Before You Get Sick...

I had another post scheduled for today but I decided to push it to Friday and post a Must Have list for when you're sick and alone.

I pride myself in being prepared for most emergencies, but I forgot one very important rule. When you're sick, it's not enough to have Nyquil, echinacea, and hydrogen peroxide. You need your comfort things too. It makes life bearable.

This go round I'm fending off the plague all by myself, so comfy things have become especially important. Speaking from experience, these are the things every sick person should have on hand

The regular stuff

• tissues
• thermometer
• cold medicine
• hydrogen peroxide (to clean your toothbrush and gargle)
• warm, fluffy blanket. (especially nice if it just came out of the dryer)
• a supply of books or dvds depending on your alertness level

The comfy stuff
 • soup--not just any old soup. Splurge. Buy soup you really, really like. It's even better if it's homemade or fresh from your favorite restaurant.
• hot chocolate
• oatmeal
• jammies (pajamas) and soft fuzzy slippers
• somebody to put you to bed and kiss you on the forehead. Moms usually do this, as do spouses. Right now I have neither.  :o(

If you're like me and have responsibility to kids or animals, sometimes you have to suck it up and follow through, but I only go out long enough to feed them and come right back in. The dogs, bless their hearts have been content to sleep with me all day. Such good boys.

I live too far away for take-out but I really wish I could get some Pappadeaux's crawfish bisque.

Do you have a favorite comfort food when you're sick? Did I leave out anything important?

My brain feels like slush but I think I turned the corner. It's just a plain old head cold now.

Comments

Angelina Rain said…
Aren’t dogs great?! When I’m sick, my dog stays by my side and doesn’t eat until he’s starving, and doesn’t ask to go out until he really, really needs it. It’s like he knows and doesn’t want to bother me. He’s such a good boy.

Soup and sleep are great when you’re sick and it’s nice to have someone take care of you when you’re sick. My husband isn’t very supportive, so when I get sick, he just turns into an a$$.

Stick in there, and hope you feel better soon.
Maria Zannini said…
Angelina: I used to tease my husband he had a 3 day window of being nice to me when I had a cold or the flu. After that I was on my own. LOL

But he's totally different when I've had major surgery. He's almost 'too' supportive then.

Ref: dogs
I'm so glad I have a doggie door. They go in and out as they please. A life saver.
Joanne said…
I'd add ginger ale to the list, it seems to be a great cure-all. Hope you're feeling better, and Happy New Year to you!
Mason Canyon said…
Hope you're feeling better soon. If it's like what went around here, you get over it but a little bit of the cough stays with you for a while. The only thing I'd add to your list is a couple of classic DVDs like Cary Grant or Katherine Hepburn to listen to when you don't feel like reading. Get better.

Mason
Thoughts in Progress
Maria Zannini said…
Joanne: You bring back warm memories. My mom always used to give us ginger ale to sip when we had colds.

It really did help.
Maria Zannini said…
Mason: Oh, you're talking my language! I adore old movies. I wish they'd put more of the classics on dvd. They're definitely my comfort movies.
Sarah Ahiers said…
even though being sick sucks, i have to say napping under blankets with your dogs cuddled up next to you is one of the best things ever
Cathy in AK said…
Oh yeah, turn the TV to the classic movie channel, get some tea, and settle on the couch. That's my favorite remedy. I don't tend to eat when I'm sick. Crackers, maybe.

One of our cats makes herself a living heating pad when we're not feeling well. She seeks out the affected person and curls up on them, purring all the while, even through wracking coughs. The heat and vibration is quite soothing. She'll also do this if someone is emotionally distraught, especially one of the kids.

Even a "plain head cold" can be draining. Don't over do it just because you're feeling a little better.
Maria Zannini said…
Sarah: You said it. I feel so protected when they're next to me. They're a great comfort.
Maria Zannini said…
Cathy: Did you ever hear about that nursing home cat that used to hop up on the bed of the person who would die next? It was creepy. I always wondered if they kept the cat after they figured that out. Everyone loved her, despite her eerie predictions.

I think animals have a sixth sense about when we're sick and weak. Some offer comfort--others look for ways to cash in on us. :)
Krista D. Ball said…
You left out rum and/or whiskey.

I have given up taken cold medicine and now exclusively hit myself with a hot Irish Whiskey toddy and lemon before bed. Generally 1-2 nights and I'm done, whereas on cold meds it's 7-9 days.
Maria Zannini said…
Krista: I know that's a standard remedy, but I don't think I can stomach alcohol when I'm sick. The husband, on the other hand, will use it as a cure-all. LOL.

There's always a good reason to have whiskey.
Jackie said…
As one who hates to be ill no matter what the ailment hopefully you are past your 3 day window and on the downside of the creeping crud!
Welcome to 2011 Maria, after all the holiday drama you get home and succumb to a "bug", after all the bad luck good luck is around the corner coming at you full steam ahead!

