Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Florence Nightingale I'm Not.

I survived!

I'm not talking about my latest running expeditions. As challenging as they can sometimes be, I'm managing to tick them off my program without any real problems. My knee (ITB niggles) seems to have responded to my new-found diligence in doing my exercises. And I'm recovering well between sessions. Yay me!

No, what I'm talking about is the love of my life's latest malady. Poor Iven had a sore back.

This is not a new thing for Iven. He has had a history of back problems and has been given strengthening and stretching exercises to help keep it pain-free. The only problem is that he only ever does the exercises when he's in pain. When it's not hurting he tends to forget. So it's a cycle of pain, do the exercises, no pain, don't exercise.

I used to be sympathetic but now, not so much. From my morally superior pedestal (where I do the exercises I need to in order to delay the onset of rigor mortis) I tend to give him a dose of you-should-have-been-doing-your-exercises and I-told-you-so. And then I escape down to my workroom so I don't have to listen to a man in the throws of agony. But I'm not totally heartless. If he gets too loud and is in danger of disturbing the neighbours I'll throw him a couple of pain-killers from the safety of the kitchen and hope that they land close to him.

But that wasn't Iven's only complaint. He managed to get a cold aka the dreaded Man Flu.

I did feel a little bit sorry for him. And then I felt sorry for myself because a sore back means that I have to do a few extras like walking the dogs (not what I'd planned for in the midst of marathon training) and all the fruit and vegie shopping (lugging enough green groceries for a family of five for a week is challenging for a woman who has a runner's upper body strength). The cold/man flu means that I have a man, who's known for his ability to wake the dead with his snoring with the added challenge of congested airways, next to me in bed.

But worst of all he had to stay home for over a week!!

I know I live with a family and chose to have that family. And I happily let them have their girlfriends over (heaven knows that we need to redress the testosterone-oestrogen imbalance). But the honest truth is that I like I like having the house to myself. I like my alone time. I like not having to talk to anyone but the dog (yes, I'm one of 'those' pet owners) for a few hours every week.

On Monday, his first day back at work, I finally got my alone time. It was wonderful! I'm incredibly productive if I'm not being constantly interrupted. And since then I've had a few more hours of alone time - feeling like I'm on an even keel again. Which is good because I had to go brave the grocery store today - that grocery store that moved and which I've yet to learn where all my usual purchases are. When I got to the checkout I asked Jenny (yes, my checkout chick and I are on a first-name basis) how she was doing. She wasn't doing so well. Her husband has a sore back and is (and I quote) 'on the endangered species list' like the moth on my ceiling the other night.


Just wanted to leave you with a picture that made me smile the other night. It was sent by one of my friends with Mmm being the only clue. Took me a while to realise that they'd enjoyed my cake. That makes me happy!



I'm glad I'm not the only one.

11 comments:

  1. I have an idea... maybe set a time a side each day for the 2 of you to have some quality time together!!! just 5-10min, and then you look after your ITB and he looks after his back!!!

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  2. Sorry for your husband and... for you that have to do his job at home!
    I have my back damaged forever after the fracture of the vertebra and I MUST do my exercises every day or I risk a dangerous surgery.
    Nice pics.

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  3. Hee, hee. I can SO relate to this! My husband is coming home today after knee replacement surgery. And this is terrible but I am dreading it...men do not make good patients. And I too love my quiet alone time at home! Maybe we need to have a virtual run or happy hour to get through this?

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  4. Oh - I hate when my husband is sick!! He goes from being this super guy to the most pathetic person I know!!! 2 years ago he had microfracture surgery on his knee - it was awful!!! I would go to work and people always asked how he was - duh!! He's great - home hanging out having every need met (by me)!! I was the one that wasn't so great!!! I am a horrible care-giver!!
    Glad that your husband is back to work!!!

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  5. Haha! At least i can say I haven't been sick with flu or a cold for a very long time now. Can't even remember when I could last take some sick leave. I am lucky indeed. I also have no back or other problems. Being healthy is such a blessing.

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  6. ughhh, hubs is such a baby when he gets a man cold...luckily, he doesn't get sick often. but i know as soon as the housecoat comes on, LOOK OUT.

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  7. Never alone with the man flu ..... I've learnt to take his man-flu and square-root it to the max ... only way I can get recovery time in and back on my feet sooner rather than later.

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  8. Of course they enjoyed your cake! I have a friend who is a good cook and she gave me some good sweets for my birthday.
    I need my alone time desperately. I don't know how people do it whose husbands work from home or are retired or whatever.

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  9. A sick man is the absolutely worst torture a woman can endure. Glad you survived and got some peace and quiet - finally!

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  10. How could someone be doubtful about your cake? :)

    I hope your husband will recover soon ... and will not give up doing exercises which help his back. At the moment I'd like to send you the following message which goes straight to the point: "Keep calm and carry on".


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  11. Oh dear... I thought I was the only one used to my own company and occasionally a bit grumpy if someone impinged on that.

    I'm sure you were great! I recently had to 'care' for my mum when she had her hip replacement and had to grit my teeth a lot. She's pretty low maintenance but as she couldn't do anything....

    "Deborah I think the water in the flowers need changing."
    "Can you get my glasses? No the other ones."
    "I wouldn't mind a new book if you can find one on the shelf."
    "I think I'd like to have a shower and wash my hair."

    Grrr.... of course it's easy to forget she had to do everything for me 40ish years ago!

    Deb

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