Grandparents adore their grandchildren. Grandchildren adore their grandparents.
But when little children become sick with bubbly noses, weepy eyes, and germy hands, parents need to sacrifice on behalf of love. Sick kids need to be kept warm - or cool - and nurtured with all that a parent has to offer. Forget about taking ill kids to your loved ones' home for holiday meals, to school, or to church and Sunday School. Forget about the Nativity program, and forget about having people over for a Christmas party. Especially the elderly whose bodies have a harder time beating winter's nasties. Stay home. Care for your child. Care for yourself. Care for others by keeping them out of your home until the health of your entire family is restored.
Cancel with your apologies. Those spared will bless you while they maintain health and vigor throughout the holiday season.
And the rest of us will thank you for keeping your sickness and that of your little children out of public places.
A dearly loved woman is languishing at home, sick in bed for the second week, missing her favorite time of year. As her house becomes dustier, her pantry emptier, her laundry piling higher, she remains weak and discouraged for she'd rather be writing her Christmas cards, wrapping gifts, and helping her husband decorate their beautiful home. This grandma and grandpa have had Christmas diminished due to the thoughtless parents of underdressed, coughing, runny-nosed kids who gleefully lap-climbed and kissed their beloved granny. What would happen if she gently pushed them down? To force her to choose between accepting the love of her family or hurting their feelings is unkind at best. She is paying the price for her timid kindness now, while the kids have gone on to infect who knows how many others.
While I do what I can to help and cheer her, I hope this lovely woman regains her health and strength before the Season of Perpetual Hope passes her by.
(This Public Service Announcement was brought to you by one ticked-off woman.)
((Nooooo, these are not my kids pictured. I know how to use tissues and a washcloth.))
14 comments:
I missed being near a PC when the storm there was afoot. We only got our usual snow here. Looks really 'yuck' out there in places!!
As one with a terribly compromised immune system, I fully appreciate the value of EVERYONE with a contagious ailment avoiding the public. ME!!!:)
I get sooo mad when I see an underdresed little one!!
It was -13F here this morning. Someone brought in a 13-month-old, without a hat or mittens! ARGHH!
Okay, Cherie, I show pictures of cute little snakes and snails and you get all snarky, then you put up THESE.
Bleh, blechky, yucko. Somebody grab a Kleenex.
Guess you made your point, though. ;o)
Yeah, Mike, yuck it is. But the skies are kinder so the water is receding. Things are slowly looking up.
I hope a lot of people read your comment and think about just where they are spreading their germs, and if it's worth it to make good people like you ill.
You are right - everyone should consider the consequences of living and breathing illnesses in and out.
Tshs: AARGHH! is right! What is the matter with some people!
Deanna, you know what's even grosser than sticking these photos in a blog post about runny-nosed kids? Seeing faces just like these and worse, plus hearing the pitiful sneezes and coughs wheezing out of their little chests in real life, in public places, where germs can actually make people sick.
(As far as snarky goes - we're even. ;)
eeeeewwww, that photo is totally digusting! I didn't see it at first, waiting for it to load and then - wham - hit with the full view. Thanks Cherie. ;) (not) I'm totally with you on not germ spreading though... having said that I've dragged my snuffly self into work on multiple occasions. :( Bad nurse.
Sorry for the snarks; hope you know I care. You have such a kind heart for people, especially when they've been treated unfairly. That is a very big deal.
Sorry, Cecily. It's all for the cause, you know. ;) As a nurse you probably see more of this sort of thing than I do, and here I stuck it right in your face again. But I thought if we were confronted with something shocking we might strengthen our resolve to do our part in the curbing of sickness as far as we are able. I hope the photos didn't dampen your appetite - for chocolate even. ;D
Deanna, No worries!
