When Lisa gets sick, I take care of her in every way possible. Lisa does the same when I'm sick. We don't get sick often. It's been a good year and a half since I was knocked on my ass by some nasty form of a virus. For Lisa, it's been about a year. Last week, and over the weekend, something happened that's never happened before. Ever.
Lisa and I were sick at the same time.
Although Lisa got hit a few days before I did, by the end of last week and over the weekend, we were battling the same thing. Horrible sinus and chest congestion. Fatigue. Muscle pain from coughing so much.
And other TMI side effects from strong doses of antibiotic, cold medicine, bouts of uncontrollable coughing fits, and a double sinus infection.
It drained us of any and all energy. There was no motivation to do anything except take care of our kids.
Prior to this entire week, I never gave much thought to Lisa and I being sick at the same time. What are the odds of that happening, right?
Despite the warning signs that I was probably going to be hit with the same virus, and having a little bit of time to prep, I was unprepared. I totally blew off the possibility that yes, this could happen.
For those couples out there who haven't been through this yet, you may want to heed a few tidbits of advice...
1. Buy remedies in bulk. This includes medicine, tissues, tea, cough drops, whisky, Gatorade, and whatever else you may need to make yourself more comfortable. Supplies diminish quickly with 2 people using them. Lisa had to make a quick trip to RiteAid for more tissues, cold medicine, and cough drops earlier today.
2. Food preparation. You've got to eat. I wish I would've made a big kettle of homemade chicken soup before this horrible virus hit me full force. Try to get any food preparation done beforehand. Trust me, you're not going to feel up to it when your fever is spiking and you can barely move.
3. Have lots of grab and go food on hand. Lisa did go grocery shopping on Friday, but I didn't have quick grab and go stuff on the list. It was all food that needed to be prepped and made for meals. I survived on cheese and crackers, toast, and olives. I didn't have much of an appetite. Lisa ate cereal, mac-n-cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches, and crackers. I wish I had included more items on the grocery list like fresh fruit, pretzels, and decent pre-made soup.
4. See things from a pup's perspective. The kids were restless. They didn't know what to do. Both of their Moms were sick. Our kids always know when one of us is sick, but both at the same time? When I was in bed napping and Lisa was on the sofa, they went back and forth. They wanted to snuggle with both of us. To be glued to our sides. We threw them for a loop. I swear, on several occasions throughout the weekend, I caught all three of them huddled together having a meeting of the minds. A plan of action maybe?
5. Embrace every ounce of patience. You'll need it. I'll be the first to admit I am cranky and short when I have a fever or I'm this sick. I get frustrated because I'm unable to do much of anything and it's out of my control. I know I snapped at Lisa for stupid stuff. I applaud her patience. On the other end of the stick, she had her moments too. Lisa gets irritated when she's not up to par and can't do what needs to get done.
6. It won't be pretty. They'll see you at your worst. You'll see them at their worst. This should be the ultimate test for couples transitioning from the honeymoon phase to real life.
7. Separate sleeping quarters. The only comfortable position for me was sitting up on the sofa. I couldn't breath through my nose. Lisa coughed all night. It would have kept me awake. Needless to say, she slept in the bedroom. I got cozy on the sofa.
8. Neither one of you will swim oceans or move mountains. When one of us is sick, the other takes care of everything. Picks up the slack. Carries all of the weight. That doesn't happen when both of us are sick at the same time. Stuff isn't going to get done. If you're OCD about dirty dishes in the sink or cluttered counters, get over it. Let it slide.
We got through our weekend. In one piece. I'm not going to lie and say it was all rainbows and cotton candy. It wasn't. We were both miserably sick. At times, it took every ounce of energy to fill a glass with ice or open a new box of tissues.
But, we got through it.
Exhale.
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