Under the Weather

We've been home sick most of this week. It has been a long week. A sick toddler means mama has to be more patient than ever, even when she is bothered by her own sore throat, plugged up ears, and achy neck. Moms and dads don't get sick days from being parents, and so we power through.

A lot of being a parent is stepping up to the plate because there are no other batters. It is more responsibility and sacrifice than I could have imagined. When he was a newborn, I initially had a dream feeling that someone was going to come in and take over, that he couldn't possibly really be 100% our responsibility. But no one else is going to trim his nails; no one else is going to hold him down to suction the snot out of his nose with those bulbs; no one else is going to deal with that stinky diaper. And I admit to thinking to myself at times, would someone please make that baby stop crying?!

Whenever he is sick, I find myself thinking there must be someone who can magically care for him better than we can and maybe take care of me while they're at it. When we went to the doctor this week, I was weary from him not eating, not sleeping, and not being happy. I wanted the doctor to take over with confident answers about what he would eat and how long he would feel this way. But no--childhood illnesses are often all about waiting it out, and the worried waiting is another job that no one will do for us.

I am Thankful for Health Care

I am thankful and privileged to have comprehensive health care benefits. My entire pregnancy was free, and it was filled with check-ups, ultrasounds, and classes. My unplanned C-Section and the unexpected few days in the hospital were free. My labor did not go well, and if it weren't for our health care provider, who knows what would have happened. Follow-up appointments with a lactation nurse to make sure we had mastered the all-important latch--that was free, too.

All of my son's doctors appointments and vaccines have also thankfully been without cost to us. When he had an abscess on his bum, we were able to email our doctor, take him in for care, get antibiotics, and then call again when we had questions. When he had a 104 degree fever, we were given clear directions and were reassured that we could take care of him at home. Sometimes I grumble that they create too much anxiety in the name of prevention, but I am so grateful for our doctors whose expertise and information is available to us for little to no cost.

As with childcare, it is truly unfortunate that we can't all have equitable access to the same level of high quality health services. I am certainly not any more worthy of comprehensive healthcare than other women whose jobs do not cover maternity and pediatric care. When I reflect upon what I'm thankful for, it is impossible not to imagine the alternative reality that exists for so many.