Posted by Tina Blankenship
Tis the season of sneezing, shivers and chicken soup. Todd and I have both taken sick days this week, because when you share a living space, you inevitably wind up sharing everything else including germs! The thing that really drives me round the bend when we’re sick at the same time is that the same germs seem to affect us in VERY different ways. Todd will get a runny nose and a scratchy throat, where as I will get a fever, aches, chills, and nausea, as well as whatever symptoms that Todd has come down with. When Todd gets sick he will look a little under the weather, and maybe slightly sluggish. I however, look like death warmed over when I am ill, no exaggeration. Other than the fact that I have a pulse, there is no discernible difference between sick Tina and a zombie. I even groan and shamble around the house in search of green tea and soup.
Todd is very fortunate to have a very tough and robust immune system. It is rare that Todd actually gets run down, and even when he does, he coughs and sneezes for three days MAX, and then he’s right as rain. My immune system is average. I get sick more often than Todd, but that’s not saying much because Todd is a germ repelling FREAK! When I get sick, it hangs on for what seems like centuries, before I start feeling half way normal.
Todd is a “carrier!” Todd was blessed with this superhero-like germ fighting ability, he is able to come into contact with different diseases, and viruses, without ever becoming infected. I think that part of my immune deficiencies are caused by Todd. For example, if Todd picks up the Flu, or Strep, or the deadly Motaba, (Check out the movie Outbreak with Dustin Hoffman for symptoms. It ain’t pretty!) he will go about his day blissfully unaware and miraculously unaffected. He will then traipse around the house depositing whatever germs he’s acquired, all over the surfaces of our home. Considering we share these surfaces, I am bound to touch something that Todd has infested. I am doomed! Doomed to become a slave to Emperor Kleenex, or to pray to the Porcelain God for the next week and a half, all because Todd went to the hardware store! How is that fair?!
As things go, Todd is very good about taking care of me when I’m sick and he’s healthy. He has learned well from the few times that he has been sick, and I’ve looked after him. He brings me tea with honey and lemon, he buys me medicine, he tolerates my groaning and grumbling, and he picks up my slack around the house so that I can get some rest. All in all he makes a wonderful little nurse. I appreciate Todd’s assistance, and concern when I’m down for the count, because having someone be sweet to you when you feel awful, makes being sick suck just a little bit less.
Tina
Tina and Todd: Living, Loving, Fighting and Loving again. 