was unexpected and scared me half silly but ended up giving us the gut laugh of a lifetime!
It was a beautiful sunny [early] spring morning. We were living in Charlotte, NC; Justin is almost 6 [1994] years old and is attending Reedy Creek Elementary kindergarten.
I am almost ready to leave for work and Justin is ready and standing by the front door. I always took Justin to school by choice. I usually got in from work an hour or so before he had to go to bed so we found alternative ways to spend time together.
On this particular morning I turned to Justin's father and said, "I feel like a drunken sailor."; referring to earlier conversation I mentioned I felt dizzy. Justin responded by saying, "ya know I feel like a drunk sailor, too!" Oh my, I really needed to remember he repeats everything I say and to THINK before I speak! Some parents would have made a fuss, some would have corrected their child; I did neither. Inside I was laughing because, of course, Justin does not know what a [drunken sailor is] nor [what one would feel like as at 5 he [had not] been inebriated!!] The problem, if it was a 'problem', was with me and certainly not Justin.
I did ask Justin if he were alright and he said fine.
I drove Justin to Reedy Creek and sat there to watch until he walked through the door, I never drove away until Justin walked through the door, even if it meant being late! I had no more than walked through the door of the my office when the receptionist said, "Karen Justin's school is on the phone."
Justin was dizzy, he was throwing up, had a fever and was in the school nurses office! Justin had never [NEVER] been sick! I freaked; I must have made it back to his school, a thirty minute drive, in fifteen minutes [not that I would advise folks drive like this in any situation but I was truly upset!]. My child needed me.
Justin was very pale and clammy; he told me he got too dizzy and this is when he really got sick. I assisted him out to the car, helped him in and got him situated. [So when he said he was drunk he truly meant dizzy! Now I got it!!] Thank goodness we only lived five minutes from the school. I completed the school parking lot exit circle, pulled up to the stop sign, turned to look for traffic, looked down at Justin, he turned to look at me and threw-up into my open briefcase; on top of contracts [with earnest money checks attached]!!
It was a beautiful sunny [early] spring morning. We were living in Charlotte, NC; Justin is almost 6 [1994] years old and is attending Reedy Creek Elementary kindergarten.
I am almost ready to leave for work and Justin is ready and standing by the front door. I always took Justin to school by choice. I usually got in from work an hour or so before he had to go to bed so we found alternative ways to spend time together.
On this particular morning I turned to Justin's father and said, "I feel like a drunken sailor."; referring to earlier conversation I mentioned I felt dizzy. Justin responded by saying, "ya know I feel like a drunk sailor, too!" Oh my, I really needed to remember he repeats everything I say and to THINK before I speak! Some parents would have made a fuss, some would have corrected their child; I did neither. Inside I was laughing because, of course, Justin does not know what a [drunken sailor is] nor [what one would feel like as at 5 he [had not] been inebriated!!] The problem, if it was a 'problem', was with me and certainly not Justin.
I did ask Justin if he were alright and he said fine.
I drove Justin to Reedy Creek and sat there to watch until he walked through the door, I never drove away until Justin walked through the door, even if it meant being late! I had no more than walked through the door of the my office when the receptionist said, "Karen Justin's school is on the phone."
Justin was dizzy, he was throwing up, had a fever and was in the school nurses office! Justin had never [NEVER] been sick! I freaked; I must have made it back to his school, a thirty minute drive, in fifteen minutes [not that I would advise folks drive like this in any situation but I was truly upset!]. My child needed me.
Justin was very pale and clammy; he told me he got too dizzy and this is when he really got sick. I assisted him out to the car, helped him in and got him situated. [So when he said he was drunk he truly meant dizzy! Now I got it!!] Thank goodness we only lived five minutes from the school. I completed the school parking lot exit circle, pulled up to the stop sign, turned to look for traffic, looked down at Justin, he turned to look at me and threw-up into my open briefcase; on top of contracts [with earnest money checks attached]!!
