A Stomach Virus Stops Everything

This week did not go as planned. No matter how well I fill out our family’s weekly planner, mentally prepare for the easy meals we will need for busy nights and make my to-do lists, no preparation can compete with the stomach flu.

And I had big plans. Between writing assignments when my 2-year-old was napping, I was determined to make my way around my son’s bedroom this week, slowly but surely, with a can of gray-blue paint. We also had contractors coming over to bid on projects and play dates scheduled for nearly every morning.

All that changed on Tuesday at 3:30 a.m. My 5-year-old ran in my room to inform me that my 2-year-old needed help, right away. We all know what that means: bleary-eyed bath time and a change of sheets and pjs, as well as a little one in need of lots of cuddling.

As I comforted my daughter and cleaned up the bed, though, I was already mentally listing all of the things I’d need to rearrange and the work I knew wouldn’t get done over the next 24 hours. And that was if none of my other kids caught the bug.

(It’s happened twice that a stomach bug has systematically taken down every family member in my house. It’s hard not to play dark, suspenseful music in my head when I realize there’s a stomach bug descending.)

I’ve got it pretty good, though. I’m a stay-at-home mom and all of my part-time work is flexible. And while I tried to be as quiet as possible and allow everyone else to continue sleeping, it wasn’t long before my super-dad husband was coming to the rescue.

My poor little daughter had a rough time of it, her stomach refusing to allow anything until the middle of the afternoon when a few licks of popsicle finally stayed down. There were interesting challenges throughout the morning, such as when I comforted her through a vomiting session while nursing my 4-month-old.

In the heat of it I shouted, “help!” to the green wall next to my couch. I like my daughters to witness lots of moments when I’m losing it, just so they never feel the need to be perfect and sane when they someday become mothers and feel overwhelmed. 

There are always a couple of times when, despite my boundless love for my children, I get a little grossed out, too. Like when I had dozed off on my bed soon after sunrise and then felt a little body flopping on top of me as she threw up. Ewww. Turns out my husband had dozed off, too, and she came running for help.

But while I hate to watch my kids suffer through a stomach virus, there are silver linings. I felt a little sad when, while I was dumping sheets into the washer, my husband settled onto the couch with my daughter and a bucket and then ordered me to bed. I was jealous of him getting to take care of her. A few minutes later, I sprang back to the living room when I heard her yell “Mama!” when she was getting sick again.

I love being a mom and while it’s hard for my kids to be sick, it feels so sweet that we can make them feel better just by being there, holding them. A lot of our time is dominated by tasks and responsibilities, but this part of mommyhood is a good excuse to slow down and spend pure time with our kids.

I don’t go looking for stomach viruses. But when kids are sick, we aren’t snapping at each other as we try to race out the door on time. There are no temper tantrums. And siblings treat one another like gold.

This week is toast. The house is dirty, the laundry is backed up and I will scramble to get my work finished. But my little one is on the mend and I couldn’t be more content.