Asthma Mom is sick, now what?

Well, as though this year wasn't bad enough, I am sick with bronchitis (again) - 4th time since November.

What's going on? Well, I've been traveling - and airplanes and airports are some of the germiest places you can be.

For anyone who regularly reads my blog, you know that I am a germaphobe. However, my husband (who likes to come along on my work trips if I'm going to a cool city) isn't a germaphobe.

I can easily go through a whole package of antibacterial hand wipes during a 4 day trip. That nasty tray on the airplane? It's getting wiped down before I have my pretzels and Coke!

Think it's not that dirty? CNN has a slide show called "Journeys with Germs" What are the dirtiest things on the airplane?"  You might be surprised!  

Think of everything else you touch - door knobs, elevator buttons, the TV remote in the hotel. 

I use the antibacterial wipes like a mad woman. And follow it up with hand sanitizer.

The Hubby? Not so much. 

Even though I gave him a travel pack of wipes and practically begged him to slip them in his pocket and use them while he was sight seeing.

Did it happen? Nope. 

This is the 4th trip we have had, and this is the 4th time he has become sick from out trip. So he coughs and sneezes and doesn't wash his hands, and then I get sick.

So, what happens when the Mom is sick? Well, it's almost comical - watching my family stumbling around the kitchen, opening cupboards, the fridge and freezer - like a magical meal will just appear! Not while Mom is sick.

They are a little clueless when it comes to Mom being sick. Usually, I check to see if the kids need a cold washcloth for their forehead. Popsicles? Snack? Movie to watch? 

Nobody checks on me when I'm sick.

 So, I just pull the nebulizer out and put it close to me so I can have a breathing treatment while I'm propped up on the couch. I pile up my cough drops, prescription cough medicine, box of tissues and throat lozenges. Then I keep a note pad handy so I can write down what time I have each medicine (so I know when I can have the next dose.) 

I tend to get a little fuzzy headed when I'm sick, so it's better for me to write down when I take my meds so I don't forget any of them or take them at the wrong time.

I can image all of you moms reading this and laughing. Because you get it. Our families can win and complain when they're sick and we take care of them. 

But no one takes care of mom when we are sick.

So good luck to all of the rest of you moms out there!