedule a few sick visits at the pediatrician for next year so that we won't have to come on a Friday or Monday.

I know that Spencer will catch quite a few more "bugs" in his young childhood, and then hopefully things will level off; and for us, this time of year is our time of immunity strengthening.  I've never been a fan of strength training, and I'm even less enthusiastic about it when it involves my "baby."

Why am I telling you all of this?  Why do I bore you with the minute details of inconsequential colds and fevers?  Because when you're sick, no matter how small of a thing it is in "real life," it sure feels like a big deal.  You know you're fine, it'll go away; but you can't deny that you FEEL yucky.  And it's even more the case when it's your child.  I just hate watching him feel bad.  He actually takes it in stride.  We've been very fortunate that he's been a healthy kid.

And THAT'S why I'm really telling you all of this.  I'm so thankful for health.  Mine, Jonathan's, Spencer's, and our family's.  I can't imagine fighting a  battle with a long-term illnesses.  Or, what must be even more excruciating, watching a loved one fight that battle.  I know people do it; and many do it well.  But right now, today, that's not where I am in life.  And, I'll say it again:  I'm so thankful.  I do pray that when it's our turn, we'll have the grace and the strength to live knowing what's most important to us and that we'll be able to share that with everyone involved.

But today I'm thankful for health.

P.S.  I don't know why his turkey headdress ended up on the side of his head like a bow.  My niece helped me put it on him, and I didn't even notice until I put the pictures here.  Hopefully, this won't come up in therapy someday.