The Invalid

So it's another Friday night in my household. Everyone is at home at the merciless beck and call of the invalid.....my 7 year old daughter, aka the "Iron Fist".  She strikes fear into the very marrow of our bones.  One scathing look can bring her Nan to her knees.  And I am not even remotely exaggerating, I wish I was.

My sister and I have escaped down to the kitchen for a glass of wine, Nan didn't make it, she fell at the border, dragged back into Iron Fists lair.  We whisper feverishly, delirious with our freedom.
"I don't hear anything," my sisters eyes are huge with fear, "poor Nan."
I am busy with the wine, clumsy in my haste.
"it's her own fault, I told her not to look directly into her eyes," I pop the cork and sloppily pour the  wine. "We'll take her a glass."
"Cant you give her a tad more Tylenol?  u know to knock her out??" my sister cant meet my eyes, she too ashamed at her suggestion.
I sigh, "I did."  Nothing doing, Tylenol is no match for Iron Fist.
From above we hear theme song to Hannah Montana, all is well, Iron Fist is occupied.

Now, for those of you who are not parents may say, "ahh she's just a kid, how bad can it be?".  Well I am here to let you know ALL parents would rather lose an eyeball than have to suffer through a a couple days of the flu.  First off, they don't sleep, and when they don't sleep, you don't sleep.  Stuffy noses are bad on their own, but when you have a child who sucks their thumb it's doubly terrifying. The nose is clogged up and then the thumbs in the mouth, so breathing is difficult.  And of course it's my fault she can't breathe.  And nosedrops? Lord, if you even go near her with that you can lose an arm.  So what ends up happening is the child is propped up on 800 pillows to attempt to keep her nasal cavity somewhat clear.  Then her neck hurts and it's just a carnival.  Then you have the fever, body aches, coughing and sneezing to add to the experience.

I walk into my room, armed hot chocolate to appease the Iron Fist.  I come bearing gifts.  She looks up at me, takes her thumb out of her mouth.
"where'd you go mama?" deceptively calm she voices her question.  Nan's eyelids flicker and I know she's gonna make a run for it.
" oh i had to go to the wash room," my voice is an octave higher, Iron Fist smells my fear, her eyes narrow suspiciously.  My sister quakes at the bedroom door.
"I didn't hear the toilet flush," her eyes are focused on Hannah, but oh no, she's onto me. "is that hot chocolate?" she questions.  I nod and offer it to her.  She accepts and sips.  Iron Fist is pleased.  She looks up at me with her huge chocolate brown eyes and a huge smile. This is my baby.  Iron Fist is gone.
"oh mama, you are the best mama in the whole wide world," and she reaches over for a cuddle and a kiss.  A collective sigh is heard throughout the house.

It's hard but is it worth it, absolutely, definitely YES.