February 19, 2009
Sick as a Dog
This is the cold that doesn’t end. It just goes on and on, my friends. Some people started passing it, not knowing what it was, and I’ll continue suffering forever just because…
Seriously, I’m sick as a dog. (I’ve never understood that phrase, but whatever.) The croupy thing that Dawson passed to me, the thing that I’ve had for eight days, and counting… I hate it. I am miserable. MISERABLE. Le sigh.
My dear husband keeps telling me it has to run its course, that I should be feeling better shortly, to hang in there…and all I want to do is kick him in the shins. Hang in there. Easy for him to say; he’s not the one who hasn’t slept much in the last five days. He isn’t waking up at midnight to cough up a lung. He isn’t crawling out of bed at 3 a.m. to pee. He isn’t the one with the sore, scratchy, itchy throat (it hurts so badly to swallow), the itchy eyes, the achy back and chest congestion.
I called my doctor’s office and they told me they couldn’t see me because I’m pregnant, but the nice triage nurse offered suggestions for relief, none of which are doing anything but tick me off. I smell like Vick’s Vapo Rub, my humidifier is constantly steaming, I’ve endured several tablespoons of Robitussin DM (which smells like gasoline and probably tastes like it, too. Ack!), I’ve gone through one box of Puff’s Plus and two rolls of toilet paper (maybe we are kind of rednecky; please go visit Tanis and tell her congratulations!), and I’m ready to cry. None of these “remedies” are working. I really would cry if it didn’t hurt so darn much.
Since I’ve been ill and at home for a few days, I’ve had lots of time to ponder the mysteries of early pregnancy. It’s been five years since I’ve done this, and I can’t believe how much I’ve forgotten about being pregnant.
Like this whole peeing-in-the-middle-of-the-night thing. Every night I wake up with this urgency — MUST RUN TO BATHROOM NOW! — and then it’s impossible to fall asleep again. And what about the sore boobs? When I was pregnant with Dawson I didn’t have tender breasts until I was 8 or 9 weeks along. This time my poor girls were swollen and tender before I got the positive HPT, and they still hurt as I type this. Ouch!
Don’t get me started on being tired all the time. Doesn’t matter what time of day or night, I’m either yawning, half-sleeping or wishing I could just get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. If I’m not coughing so hard that I wake myself up, then Dawson is bothering me with requests for things that his father is perfectly able to get for him. Ugh!
During these moments I think about what pregnancy will be like this time around. I don’t have time to worry about every ailment or twinge, simply because I’ve got Dawson to take care of. Having a cold and being Dawson’s mommy AND being pregnant is wearing on me. I’m running out of patience. And I swear Dawson is testing me. He’s been misbehaving more the last few days, and I don’t know how to deal with it. I don’t have a voice, so it’s very hard to discipline him. Saying “No! Don’t do that!” in a whisper bears no weight, and Dawson doesn’t realize that I’m being serious. Really farking serious, dang it!
I’ve been doing my best to stay calm and to rest as much as possible. Not only do I need to shake this virus, but I have a baby growing inside of me. I hope my little Poppy Seed is doing okay in there. I can’t help but worry just a little, but I trust that everything is okay.
One thing that is different this time around, is that I don’t have the urge to read the What to Expect book like I did the first time. I’ve been skimming the pages of The Working Woman’s Pregnancy Guide and a book called From the Hips. Both are less intimidating, and after reading these books I don’t have nightmares about every thing that could go wrong during the first trimester.
I have faith that the Big Guy is watching over me and The Poppy Seed. Not only that, but I’ve been praying, and saying rosaries. (Yes, I’m Catholic.) It makes me feel better. And maybe it will help me kick this nasty cold to the curb.
Send me good luck, will ya?
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February 19th, 2009 at 9:53 PM, Jean M. Says:
Definitely sending some Hail Mary’s your way! Get well soon!
February 19th, 2009 at 10:19 PM, Dana Says:
Thanks Jean. I need all the help I can get to shake this terrible thing!
February 20th, 2009 at 1:36 AM, Headless Mom Says:
Ugh! So sorry you still feel like crap. I’ve got it too, although not as bad.
Speaking of crap, those ‘what to expect’ books were terrible! They seem to want you to think that if you’re not holed up in a rubber room eating organic super-foods you won’t have a ‘perfect’ baby. You and I both know that perfectly healthy babies have been born for centuries. Without all the fuss.
Yours will be one of them!
February 20th, 2009 at 2:05 AM, becky Says:
Aw, so sorry you feel crappy. Hope it gets better for you.
And yes, the “What to expect” books are scary.
February 22nd, 2009 at 2:08 PM, Donna Says:
I think things are going around. It seems everyone I talk to has something. I have the flu + sinus infection for a week now. Ugh! I hope you feel better soon. BTW, love your blog! And congrats on your pregnancy!!!