Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Never There When You Need It

I awoke this morning fever-free and ready to face the day, the next snowstorm and whatever else the universe saw fit to hurl at me.  This disturbingly perky attitude lasted as long as it took for me to arrive at school and be faced with any number of student-related issues but I like to think that I gave it the old college try.  Hey, if nothing else I was feeling better!

By 8:00, though, things were starting to go south in the "sense of well-being" department.  The aches 'n pains settled back in and it was apparently high tide in my right sinus cavity.  Certain that the fever was back and that I could maybe scarf up a little of that sweet, sweet school nurse sympathy, I headed down to the office to get myself checked out.

It's a little tricky trying to get sympathy from the nurse when she is suffering from pneumonia, but she did her best.  She gave me the thermometer and even let me put it under my tongue all by myself like a big girl.  We waited the requisite three minutes and checked it, all breathless with anticipation.  

97.4  Or, as I like to call it: normal.

I felt a little ripped off, if you want the truth.  What's the point in feeling all achy and having your sinuses popping if you can't claim a fever?  It's like getting that new Prada bag on sale because the label came off.  It's still a Prada...but no one else knows that.  And feeling yucky without a fever is just a waste of a trip to the nurse's office.  I did manage to score some ibuprofen for my trouble and got her thoughts on how this might be the flu kicking in.  But it was all pretty half-hearted and perfunctory.  I didn't get the cooing and coddling I'd been seeking.

Plus, she looked way worse than I did what with the pneumonia and all.  I sort of felt badly whimpering when she was suffering and having that nasty reaction to the antibiotic.  It seemed rather self-centered...

Meanwhile, with no fever to fall back on as an excuse, I had little choice but to carry on with my day and keep teaching the children who are probably the ones who gave me this feverless misery in the first place.  I even had to do the Tuesday-I-Couldn't-Hate-This-More-If-It-Came-With-A-Side-Of-Broccoli Workout.  I felt resentful all through it.  And my right sinus area was still popping conveniently in time with each sit-up.

However, the hour spent on the bike was good for the sock knitting so I suppose it wasn't a total wash.  If it weren't for the exercise bike/sock knitting, I honestly don't think I could find anything good to say about the process, popping sinuses or no.

Hopefully, tomorrow will bring clear roads and even clearer sinuses.  The snows are falling mightily tonight, but it is looking good for a changeover to rain.  And if this Winter To End All Winters can find it in its heart to stop burying us in the white stuff, then I see no reason why my Sinus-Popping, Joint-Throbbing, Head-Pounding, But Fever-Free So It Doesn't Count illness shouldn't also cut me some slack.

Oh, and lest I forget to inject a happier note into a somewhat whiny post, I should tell you that we have all had a few title changes around here.  The roster is now as follows:

Sister-In-Law Sheep is now playing the role of "Memere Sheep."

Niece Sheep has assumed the role of "Mama Sheep."

 Jarrid will be known as the new Cute Little Lambie in the Sheep family.

Oh...and Baby Brother Sheep?  He's now going by "Papa Sheep."  Cuz he's a grandpa.  That's funny.  Really, really funny...'cuz he's a GRANDPA!!!!!!!   Hee-hee!!!!!!

Those of you tempted to point out that I am now a Great Aunt should maybe reconsider that urge.  That is not so funny.  Not like my brother being a Grandpa which is hysterical because...well, it just is when it happens to your brother.  And I am sickly (but not feverish) so I can't be held responsible for anything I may do to emphasize the lack of funny with the Great Aunt thing.

I'm working on a better title.  Something with the words, "Royal Highness," and "Magnificent" in it...

SA






18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations, your Royal Highness Great Auntie Sheepie the Magnificint!

I hope you are feeling better soon (but you know, it takes longer for the elderly to recover from illnesses).

sheep#100 said...

I must be on academic overload for certain tonight because I had to re-read this post twice to figure out the cast of characters. And I will surely forget that Baby Brother Sheep and Sister-in-Law Sheep now go by new and novel handles. It is all too much for one evening which did not include knitting. Yikes! There hasn't been knitting for the two whole days of Child Home from School!