You know, I feel so sad for little kids who are left in the hands of negligent people. I saw a little kid in the store just yesterday (as if my blog were coming to life!) sitting in the child seat of a grocery cart. He was underdressed for the weather, no shoes, and had this bubble on his crusty right nostril which was bubbling up and receding with his breath. His face was pale and sweaty all at once, his eyes tired with dark circles under them. He coughed a tense sort of painful-to-listen-to cough. He could barely keep his head up. My sorrowful pity for him increased 100 fold when his sloppy mom, after noticing his snot bubble come to life, laughed a loud smoker's laugh, pointed, and showed her mom. "Ha! Look at that! His boogers are blowing up like those frogs! Hahaha!" I won't describe the illegal (though possibly quite moral) thoughts that went through my head and nearly moved me to action, but I can't get that kid out of my mind.
What is a person's responsibility in a case like that?
I fished around for a Kleenex in my purse but was too late. She used his little dirty shirt...
THIS is why I post gross pictures. I'm angry and I feel sorry for little kids, and for grandparents, and for people like MIke who are at the mercy of STUPID people.
That being said, I love all of YOU and hope you can give me the leeway to vent. Bless you. And be well...
Yah, this is bad stuff. I feel for that grandmother. When older people get sick they don't come back as quickly as the babies do. Even then the babies I feel sorry for.
Me, too, Sandy. I feel so sorry for them all. The grandmother is still quite sick and the grandpa has caught it now, too. He is quite sick. I'm keeping an eye on them, doing what I can. They are safe and warm and fed and resting. But rather miserable nevertheless.
My friends and I were talking about this very thing yesterday and here is your post. We agree with you. I applaud you! We feel so bad for children who are not taken properly cared for. The pictures are the blatant truth and keep a person's attention. I find myself staying away from public places and even church during the holidays because I've been sick so many times on Christmas day due to the diseases of others who don't have the sense to stay home. Ticks me off too! And when my husband or kids get sick I REALLY get mad!
I hope your friends get well soon. Please let them know I'm praying for them. Breaks my heart.
Again, good for you! Don't let the squeamish get you down. ; )
Thanks for the encouragement, Annie. Looks like you get as riled up as I do! :D
(And it looks like we have similar tactics. Great minds and all that...)
I surely will tell them that you are praying. You are a good person.
Oh, Cherie, that story is so sad. (the one in your comments) I think some people think it's no big deal to take kids with runny noses out, but three of my boys (not sam--wonder if the math gene came with the ear infection gene--hah!) would ALWAYS get ear infections when they got colds. It was horrible knowing that when we were around people's kids with colds that likely my kids were going to get it and get the subsequent ear infection.
Oh yes, Patti, ear infections. Joe and Ben used to get them now and then and it's a horrible thing to witness. Poor little kids! And yes, the knot in the stomach that we parents get when we discover that our kids have just spent some time among the sick - knowing what is ahead for our darlings. Painful for us all.
(Your crack about the math gene is funny - and just might be true! Ha!)
For anyone keeping up with this post, the languishing lady is about to complete her third week of illness, and head into a fourth. You know that second or third day of the cold - after the sore throat - when you feel your absolute worst. Craggly voice, uber stuffy head, weak, disinterested in everything. Well, she's been there for three weeks. Getting a little stronger in that now she can rest and sleep in her reclining chair in her living room rather than be bedridden. Barely eating, but eating enough. Her husband has more energy but his chest is getting more congested. They won't let me help much as they are afraid I'll get it, but they accept a little and are grateful for my watchful eye. The lady is so discouraged that it's only 2 weeks til Christmas and she's missing it. Poor thing.
May you and yours have the gift of health!
Update in case anyone is watching: The grandparents are still sick. Granny is weak weak weak and Gramps (who is bouncing back but still symptomatic) is concerned. He'll take her to the doctor on Monday. My girls and I are going to clean their house for them tomorrow as guests have called and want to visit them, even knowing they are this sick. (I know!) I've made a huge pot of chicken soup from scratch, the good kind, the kind that works magic. (Fingers crossed!) I also made some whole wheat bread to take to them. Good nutrition and some healthy calories to hopefully strengthen the two. Oranges found their way into my box of goodies, too.
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