That "gray" feeling


As a little girl, when I was about to come down with a bug,
I had the oddest way of explaining how I was feeling to my mom.

I've got that gray feeling, Mommy.

But she understood perfectly.
It meant I had a scratchy throat.

She'd take my temperature, give me 2 yummy orange-flavored baby aspirin, tuck me into bed, spread Vicks Vapo Rub on my chest, cover it with a cloth diaper, and off I'd go -- to sleep, to rest, to get better.

With pandemic influenza blazing its way around the northern hemisphere right now,
if you get "that gray feeling" in your throat,
I do hope you'll take good care, tuck yourself into bed, drink some hot tea or whatever gives you comfort, and rest your weary bones.
Soon enough you'll be "in the pink."
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So tell me, how do you take care of yourself when you get sick? 

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Image by tunnelblick

Comments

♥ Braja said…
Bugger. I wanna see your "in the pink" photo....

I'm an Ayurvedic/natural kinda girl. I rarely get sick, filling myself instead with greens and Vit Bs and Ayurvedic medicines that maintain you, not cure you of anything. So when I get sick, I shut down everything and rest, because that's what the body demands. Rest, read, drink lots and stay healthy....
Boozy Tooth said…
I've been so lucky to NOT have been sick since the end off 2000 - and then whammo! Out of nowhere got that grey feeling this summer when my sister was visiting from Dallas. Missed most of her trip and some fun family adventures. But rest was the most valuable antidote. Wish I had known about Chai Tea Latte a few months ago. That would probably have cured me overnight!
Rudee said…
When sick with the flu, there is only one thing to do: make a honey, whiskey and lemon concoction to soothe my throat and go back to bed.
Love how your wise little self knew how to tell your mother what was happening inside.

Aren't the little things our mothers did to care for us when we were sick precious. Sometimes when I am really sick, and my husband is doing his best, but not with a mother's touch . . . I just long for my mother. She always knew what to do.
Renie Burghardt said…
Ah, Vicks Vapo Rub and orange flavored baby aspirin was the magic concoction at our house when my 3 kids were sick. And cherry cough syrup, too, sometimes. The vaporizer got a workout at times as well.

When I'm sick, bed rest, and maybe some Nyquil, or some other concoction, and hot chicken soup, of course. I do like Rudee's concoction. Got to try that sometimes. Hopefully, not too soon. I try to stay healthy, and use tons of hand sanitizer these days. And I mmean tons! Even in church! :-)

Stay well, Kathleen and have a great weekend.

Huggies,

Renie
ellen abbott said…
I don't get sick very often but I don't know if that's because I have a good immune system or because I just don't go around people very often. When I do though, I usually try to sleep it off.
Pyzahn said…
Sleep, sleep, sleep. My body seems to heal itself if given plenty of rest. A miraculous process.

p.s. thanks for the shout out
Natalie said…
I'm an herbal kind of girl, so I drink my own concoction of "turmeric tea," which is just hot water with a healthy spoonful of turmeric stirred in. I also have a sick-time tradition of watching Brokeback Mountain to cry out the germs.
Joy Tilton said…
I get that metal taste in my mouth, like aluminum or something when I'm coming down with a cold. I can't explain that! But the baby aspirin and Vicks sure bring back that lovin' feeling Mom was so good at! Hope you are feeling in the pink very soon!
joy c. at grannymountain
Unknown said…
Hi Kathleen,

I'm with Rudee! I think Vicks was an international cure-all; that and real hot lemon, plus a kiss and a cuddle! Your rabbit just looks to be in a little reverie
Brian Miller said…
i get sick about once a year, and when i do, i do it all the way...about every 5 years I get really high temps that lead to going to the hospital to get a shot to keep it down..yeah fun.
steven said…
kathleen i just don't get sick - weird enough i know but it's true. what i do get is sad. then i like a film. hugs. good food. the prospect of a day away from teaching. rain. but as a child? it was vicks on the chest, thermometer in the gob, warm milk with honey in it, my mum talking to me. steven
Intuitive Girl said…
When i start to get sick, i must admit i try to ignore it at first and keep going. then inevitably, it knocks me out forcing me to rest. this year i'll try to do better. (love the picture).
Janie said…
The "gray" feeling makes perfect sense, as opposed to the "pink" of health.
I like herbal tea, but plenty of rest is probably the best medicine. (My mom used to do the Vicks Vapo Rub cure, too. The smell of that stuff still makes me feel loved.)
Mariana Soffer said…
I am sorry about the lovely creature been sleep. My mom used to sing me a song when I was ill, but it makes no sense in english, it is something like "get better get better ... but of a frog ...." but it rhymes of course.
I do nothing when I am ill, just lay in bed take my pills and wait for it to go away.

Take care and love to the poor sick being.
M
Fleece. Hot orange spice tea with honey and lemon. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep.
Nishant said…
Love how your wise little self knew how to tell your mother what was happening inside.
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