Dogs are the best comfort for me too, that and my little Tabby cat at the foot of the bed who bites my toes when they get too close to her!


jackie >_<
Sherri said…
{{hugs}}

:pass bowl of soup:

Here's a nice tomato-basil and a warm grilled cheese.

Would you like a cup of tea?
Dru said…
when you don't feel like reading or watching a movie, put on the radio (soft rock) will gently rock you to sleep.

Don't overdo it because you feel better. Keep pampering yourself.
Andrea Coulter said…
I drink orange juice when I'm sick. And tea. But not orange juice tea - that would be odd :-P

Also, tomato soup is crucial. Hope you kick your cold soon!
Linda Leszczuk said…
I'm sorry you're on your own through this. Couple of items for your list - tea instead of hot chocolate, and Vicks Vap-o-rub. For head or chest congestion, nothing beats it. Slather it on and don an old t-shirt (preferably one of his) under your jammies. My mom used to lay a small towel between the Vicks and the t-shirt to hold the heat in.

In the "it could be worse" column, at least the dogs aren't sick. I'll never forget the time when my boys were young and all three of us had pnuemonia (Dad was out of town, of course). I literally crawled from bedroom to bedroom to take care of them.

Feel better soon.
Feel better soon, Maria! When I'm sick, I like buttered toast and lots of sleep.
Maria Zannini said…
Jackie: I hardly ever get sick, so I guess I'm due. But man, I wish it would schedule an appointment. :)
Maria Zannini said…
Sherri: I love tomato basil. Do you make yours from scratch? I've tried it a couple of times but it always came out too sweet.
Maria Zannini said…
Dru: You know that's my worst trait. As I start to feel better I overdo it and make things worse. I have to edits, but other than that no physical labor for a while.
Maria Zannini said…
Lynn: Ref: orange juice tea

I will never be able to look at orange juice the same way. LOL. I wish I had some OJ.
Maria Zannini said…
Linda, you sound like my mom. LOL. I hate Vapo-Rub.

I know what you mean about it could be worse. Greg and I had a similar event when we both came down with stomach flu at the same time. Unfortunately we were showing rheas over at the state fair and it was time to bring them home.

Greg, brave soul that he was, fell on his sword for me and dealt with giant birds and all the smells that entails. Blech!
Maria Zannini said…
Barbara: Thanks, hon. I'll visit your blog (and everyone else's) soon. I've just got to meet my deadline first.
mel said…
see... that's what you get for moving so far away ... if you were still around here, I could get you the bisque. Get well soon!
Maria Zannini said…
Mel: Well if you were a REAL friend, you'd bring me soup. ROTFL!

Yes, I'm kidding. Don't you dare drive all this way.

I'm better I think. Every night I swig Nyquil and Tank snores in my ear. I was supposed to go to Greg this weekend, but I think he's coming to me now.
Stacy said…
Oh Maria - I'm so sorry that you are sick. Wish I could whip up some of my famous chicken soup for you - it cures everything. Please take good care of yourself and indulge in some of your favorite things. In the spirit of helping you feel better, I think I'll go indulge in some comfort foods too. I'm such a caretaker.
Meghan S. said…
Awwwww man, being sick is the worst. I hope you get better right away!
Mike Keyton said…
Hot milk and honey and/or porridge and honey and a good audio book to fall asleep to. Mercifully, so far, I've rarely had need for them. Get well soon.
Marianne Arkins said…
Are you feeling better? Cuz... yanno.. I'm late as always :-(

For me? I don't want to be tended when I'm sick -- just leave me alone. In my case, misery does NOT love company! LOL...

Hope you're healed up.
Maria Zannini said…
Stacy: You make famous soup? And I don't even get a taste!

Though right now, I can't taste much of anything.

Meghan: I think I'm getting better. But I noticed the Nyquil stopped working last night. I coughed more and had a hard time falling asleep.
Maria Zannini said…
Mike: What is porridge? Is that different from soup?

I have this dream of inviting all my friends who are good cooks and having them work their magic in my kitchen. My kitchen appliances are amazing--sadly, I am not. LOL.


Marianne: I think I'm better--even if I don't sound like it. Normally, I don't like people fussing over me, but the other day when I was really dying I would've loved to have someone feed the dogs and bring me soup. All I wanted to do during the worst days was stay in bed.
Ellie Garratt said…
You mean you didn't have all those things? LOL. I need to go shopping . . .yesterday.
Maria Zannini said…
Ellie: I keep the basics, but I forget that when you're miserable, you want the fluffy slippers and the good soup. LOL.
Bookewyrme said…
I also try to keep my teddy-bear (I swear I'm an adult, no really) and as many of my favorite books and my computer nearby as a distraction. If I'm too sick to want to read or be on the computer, that's when you know I'm REALLY miserable.

~Lia