Mama Can't Get Sick!

A few weeks ago everyone around me got sick. It started with Elsa, who likely contracted it from her Oklahoma cousins. The cold then passed to Arlo, then to my mom and stepdad and finally to my husband when we reunited with him back in Maryland. Even my brother got sick from the lingering runny noses during our family get-together over July 4th. Somehow I dodged that sickness bullet - I like to think that it demonstrates that there must be a merciful God after all.

My experience as a stay at home mom is that we don't get sick days. At least I don't. If I'm sick, I still have to take care of the kids and the house and all the stuff they use during the day -- there are onesies smeared with purees, toddler shirts stained with playground dirt, high chairs in need of wiping and pots used in the making of Mac-n-cheese to be scrubbed. The floors don't care if I'm sick - they, too must be cleared of fallen Cheerios. The fun stuff, too, must go on - the babies need hugs and diapers changed and the occasional tickling.

A neighbor friend of mine, a woman who worked outside the home, told me that when she got sick she stayed in bed all day and let the nanny care for her son. What a luxury! Some women might be lucky enough to have husbands/partners/family members who can pitch in for the day to carry the load. If that's you, count your lucky stars.

My plan is to avoid getting sick in the first place. To to this, I employ a precise routine that usually works. Today I've begun the routine, because I woke up feeling a bit under the weater. Here's the magic:

1. Steamy shower followed by neti pot -- the steamy shower makes me feel better on its own, but it also opens up the nasal passage for the neti pot. When I first started using a neti pot about 7 years ago not many people had heard about them, but now they seem to be everywhere. I think I even saw one at Walmart. Nothing works like a neti pot to remove allergens and other gunk from your nasal passage and help you breath better.
2. Oil of Oregano - I put a few drops of this under my tongue several times a day. They say it is a natural antibiotic and it sure helps me to avoid getting sick or to feel better once I am sick.
3. Hydration - my choices are orange juice (vitamin C) and water. Lots of water.
4. Rest - I'm not so great about this. If you can swing it, it helps to nip a cold in the bud. I'm supposed to be resting right now, while my husband is taking the morning off and is at the park with our toddler (baby is napping). Does blogging count as rest???