But I can muster some sincere sympathy for a Sheep who has all the symptoms of flu and massive respiratory infections save the fever: that's how I get them too. And you are so right: people are less sympathetic when you can't tell them, "oh, yes, the fever topped out at 103° this morning..."

Feel better soon.

Or score another snow day so's you don't have to cope with the rest of the world.

Knitting Linguist said...

May I offer Grand-Aunt (which is what my husband's great-aunt goes by?) -- it's very dignified. And here I thought my family was the only one around with a memere in it! (maybe because that's because we're an exiles branch of french-canadians out here in california?)

Hang in there -- at some point your sinuses must clear, and things will get better. Meanwhile, stay away from that school nurse -- she might be catching.

Anonymous said...

How about Greatest Aunt Sheep? :) Congratulations!!!

Denise said...

But Great Aunts are ageless (or at least 'age undefined') especially since much younger siblings can be great aunts or uncles. However, one must generally be 'of a certain age' to be a grandparent (exceptions of course but generally speaking).

I must say my health has never been better since my children moved beyond their infectious years.

When Mr. CPA had to have sinus surgery, something he's glad he had but wouldn't necessarily want to do again), we learned a nifty trick for sinus health - a water pik device. (required several times per day after sinus surgery)

I know that sounds a bit painful but it's not. You use a special sinus adapter and rinse with a water-baking soda-salt solution (no burning). Quite effective at rinsing away allergens, alleviating congestion and healing sinus infections.

Jeanne said...

Oh, I know, I'm much too young to be a Great Aunt myself, but alas, I could not avoid the bestowing of said title two years ago. Congratulations on the "newe" arrival.

Geraldine said...

Get well soon Sheepie! And keep an eye out for a new Prada, you've earned one.

Rabbitch said...

Congratulations, Your Excellence.

Mia said...

Sorry for your congestion sheepie.. miracle of miracles, I almost NEVER get those kinds of sicknesses. Although after reading your post.. it might not be so bad.. what with the cooing and coddling that's supposed to come with it *grin*

And congrats to the whole sheepie clan, specially the new GRANDPA!!!

Anne P said...

Ugh! Feel better quickly. Exercise was probably a good thing for you, but coddling woulda been more fun. :P

Anonymous said...

Most Grand Auntie Sheep! Congratualtions to the whole sheep clan!

Cursing Mama said...

If it makes you feel any better (metaphorically) I have been a great aunt for over a year - it isn't about age it's about people in the family having babies Way too darn young. (or at least that is what I'm telling myself) I am going to look into some title work with Royal Highness & Magnificent in it too now though.

So - where did you park the truck in the snow, I really thought that was the punch line you were headed too.

Roadside Manners said...

Funny... I don't ever remember wanting to put the title of "great" anything on you.
"marginal" may be a better place to start from...
I'm feeling old(er), and think I need a nap.
"Get off the Lawn!"

sagie133 said...

When my son became a father, my mother - up until then known as "Nana" - was dubbed "Nana the Great". Perhaps a variation on this theme.

rachel said...

Welcome to the great aunt club! My first great niece arrived last year but I refuse to let that classify me as officially old!

Anne said...

You could even just be The Great Aunt, because I'm sure you are. I'm a little bored with the snow myself, and one of the places I grace with my teaching found non-specific death threats on the walls in three campus buildings this week. I think spring needs to come.

Yarnhog said...

Happy Grampa-ness to Little Brother Sheep! And being a Great-aunt isn't that bad. I've been one since I was 25. Yes, really. I was an aunt at age five, and my sister had grandkids before I even had kids. My brother in law is older than my mom. My mom also has a sister younger than her two oldest kids. We are (as Tom Hanks' character says in "You've Got Mail") an American family.

debsnm said...

Point the first: My sister is a grandmother, and my mom is a great-grandmother, but neither of these statuses affects me.
Point the second: I've been achy and snuffly and sneezy and just feeling plaing crappy for a week now. Even taking 2 days off to lay in bed and moan didn't help. I wish the flu would come ON already, or just go away and leave me the heck alone!