Memory Lane Friday - A Time You Were Sick

It's Memory Lane Friday again.  This is a chance to write about your memories, to preserve them for your family.  All are welcome to link up.  This week's topic is 'A Time You Were Sick'.

Unfortunately, I was sick a lot as a kid.  I remember ear infections so painful that I couldn't stop sobbing, my tears dripping down the sides of the red hot water bottle.  In many of my childhood pictures I wasn't smiling - probably because I was always sick.  My ears were infected so much that they developed scar tissue that affected my hearing, and I recall a brief stint with speech therapy as a result.  So it's no surprise then, that at the age of 5, I had my tonsils out and tubes put in my ears.

Now keep in mind that this was 30 years ago, so I'm sure my memories have blurred and distorted with time.  My mother could probably straighten out a few details, if she wanted.  But here's how I remember it.

I went to the hospital with my comfort object, a baby that cried like a real baby.  The doctor claimed that he thought it was a real baby when he heard it in the waiting room. 

I remember the gas, being pushed over my face, sickening sweet, a black rubber mask.  I tried to fight it, and the nurses kept telling me to relax.

I remember itching after getting home.  Which they thought was a reaction.  But which turned out to be chicken pox.

I remember our dog, Ginger, a golden retriever, chewing up one of my favorite toys.  Or maybe she peed on it?  I was really upset.

And then, in the midst of this perfect storm, my mom came into the bedroom carrying some gently cooked buttered noodles, all my raw throat could handle at the time.  Alas, she dropped the noodles.  They splattered all across the floor.  And then I watched, alarmed, as she sunk down and burst into tears.  She must've been so overwhelmed.  And I'm not sure, but the timing might have been right for her to have been just barely pregnant with my younger brother.

Shortly after that, she whisked me down the road to our neighbor's house.  I think we just needed to get out.  So here's a picture of me playing with my friend Adam's smurfs, while he was at school.  I still wasn't able to talk, but I could smile.

Needless to say, I recovered!  And good riddance to those tonsils - I never have missed them a bit.

If you want to grab my button and link up, the button for Memory Lane Friday is in the sidebar.

Next week has no theme, so be brainstorming for a memory to write about!