There are no sick days when you're a mom

As I write this, it’s 9:08 p.m. We have yet to eat dinner and I’m coughing. A week ago tomorrow, the scratchy throat began. “Oh, it’s just from sitting out in the drizzle at that soccer game,” I told myself. But then there were the aches, and the chills, and the fever. “Oh, I’m fine.” And, I was for the most part. Except I wasn’t. For the last week, I’ve felt not quite 100%, but I chalked it up to allergies, or just the usual fatigue that comes with being the mother of an (almost) six month old.
Until last night, when the coughing really ramped up. Then, this morning, I peered in my mouth at the back of my throat, and that’s when I knew the time had come for mama to go to the doctor. Sure enough, I have strep throat. Believe it or not, this is the first time in my life that I’ve been diagnosed with Strep.  Luckily, I seem to be one of the lucky ones who feels only a bit ill. I’ve heard that it can be quite painful.
The nurse practitioner said I would need to stay home from work, and did I need a doctor’s note. I laughed.
As luck would have it, Jon was home for a good part of the day today, so I did get a little rest. Thank goodness, because the last part of the day when I was on my own was quite exhausting. I can only imagine if I had felt really sick.
At this point, I’m just praying Little Man doesn’t get it. Hopefully that 4 to 5 oz. of breast milk he’s still getting a day will protect him. He’s most definitely been exposed. Just yesterday he was trying to drink from my straw, and he’s taken to trying to kiss me, which really just consists of him grabbing my face and licking my mouth. Hello, germs.
Here’s to antibiotics and a good night’s sleep! Let’s hope I feel better in the morning, because there are no sick days when you’re a mom.