I Get By With a Little Help from My Friends

I got sick. Not my typical "sniffle, sniffle, cough" sick, but "I think I should make sure my will is done" sick. It started creeping up on Saturday evening and by Sunday afternoon I was wasted. Fever over 102, chills, nausea, sore throat, and the kind of headache that had me thinking, "Maybe if I drilled a hole in my skull, it would relieve the pressure and I'd feel better."

If it weren't for some awesome friends swooping in and caring for me, I don't know what I would have done. Aunt Sassy, as we like to call one friend in particular, dropped by and picked up Jadyn so that I could rest Sunday afternoon. Paul, who had already worked 6 days straight, had some news event to cover. We could pick her up at small group that night. Sounded great to me, except that when Paul came home to get me and take me to small group, I was so dizzy that making it to the bathroom seemed like trying to walk a straight line on a moving tilt-a-whirl machine. So I elected to stay home while Paul went to group.

A few hours later, it got worse. I couldn't figure out who had hold of the vice grip that was obviously invisibly crushing my brain. When I couldn't get Paul on his cell, I called Aunt Sassy. Apparently I sounded like I was on the brink of death because she made the executive decision to get me some medication, come pack a bag for Jadyn and keep her for the night. I was in no condition to care for myself, let alone my 5 month old. Paul was going to have his hands full dealing with me and my imploding head, so off Jadyn went on her first night without Mommy. I didn't even get to say good night, but that wouldn't dawn on me till I could think again.

On Monday Aunt Sassy came and drove me to the doctor (I could not be trusted with machinery with moving parts) while Jadyn's pseudo-adoptive Aunt Amy kept Jadyn. After the doctor took one look at my temperature, she pronounced me sick and gave me several prescriptions that even now continue to do scary stuff to my sense of balance. Aunt Sassy kept Jadyn the rest of the day while Paul worked. Good thing, too. I didn't puke so much when I was pregnant as I did that afternoon. But by Monday night my temp had dropped and it seemed I was on the mend.

Yeah, right.

Tuesday morning the thermometer still said 102.2 so Paul stayed home to parent while I stayed in bed. He even lined up a friend to watch Jadyn for that evening so he could cover a night meeting without leaving me to spread my germiness all over her. Just when I thought the magnanimous nature of my friends had reached its zenith, Aunt Amy's daughters walk in bearing dinner for us. Had I not been working very hard to keep from coughing on them, I would have burst into tears.

At our church (Hope Community Church) we have a saying: "Hope happens in small groups." And that's how I got to be friends with these folks - from small group. It has been wonderful to experience the love and support of people who have quickly become family to us.

So thanks, you guys. I couldn't have made it through this without you!

Oh, and by the way, so far, Jadyn seems to have dodged the sick bullet. Thank God! I'd rather be sick for a week than have her sick for just one day!