I haven't had a cold for years, especially the last two years when human contact has been limited to my husand and occasional outings where I generally didn't spend a lot of intimate time with anyone.
Put a toddler into the equation, however, and all that changes.
My granddaughter comes each day while her parents are at work. We have lunch, she naps, and we spend the evening doing what adults do with little people they love, including lots of hand touching, kissing and cuddling.
All the germs I once passed by without any awareness, she tends to pick up by touching with her hands. Once they're on her hands, they go to her mouth where they incumbate until she's shedding them everywhere she goes. Eventually, she gets sick, but by then she's already shared her ailment of the month with me.
As a result I'm sick, again. Geez, I'd forgotten how awful it is to be sick. I now take pity on any fellow sufferer of anything from the common cold to a stomach virus or, heaven forbid, the flu.
The first ailment came along the end of December. Baby got up from her afternoon nap throwing up. Two nights later at the church's New Year's Eve celebration, I felt I was going to join her and a few hours later I did. Prior to that morning, I couldn't remember the last time I'd been sick to my stomach. And while the darling granddaughter was better in 24 hours or less, I was a good 36 in recovering. Her granddad, Mom and Dad also had a dose and we were all envious of her quick recovery.
Last week she came in with a runny nose, a day or so later she's acting like she feels better and I'm getting three hours of sleep and sore muscles from coughing.
Apparently whatever germs are involved are looking for one thing, new hosts. She's small and they want to move on. Once she's done her task -- spreading the love -- she gets better and those who have been given the bug of the day suffer on.
I know all toddlers are susceptible to any ailment coming down the pike and getting the bugs while she's this age means she will have fewer ailments when she gets ready to go to school. Kindergarteners who've gone to daycare miss less school, and first year teachers of little kids spend a lot of time sick. (I know because my mom taught first grade one year.)
So I guess I'll spend the winter battling every ailment that toddlers need to battle, since through isolation apparently I've lost the immunity I would have otherwise had. By the time she starts school I'll be well innoculated against most of the common ailments for a few years.
Maybe I'll invest in more sanitizing spray and wipes, to see if there's any hope for avoiding a germ or two. In the meantime, I may have to spend more time on the couch than I'd like.
And does anyone have a Kleenex?
Put a toddler into the equation, however, and all that changes.
My granddaughter comes each day while her parents are at work. We have lunch, she naps, and we spend the evening doing what adults do with little people they love, including lots of hand touching, kissing and cuddling.
All the germs I once passed by without any awareness, she tends to pick up by touching with her hands. Once they're on her hands, they go to her mouth where they incumbate until she's shedding them everywhere she goes. Eventually, she gets sick, but by then she's already shared her ailment of the month with me.
As a result I'm sick, again. Geez, I'd forgotten how awful it is to be sick. I now take pity on any fellow sufferer of anything from the common cold to a stomach virus or, heaven forbid, the flu.
The first ailment came along the end of December. Baby got up from her afternoon nap throwing up. Two nights later at the church's New Year's Eve celebration, I felt I was going to join her and a few hours later I did. Prior to that morning, I couldn't remember the last time I'd been sick to my stomach. And while the darling granddaughter was better in 24 hours or less, I was a good 36 in recovering. Her granddad, Mom and Dad also had a dose and we were all envious of her quick recovery.
Last week she came in with a runny nose, a day or so later she's acting like she feels better and I'm getting three hours of sleep and sore muscles from coughing.
Apparently whatever germs are involved are looking for one thing, new hosts. She's small and they want to move on. Once she's done her task -- spreading the love -- she gets better and those who have been given the bug of the day suffer on.
I know all toddlers are susceptible to any ailment coming down the pike and getting the bugs while she's this age means she will have fewer ailments when she gets ready to go to school. Kindergarteners who've gone to daycare miss less school, and first year teachers of little kids spend a lot of time sick. (I know because my mom taught first grade one year.)
So I guess I'll spend the winter battling every ailment that toddlers need to battle, since through isolation apparently I've lost the immunity I would have otherwise had. By the time she starts school I'll be well innoculated against most of the common ailments for a few years.
Maybe I'll invest in more sanitizing spray and wipes, to see if there's any hope for avoiding a germ or two. In the meantime, I may have to spend more time on the couch than I'd like.
And does anyone have a Kleenex?
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