Bedside Manner

I'm rarely in my son's room, but tonight I sit by his bed, checking influenza symptoms on the internet and running through the checklist with him.

I call Healthlink, the government phone line staffed by registered nurses with whom I can consult about my son's condition.

"Is he with you?" she asks, after I waited on hold for 15 minutes.

"Yes," I reply.

"May I speak with him?" she requests.

Sigh. He's growing up. I guess it's a help to him, learning how to describe his condition to a third party with some clarity. So now she's gone through the checklist, and I'm fairly certain he will soldier it out at home as just another one of the thousands of students who caught the flu from a classmate. His fever isn't high enough, but I'm worried about his headache.

I know that's way more that you really wanted to know, and if you're still with me, you are likely a mom who has had a similar experience. If you're just a sympathetic bystander, well, thanks for your support.

Can you pray for both of us? Pray he doesn't get worse. Pray I will have wisdom to care appropriately for him. Pray we both get the rest we need.

These are the days I really miss not having any family around.

These are the nights I really miss my mom.

But when he asks for a backrub... then I realize he might be doing this with his child someday because he knows what comfort is.

Glad I could help. :-)