This Thing Called Life, Illness, and Motherhood

I am finally feeling better after a 2-week bout with a severe cold that turned into bronchitis. It is amazing how much being sick affects all aspects of your life, especially as a mother. I really believe that it is more difficult, and more important, for a mother to recover from any illness. Being a mother is a full-time job and there are no sick days! Even being a father doesn't have that little clause. Fathers get to stay home sick and be babied by their wives when they aren't feeling well. But mothers still have to get up and take care of the kids all day long while the hubby is at work all day. Not quite fair if you ask me. Especially if you asked me a week ago when all I wanted to do was curl up in bed all day long and have someone bring me tea, soup, and meds.

Well, I did lay pretty low all last week. Then we went to visit family and run races on the cold and misty Saturday morning. I didn't know yet that the lingering cold was really bronchitis, so I tried to run the 4-mile race I had signed up for anyway. In hindsight, probably not the best idea. But at the time I felt I had to at least try. My sister ran with me, which was great, and she was nice enough to walk when I had to take my breaks. I had a really hard time breathing while I was running and and just couldn't muscle through. But in the end I was really proud of myself for sticking it out and at least trying. And, even with all the walking, we managed to come in at 52 minutes. Not bad for a sick person!

Now I am on more drugs than I can keep track of, almost. Antibiotics, expectorant, ibuprofin, albuterol (inhaler), and benadryl. I have also been instructed to consume lots of liquids and take steamy showers 3 to 4 times a day. Yeah right! I am lucky if I can shower once a day with two toddlers running around! Oh well. Like with everything else, I'm doing my best and hoping it works! I do feel a lot better now and seem to have gotten my energy back. I was beginning to think I was just lazy. At least I know now that I'm not lazy, I was just sick. :)

Here's to another busy week of toddlers, cleaning, cooking, driving, planning, preparing, packing, and traveling! (Just making that list makes me exhausted! And makes me seriously doubt I will remember everything!)