I Miss My Mommy

Four years ago, I had a series of back surgeries. I spent four months in bed either awaiting surgery or recovering from surgery. Most of those four months were not spent alone in bed. My mother whose health was not great, made the hour drive to lie in bed with me getting up only when one of us needed something. As we lay there we watched way too much TV, but the Scott Peterson trial was taking place. We did some needlework. We worked on jewelry. We played with our cell phones taking funny pictures of each other. Despite the pain and inconvenience, it is one of my best memories of my mother. We actually managed to have fun. I could write a book about that time.

Tomorrow I will have been sick for two weeks. My throats hurts, my head is pounding, my eyes hurt, my nose is runny and I can't stop coughing. I have been running a fever for the past three days. Since I'm the kind of teacher that seldom takes off when I am sick, I have worked every day. For anyone who is worried about the poor children who are getting exposed I ask, "Where do you think I got it?"

Everyone keeps telling me the secret to getting well. Chicken soup, tea and honey, over-the-counter everything, going to the doctor (hmmm, interesting). I know what would make me well. 1) I have to keep up the fluids 2) I need to get more rest 3) I have to just let it run its course. In a few more days I expect to be well again.

I would have been well a week ago though if I could have picked up the phone and called my mother when I got sick. She would have to me to buy some Contact, Mentholatum, and cranberry juice. Then she would have told me to drink lots of fluids and get lots of rest. She would have reminded me to get my flu shot. She would have told me that I work too hard and worry too much. It really isn't any different from what everyone else said and from what I have been doing. The only difference is that I need to hear it from her. Aren't most people that way though. It doesn't matter how old you are, when you are sick, you want your mother. So I guess the best I can do is to curl up on the bed with my comforter, close my eyes and listen to the voice in my head.

Gee, I really miss my mother.