The TToT of Being Sick

October 4, 2014 Off By Lisa

I couldn’t think of anything else to call this.

I started my list early in the week and added items as they occurred. This morning I realized that most of my items this week center on my ongoing respiratory issues. So there it is – The TToT of Being Sick. Still.

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Photos…I have none. I haven’t been outside the house long enough to take any. So I’ll try to appease the visual people out there with pictures of soup and tea, since I’ve been consuming large quantities of these things for the last few weeks. Here we have some beet and carrot soup and I think the green was creamy Swiss chard. I know I did a recipe for the beet and carrot on the blog at some point last summer. The Swiss chard has not shown up yet – I’ll get to it. None of these were made this week…hence the lack of a Soup of the Week post.

Moving on.

I’ll start with being thankful for my many blog friends and real-life friends who have sent well wishes, positive thoughts, and prayers my way. Keep ’em coming! I think it’s helping…slowly but surely. I am thankful for people who are nice. Backing out of my spot at the doctor’s office, it was a tight squeeze and I tried not to hit anyone’s car. (Worst parking lot ever, by the way.)  A very pleasant young lady about 10 or 15 yards away saw me and caught my eye. She smiled and started motioning to me that I had more room to back up. I was grateful for her help. When I passed her, I waved and smiled and she returned the gesture. It was just nice – people helping people.

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My first and absolute favorite teapot.

I am grateful for my doctor. She is amazing. I finally dragged my sorry butt into her office and said “why can’t I get better” and she nailed it – complications from my asthma. Seems I was wheezing but wasn’t really doing so obviously. She gave me a nebulizer treatment on the spot and hooked me up with some meds to get me back on my feet. She was pleased with the self-care I had already given and was glad I came in when things got out of hand. I beat myself up about it a bit on the way home because I am generally pretty perceptive about what’s happening with my body and I missed that one. Or perhaps I hadn’t and just didn’t want to admit that it had progressed beyond my control.

Homemade chicken and vegetable stock.

Homemade chicken and vegetable stock.

I’m also grateful for the wonderfully competent and pleasant staff at the doctor’s office. These people know their job and know their patients. In a world where it’s all too easy to feel like just one more number to people, it’s nice to be recognized and smiled at and taken care of. And as much as I hate to admit it, I’m kind of grateful for the electronic medical records system that our health network is using. They have so much information available and it really is nice not to have to go through every single detail by hand any more. They also checked in with me about things like my flu shot, mammogram, and dental care. Nice. I’m proud to report that I had all items already scheduled. Because I’m good like that.

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I think this one is yellow squash soup.

I am very thankful for my Mom doing her job and insisting that I see the doctor. A mother knows when her child needs something, even if the child hasn’t quite figured it out. And I guess no matter how old you get and even if you are now a mother yourself, that’s always true. I’m always thankful when Mom offers to take care of an errand or a meal when I’m not quite up to it myself. I hate to rely on other people, but sometimes you just gotta’. I am also thankful to the Hub’s Mom for her many offers of help and minutes of worry over my health. I’m thankful to have the Hub’s Dad to call upon for supplemental medical advice and reassurance – it’s awfully handy to have a retired doctor in the family.

Tea

Thankful for the Hub understanding how lousy I feel. While he’s not exactly taking care of all my chores for me, he is certainly keeping things running and never makes me feel like I’ve fallen down on the job. Rather, he’s more apt to encourage me to rest than I would ever allow myself. He’s packed Zilla’s lunch and hustled her off to school so I wouldn’t have to go out and drive feeling so fatigued.

I am also thankful that Kidzilla has been sympathetic and helpful. She was not too happy to have me back out of our night time reading and bedtime songs due to my sore throat and lack of voice. But came around to understand that Mamma’s voice needs to rest and soon I’ll be back to reading and singing to her every night. In the meantime, she’s done a great deal of reading aloud which is fantastic. It is great practice, she is supposed to do it for school anyway (are there people in the world who really need to be reminded to read every day?), and I love to hear her read.

Creamy zucchini basil soup. Or summer squash.

Creamy zucchini basil soup. Or summer squash.

I am thankful for the colleagues who provided me with fantastic letters of recommendation. I am now officially listed with our local school district as district-approved tutor and homebound instruction provider. I know that the district was pleased with my credentials and those recommendations on paper and via phone conversation are a great addition to that package.

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Good old-fashioned homemade chicken noodle.

I am extremely thankful that I am self-employed right now. While it is frustrating to be so under the weather these last few weeks, it is a nice great powerful feeling of relief distinct lack of stress to know that I didn’t have to worry about calling out sick, having people upset about that, writing lesson plans for a sub, getting someone to cover my classes, falling behind in grading, etc. I don’t know really what the right words are to describe how it feels, but it’s positive.

Continuing in that vein, I am so very thankful to have the time and attention to devote to Kidzilla’s school needs. Being able to pick her up from school, address the day’s troubles and triumphs, monitor her homework and get some play time in before the Hub gets home is worth every moment of what has led us to where we are today. Being here for her and working my schedule around her needs is already proving to be beneficial for all of us. And while I’ve missed two volunteer days because of being sick, I do quite enjoy being able to volunteer in the school library during her class period and see her in action.

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Italian wedding with kale instead of escarole.

I am thankful to the Rotten Cats for their cuddles and sympathetic purrs when I’m resting. And I’m very grateful to them for not puking or pooping on the carpet this week. One of them still needs to figure out how to aim his backside a little better when pooping in the litter box, though. Clearly we have a slow learner. Or a stubborn one. Could be either. Below please find gratuitous photos of Cat Two being particularly sweet. This Rotten Cat is the Hub’s best bud, so I’m not sure if he’s genuinely interested in me or just misses the Hub being home during the day. Either way, I’ll take it.

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The Super-Sister makes the list in a last minute addition. I am thankful to her for what may turn out to be my first private tutoring client. She knew someone with a need and she knew a tutor and has opened the door for contact. Thanks, Weez!

I hope your week has been full of things for which to be thankful. You know what to do now…share ’em or link ’em! Have a wonderful week ahead!

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Ten Things of Thankful