In a way, I kind of feel sorry for The Husband.
It’s not his fault that my mother was the absolute BEST caretaker in the WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD when I was sick. It’s not his fault he can’t read my mind like she did and know just when I wanted a perfect grilled cheese sandwich, or when I just wanted to sit and stare mindlessly at the television.
Mom just knew.
But now I’ve realized that mommies just should not get sick. And, even when they are sick, they can pretty much carry on like they’re not.
This week, however, I was diagnosed with the flu. With no fever or any other symptoms of the flu. But since they did shove that swab up through my nose into my brain and swirled it around, I’m going to figure they knew what they were talking about. I hope.
Being diagnosed with the flu meant actually needing to get some rest, though. Which meant I actually needed The Husband to stay home from work to look after the girls – and me. Which he did. A very kind and super helpful friend picked Big Sister up for school and brought her home, but The Husband was on duty to get Li’l Bit to and from school, and entertain her while I was trying to rest, then both of the girls once Big Sister was home from school.
He did an excellent job of keeping the girls busy and letting me rest. Even while he worked from home. He was awesome at that.
He was not so awesome at being my nurse.
I’m not sure what I expected — certainly it is completely normal for him to lack the maternal instinct that my own mother had, or the one I have when he’s sick and he does not have to ask for one darn thing since it basically appears as if out of thin air because I am so on top of things when he’s lying there, completely immobile, because he has the flu a cold he sneezed one time.
Bitter, table for one!
So I think that next time, I’m going to have to remember that he is not a mind reader, and just tell him what I want, which is:
- to be waited on hand and foot.
- grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch and dinner.
- to have the broth dumped out of the soup before it’s heated, I don’t care how good it is for me.
- a TV set up in the bedroom so I can watch all the TV I want without having to turn to Playhouse Disney or Nick Jr. even one time.
- to be treated like a little princess for at least 24 hours.
That’s not too much to ask, is it?
I would like to be taken care of as good as I give, but alas. There is a reason why we are the mothers. My hubby did pretty well with my last flu, even running out to the store to get my Mrs. Grass soup (extra noodles, no chicken bits) which I prepared myself.
By the way, I might print out your list so I have it on hand for the next time I get deathly ill!
I made my own grilled cheese sandwiches — I know he *would* have… but he’s been known to burn those. He can make elaborate meals and try new things all the time, but a perfect grilled cheese sandwich eludes him.
Admittedly, I can be a pain when I’m sick — so next time I’ll just give him the list and be done with it!!