I Cannot Go to School Today...

Sick
by Shel Silverstein
"I cannot go to school today," Said little Peggy Ann McKay. "I have the measles and the mumps, A gash, a rash and purple bumps. My mouth is wet, my throat is dry, I'm going blind in my right eye. My tonsils are as big as rocks, I've counted sixteen chicken pox And there's one more--that's seventeen, And don't you think my face looks green? My leg is cut--my eyes are blue-- It might be instamatic flu. I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke, I'm sure that my left leg is broke-- My hip hurts when I move my chin, My belly button's caving in, My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained, My 'pendix pains each time it rains. My nose is cold, my toes are numb. I have a sliver in my thumb. My neck is stiff, my voice is weak, I hardly whisper when I speak. My tongue is filling up my mouth, I think my hair is falling out. My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight, My temperature is one-o-eight. My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear, There is a hole inside my ear. I have a hangnail, and my heart is--what? What's that? What's that you say? You say today is. . .Saturday? G'bye, I'm going out to play!"

About two weeks ago, William came down with a stomach bug. We hoped to keep it from spreading throughout the household by quarantining him in his room, and moving Aidan to the living room couch overnight. Unfortunately, Benjamin started complaining of diarrhea, and then told us he'd thrown up the next day. Aidan followed suit and threw up a couple of days later. Then, it was Dallin's turn.

Benjamin asked if he could sleep on the couch, rather than sleeping on the bunk bed and being by Dallin. We told him he had nothing to fear, as he'd already had the bug and couldn't catch it again. Two nights later, he covered his bed, the carpet, the wall, and a good part of the bathroom with puke overnight. The next morning, coming out of my slumber, I had a revelation: Ben had lied to us to get out of school the first time. I mentioned it to Aaron, who ran downstairs to ask him. Sure enough, he admitted playing sick to get out of school. If only he had stayed away from Dallin, he might have been safe. Unfortunately, while Ben was home from school, Dallin, after he'd been eating well and looking fine for 36 hours, threw up in his classroom at school. That was a fluke, as we'd had evidence of Dallin's previous puking.

Brandon has not gotten the bug. He has stayed away from sick people, and slept on the couch while others who share his room have been sick. Katie fared pretty well until yesterday, when she had a lot of diarrhea, but she hasn't hasn't thrown up, which I am very grateful for. Tristin and I, however, both had rough nights last night. Aaron just developed the cold sweats while I've been writing this, and has started the "cleansing" process. Let's just say, you don't want this bug.

I keep typing words that I know I can spell wrong and having to go back and correct them. My brain seems to be suffering, along with my stomach and aching head and body. Aaron just asked me what time it is, and it took me a second to figure out how to answer his question (duh, he asked me because there is a handy little clock on the bottom right of the computer screen).

Well, I'm sure I've uplifted everyone with my post. I am getting tired, and need to get this laptop off of me. I hope all who read this are able to escape this bug.