Help! Take My Kids!

Monday, November 17, 2008

filed under: family

Momlogic's Jackie: I was in the midst of nursing two kids with a nasty stomach bug when BAM! I got it. Now what was I going to do?

This wasn't a "oh I don't feel so good sick." This was a running into the bathroom every 20 minutes for seven hours straight sick. But the kids still needed me. My family is 3,000 miles away and my husband had a deadline at work -- a job he's only had a few weeks.

But it wasn't just the constant heaving that left me with the inability to care for my brood of three (four and under). The 24 hours after was filled with a throbbing head, an aching back -- reminiscent of the pain I had while laid up with a compression fracture and a cracked pelvis -- and an overall lack of energy that paralyzed me, allowing me only to lift my head off the pillow to get an ice cube sitting in a bowl on the nightstand.

I'm lucky. My husband made a few calls and a friend -- who deserves more than you can imagine -- came over and watched my kids that first day and continued to offer help throughout the week. But she just happened to have the day free -- it was Veterans Day. What would I have done if I had to watch them all myself? Am I the only mom without a solid back up plan?

What do you do when you're really sick?

4 comments so far | Post a comment now >>

I’m a seasoned military wife with a husband who has deployed more times then I can count leaving me with five kids to take care of. I’ve made late night dashes to the ER with a van load of kids and dealt with the raging stomach flu by myself. I honestly think your best plan is to prepare yourself and your household in case this happens again and there is no help to be found. I keep a stash in my closet of never before seen toys, books and movies that I reserve for such a case. My bedroom becomes a mini daycare center where I confine the children with me and I involve my children in my care and give them little jobs to keep them busy. Your husband could get up a little earlier and pack little lunches, prepare bottles/sippies if you have the need and leave them in the fridge for the kids so all they have to do is take them out. Let them spread out a blanket on your bedroom floor and have a picnic. And last Thank God your husband will be home at the end of the day. Some of us don’t have that luxury. Good Luck!

- Mom of five angels

Posted 11/17/08 05:09 PM

I agree, I was a military wife for 6 years and 2 of my husbands deployments to Iraq. The best thing you can do is prepare your house just like the last lady said. When my husband was gone and I got sick there was no one to watch my daughter or bring me anything. Keep your medicine cabinet stocked up, the pantry stocked and a special box of toys and DVDs. If your child is young then bag up some snacks, pour a few sippy cups or regular cups of whatever they drink so they can get them for themselves and you dont have to get up from the couch. Let them watch TV all day, whatever it takes. (wow after reading the last lady’s post all the way through I realize we just said the exact same thing!, great minds think alike) Good luck

- Jenny

Posted 11/18/08 10:02 AM

Wow!! I am so thankful that my husband’s family is right down the street and can take the kids in a pinch. I got strep last summer and was on the couch for 3 days. My mil came and got my son but I was still breastfeeding my daughter so I just pulled all of her toys into the living room and she was good to go. When she got hungry she just crawled up on the couch with me. I feel blessed that I have people to help.

- ashley

Posted 11/18/08 11:40 AM

Military Wives Rock!

- Mom of five angels

Posted 11/18/08 01:13 PM