My kids got the stomach flu over the weekend. Which normally wouldn’t be such a big deal in life, except it came the day after a procedure to reduce inflammation in my spine.
Now I could have easily, and justifiably passed off every minute of puking and pooping goodness to my husband. In fact, I probably should have given the swelling in my neck and the need for rest. However you really can’t deny the Mamma Bear instinct.
I won’t bore you with the harrowing night of holding one child while she puked and rubbing the other’s back while he puked…but I will tell you I never used a pain killer and I never once thought of my neck and spine.
Not once.
Well, that’s not entirely true…somewhere around 6:30am when the kids finally collapsed asleep it briefly dawned on me that I might want to get out the ice pack, but that idea was quickly overcome by exhaustion as I drifted off to sleep.
I spent 14 hours taking care of my kids, I felt like a superwoman, and I didn’t once think about myself. I wasn’t stuck on the couch with my bottles of pills, kids being delicate as they hop up to hug me. I wasn’t being told to rest. I wasn’t feeling the familiar ache as my pain meds wore off.
I was in uber-Mom-mode. My kids needed me, and there was no time for Lupus. None. I was stripping sheets, washing towels, holding hair, rubbing backs, carrying to the toilet, wiping floors, wiping brows, administering ice chips, and kissing foreheads promising the morning would bring relief.
What I didn’t expect was the morning to bring relief and a new perspective.
I can do this.
That’s pretty much the same mommy strength that enables women to pull cars off of children. I’m glad your kids are feeling better. I’m also glad that, at least for 24 hrs, lupus got put into timeout.
🙂
YEAH!! Go Mom power!! I’m sorry the kids had to be sick for you to see it, but I’m soooo glad you did. Now, please at least take a moment to rest (pot calling kettle black here I hope you know).
you really DO have tiger blood! awesome.
You’re my hero.
Yes. Yes yes yes. I’m sorry the kids were sick, and I hope you don’t get it, but yes, you CAN do this, and you sound so much stronger right here than you have in quite a few posts. Rock on Erin.
Yes you can. How do we do these things? Because we have to. Keep fighting, Erin. We’re all behind you.
Amazing what a mama bear can do even in the most challenging of circumstances. Must feel great to know you CAN do do it if needed… and nice for your kiddos (and Aaron) to see you do it, Erin. Kudos to you!