Do you ask for help?

On the day I become sick (with a chest infection) I was due to meet up with a friend. I had to cancel and when I did they told me to let them know if I needed anything. At the time I was thinking, "Well, yes I need some milk and bread and ..." but I would never have asked. Because my friend lives fifteen minutes drive away and has her own family to look after, but more than that; it's because I'm contagious and wouldn't want to give it to her or anybody else. So I didn't ask for help.

My sister phoned and I couldn't talk. She asked if I wanted her to bring over some chicken soup, nice of her to think of me. She lives an hour away by public transport and there is no way I'd ask that of her.

Then there is the flip side.

Teach your children to look after themselves...

It's flu season. Just about everyone I know is getting the flu or has family members getting the flu. This year's flu was particularly severe according to experts with record numbers recorded.

Recently I was unwell with a chest infection for almost two weeks, though only 6 days of that were spent bedridden. I had a wracking cough and had to sleep partially sitting up. Sleep was fitful with coughs waking me during the night. I could barely get a sentence out without coughing so I didn't say much, talked seldom, didn't give many directions to the children. After the chest infection was long over, the niggling cough I had took around 3 to 4 weeks to fully go away; before I could say a full sentence without setting off a coughing fit. 

During this time my children were troopers. When I didn't wake in the morning they got themselves ready for school, older siblings helping younger ones. I would come out and see them off, giving them a hug before they left, making sure they got out the door okay. By then they'd already had their breakfast, gotten dressed, brushed teeth (at least I hope they did), made their lunches, packed their bags, then road to and from school together.

After getting home from school they made themselves snacks and basic dinners like bake beans and eggs on toast, two minute noodles, party pies and sausage rolls they could heat up in the oven. Nothing considerably healthy but not super unhealthy either. They weren't eating lollies and ice cream and chips and they were still eating fruit and some vegetables.