Sick Day- Well Day? - Sick Day

How do working parents balance work, being sick and taking care of a sick child at the same time?

I was home sick Monday, thought I was well enough to go back in Tuesday (had a presentation to give), then quickly started feeling ill. I went home and am home today. I have no business being at work.

Meanwhile, Lorelai, who was a little sniffly Monday came down with a fever at daycare. The next day the doctor says she has the RSVirus (that's going around her classroom) and it has turned into brochiolitis, which means she's wheezing and needs breathing treatments every four hours. She also has ear infections in both ears. Poor thing. (Hoping she'll get through her daycare-germ initiation soon.)

Because I'm sick, Steven took an extra night shift last night taking care of her so I could rest. He didn't get any sleep - Lor was inconsolable with ear pain in the middle of the night, and after he got her settled, Dash piled into bed with him. He proceeded to fall asleep, only to awaken the two of them by peeing in the bed. (I'm talking about Dashiell doin the peeing.) Good times.

So I wake up (having had 8 solid hours of good sleep - Thank you Steve) but still sick. But I tell Steven, who looks like a dazed crack addict from two sleepless nights, to go to bed and that I'll take Dash to school. Lorelai soon wakes up, and ten years later I get out the door - take them for breakfast tacos, then drop Dash at school, then take Lorelai home and wait for Steven to wake up. (I am headed back to bed after this post.)

I e-mailed my boss last night to let her know I would not be in to work today and also gave a run-down of where my work stood and that I'll get my assignments to her Thursday as promised (somehow - maybe I'll need to e-mail them in).

Also let her know how sick Lorelai is and how I may have to stay home with her this week, but will let her know. Me and Steven need to negotiate who is missing work next. My boss was very understanding. Thank God.

Anyhow, that's what we're doing today to balance sickness and work. I wish magic elves would come over and take care of Lorelai and Dash, and Steven and I could sleep for 8-hour shifts and do nothing but rest all day, but no working parent has that luxury.