To Make a Short Story, Long

This is the before picture.

The before I got sick, picture.

I can't take the after one yet because

I still don't feel all that great.

I got sick on Father's Day.

I thought it was just a headache.

Well, it WAS a headache, that turned into

what my mom called:

Summer Complaint.

I think it was the flu, but I'm not going to 

squabble about what we should *name*

how sick I've been.

I had aches, pains, headache, fever,

 cough, chills, fatigue,

and nausea.

I missed taking Kimberly and Karenanne to the airport for their

trip back to PA.

I missed a whole week of lots of things.

I missed meals, sleep, going toodling, and church.

I didn't laugh a whole lot this week.

I hope I didn't complain much....even though I missed the first

day of Summer.

I was somewhere in the house, on the couch or in bed,

with a horribibble pain somewhere.

When you're sick,

things look different.

Things are heavier.

Dogs are louder.

Water even tastes funny.

Three minutes seem like FOREVER when you're waiting 

to see what your temperature is.

Potato chips are good for breakfast.

The washer and dryer look lonely.

(remember, I LOVE to do laundry)

You see things on the floor but can't pick them 

up because your head hurts.

The couch becomes your bed.

You realize you have 4 pretty nice house-coats.

OK, 3.

You wish you could sweep the sidewalk,

but you can't because you're all shaky.

Yes, I can be pretty sick and still wonder

what is going on with my flowers

and their enemies, the weeds.

A new orange zinnia?

I see a competition going on here....

among the rose bush,

the zinnias,

and the cosmos.

The rose bush wins.

I took these pictures this morning....

I braved going outside in the bright sun.

Well, I'm not well, but I'm better than I was.

I feel feverish in a way, I am still coughing,

I of course don't feel like taking any kind of a hike.

(unless it's in Macy's for a Fossil purse)

I'm going to feel like I'm vacation in my own home next week

when I am back to my old self!

I can't wait to sweep,

do laundry,

get water,

make my husband breakfast.

And, I almost forgot.

I was so sick, I wasn't drinking my usual

coffee in the morning.

Now THAT is sick for me.

ENOUGH WHINING ALREADY

I called my mom today and told her I was feeling better.

She was really glad.

She says there have been documented cases

of Whooping Cough in Kansas.

I told her I was pretty sure I didn't have THAT.

It's hard to know your parents are growing old.

My mom's doctor crossed some prescriptions in his zeal to help

her feel better....and caused her to get

TENDONITIS

in both of her feet.

She honestly cannot get around.  She also can't go to church.

It is breaking her heart.  

I'm glad she's got friends in that little town of hers....

they deliver chocolate milk from Braum's,

to her fridge.  She struggles to carry heavy things from the

car to the house.  

I told her it was because of what dad did to the yard.

There are hills, bricks, steps, paths, turns, porches,

ups and downs....everywhere.  

(that's another story)

They would both last ten seconds on one of those scooter things, 

so that's out.

I'm glad mom can laugh about it.

The saddest thing so far....

she can no longer hang clothes out on her line.

It tuckers her out and she says it's just not worth it anymore.

I KNOW that hurts her because I know my mom.

I have been thinking......

it feels really bad to feel bad.

It's a terrible day when you feel terrible.

It's painful when you're in pain.

It hurts when it hurts.

When you're miserable it's just plain misery.

When you're achy, you ache.

Pain is real, but it is relative.

It can't be compared.

We need to be careful when we judge pain in others.

We need to be careful to not MILK our own pain.

It's funny, I started a sentence today and mom finished my thought.

I told her this past week when I've felt so bad,

that I kept seeing things I would love to be able to do,

but couldn't because I felt so rotten.  Even woozy.

She finished by saying....yeah, then it makes me wonder if 

I am lazy when I feel GOOD, and I could get more done if I applied myself.

So, to make a long story, short:

Don't waste an hour.

They make up your days.

Don't waste days, 

they make up your weeks.

You see where this is going.

My mom told me today:

"I am truly handicapped"

That's how she puts it.

These flowers are from my mom's garden.

There are now some in my garden.

It is called *Ice Plant*.

I have lots of things from my mom.

I can say lots of things about my mom.

She's not a complainer.

So if you get what I had, you WILL get over it.

If you are handicapped or in pain,

you CAN laugh about scooters.