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| Metsu, Gabriel - Sick Child, the (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Our stories about being sick can be entertaining, frightening, or informative. Few of us enjoy being sick, but a good story about sickness can be just the cure for whatever might be ailing us at the moment. After all, sickness is a part of life and sometimes the cause of death. There are many human stories related to sickness.
My recent bout of illness was a big setback for me in my blogging activity. I didn't get much done as far as work on writing and chores around the house, but I got a nice amount of reading done and managed to watch a few more movies than I normally would. Other than that I spent a lot of time sleeping, sitting around drowsily, and then sleeping some more. Then there was one evening spent in the emergency room.
Never in my life had I had such a dizzy spell as I did in the event that led me to ask my wife to take me to the hospital. She knew something serious was up. I normally don't like going to a doctor and my few experiences with going to the ER have never been pleasant ones. This time though I thought something serious was afoot. They checked me out and gave me some Valium and Travel Sickness pills and put me on observation while blood tests were run. Final prognosis? I'm getting older and I was reacting to an ear infection. This was a new reaction to ear problems for me, but now I guess I have a better grasp on what to do if it ever happens again.
I remember times of illness in my life. Not that I'm unhealthy or anything, but we all get sick sometimes and I can remember some of my own times. I recall the Seven-Up, hot tea, and buttered toast that my mother used to give me when I was a child and home in bed sick instead of going to school. Broth made from chicken bullion. They all are things I still turn to when I feel badly.
Then there was the time my sister had Scarlet Fever. My parents were so upset and listening to them I was certain that she was going to die. In retrospect I'm sure that the situation wasn't quite as serious as it seemed, though it was serious enough. In a way I envied the attention she received, but I was glad I didn't contract the illness.
In my adult years I've been fortunate not to have had many serious illnesses. Often, as adults sometimes have to do, I'd just plod forward through sickness to continue doing whatever it was I had to do. As a business manager I frequently just worked through my sickness and let it run its course. I might slow down, but I'd keep going when I had to and just collapse at home when I could.
Thank goodness my kids were all healthy. They didn't have many serious illnesses, which was good for me since I was a single father raising them on my own while trying to lead my work life. There were a few times when I'd take one of them to my office and let them sleep on the couch there while I attended to business. Sometimes we just have to improvise and do the best we can.
There are memoirs completely about sickness--the travails and the victories and how it can all change our lives. Or sickness can just be a part of the story. Nearly all of us can tell a story about a time we were sick or about someone we know who suffered through being sick. It's just another topic that we can consider when we're coming up with ideas about what we can write.
Do you have some memorable stories about being sick? Is there something in those stories that can provide a learning experience for others? Have you had funny sickness experiences? Do you often write when you are sick or do you tend to avoid writing during those times?