We were both freaked now; Justin had never thrown up! We made it to the house and he began trying to make it into the house on his own so I could deal with the contracts...my trooper! Poor child was literally crawling my Baby! Got Justin in and into the bed, ran back down to get everything in my briefcase, dumped it on the driveway; this is when I spread all the contracts over the driveway. I was attempting to wipe
off as much as I could but as I stated earlier it is a beautiful day and
I decided to leave everything laying on the driveway to dry in the sun! In the interim I am beginning to get more ill by the minute.
Justin's fever was through the 'roof' he could not even keep down water; finally a call to the doctor had me wrapping Justin up and off we went. They saw him quickly and determined we both had a fairly serious sinus infection but we had caught it in the beginning stages. The doctor gave us a script and handed me a small cup of liquid med for Justin to drink when we returned to the car for his first dose. Justin drank it down and back it came this time I was prepared; I brought a trash can for the trip to and from the doctor.
We got the script filled but by 3 P.M. I knew we had a problem Justin was unable to keep anything down; including water! I called the doctors office and he told me regrettably the only alternative would be a suppository. I was not feeling good about having to put Justin through this experience; he truly had never been this ill and the 'suppository thing'. Let's just simplify it; we could have gone Justin's entire childhood without the knowledge of suppositories and it would have suited Justin and me!!
The Suppository
I walked into Justin's bedroom with the suppository in my hand and he began to whimper making me feel even worse for him. I have often wondered why is it when one is sick they must feel worse before they can experience feeling better again? I sat down on the side of the bed to comfort him and to assure him all was going to be well and to remind him he did not know what a suppository is; this last jewel did make him smile a for a brief moment. Then he looked at me seriously again and I asked, "Would you prefer your father help you with this?" Justin shook his head no and that was that. I kissed him on the head and told him how brave he is and that this will make him better because not being able to even hold down water is not good when you are not feeling very well. I remember saying he should try to rest and I left his room to do a few things.
I came back to his room not long after and I was a little confused to find Justin laying in his bed as straight and stiff as an old toy tin soldier staring at the ceiling. I asked, "Honey are you okay?" Justin replied [barely moving his head only averting his eyes in my direction], "Yes mommie." Still not satisfied I added "Um? Honey, if you're okay; why are you laying like that?" Justin answered, "Oh I'm layin' this way cause I'm scared if I move my butt pill might fall out." I could [COULD] not contain myself I was laughing so hard I was on my knees [involuntarily]; children are wonderful [marvelously wonderful] just let them be children.
I sat in the floor beside Justin's bed the entire night watching him sleep; not because I am special or anything else. I did this because I am Justin's momma and I love him more than life itself. I wanted to be there should Justin wake needing me or anything; I liked being this kind of momma. He was so much better by the next morning and was able to take his oral meds! YAY!! Justin was only sick two more times before entering college; we were blessed that he was very healthy! Our gift...our gift from God.
My son, Justin, brought me joy, happiness, unconditional love, compassion for mankind, the desire to place others before myself, forgiveness, understanding, faith, kindness, laughter and HOPE!
My son, Justin, brought me joy, happiness, unconditional love, compassion for mankind, the desire to place others before myself, forgiveness, understanding, faith, kindness, laughter and HOPE!
I miss you honey...In my prayers I use to tell God, "I don't know what I would do without Justin..." now I don't know what to do without you Babe...Please watch over me you know how much I need looking after, love you honey, your momma
P.S.
Another mystery in life I cannot
understand; why people will not allow children to be children? Children
get to be children for 18 years then they must be adults for decades
longer; why not give them the mere 18 to enjoy and be children then they
will know how to treat their children and so on and so on and so
on....the theory I used in raising Justin! Justin happy, intelligent,
healthy, social, flexible, embraced challenge and enjoyed every moment
of his twenty two years on this Earth. He laughed a whole bunch!
