Poor Sick Sam
pamelamyers | March 19, 2016
Yesterday was the last day of school before spring break and Sam’s class had a big spring party planned. I hadn’t told Sam that I had signed up to be parent volunteer because I wanted to surprise her when I showed up. Well, best laid plans and all that…
Early in the morning, around 3 a.m. I would say, Sam came into our room like she always does. This time she brought an upset stomach with her. To make a long story short, she was up for the rest of the night, and the entire day on Friday throwing up. Every hour. All day. I have never seen her so sick in her life. Poor kid. She was so sick of being sick but she made me proud at how she handled it like a real trooper. She just carried her trash can around the whole day, played, and did everything I asked her to do. She was more upset about missing the party at school than about being sick. I assured her that I would email her teacher and ask that any little treats the kids were going to get be put aside for her until after the break (they always come home at holidays with pencils and other assorted doo-dads). I took care of her as well as I could, pushing sips of water, and giving lots and lots of hugs.
Eventually, the whole thing wiped her out and mid-afternoon, while watching a movie, curled up in a chair with Penelope, she fell sound asleep. It was a good long nap, about an hour and a half, which she needed. It was the first nap that kid has taken in years! I think it was very sweet of Penelope to curl up with her and keep her company. She really loves Sam so much.
Thankfully, today she seems to be back to her old self. The vomiting stopped around dinner time and she slept through the night. I am just glad it was only a 24 hour bug. One thing that struck me is that Sam commented on how she liked her sick day because I was so nice to her. I did everything she wanted me to do and I talked nicely to her and was so sweet with her. For a minute, I felt horrible. Like, am I so awful other times? But then I told her that it is easy to be nice to her when she is calm and sweet and not a maniac who is screaming at me to bring her things and fighting with me all the time. But anyway, she is right, I was really nice to her and she was really sweet with me. I wish it could be like that all the time, without the illness being involved. Something to strive for, I guess.