How do you look after yourself when you're ill?

[beansmum]

I have a disgusting sinus infection at the moment, and I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself. ds (8) is lovely, and helps as much as he can, but there are still lots of things that I have to do myself.

What little things do you do to make life a bit easier when you should really be in bed but you have to carry on as usual?

I tidy up as soon as kids fed, all after school clubs cancelled until I'm better and go to bed about 10 mins after kids. hope you have antibiotics and feel better soon

Paracetamol
Tea
Ibruprofen
Tea
heating on
Tea
Hot bath - with tea
More tea
Paracetamol
Tea
Ibruprofen
Tea
Keep warm
Takeaway
Tea
Bed and tea
Paracetamol
Bed with tea.

above all - try to catch it early.

No one other than a lone parent knows how this feels... I call in favours from friends and as my DS is at school make sure I take the time off work and sleep/rest and take medication. If I wasn't a lone parent I may still work and rest later but you can't.
Skip all non life essential jobs and don't feel guilty at putting DVD's on.. getting a take away and not taking DS to out of school activities.
Get well soon.

Forget about all non-essential things.

Perusade DC that an early night is in order, thus allowing you to flake out even earlier.

Force yourself up for school run, and if you take the day off work, go back to bed and make sure you set alarm for school pick up time

Or try not to get ill. Ever

Tell DS that you are ill, so he doesn't think that it is his fault.
Go to bed when he is at school.
Be on the sofa when he is at home, so you are available.
If you can afford it, use cabs and get ready meals/take-aways.
Tell him what you are doing to get better (doctor, medication, rest etc.)
Reassure him that you will get better and plan something for when that happens.

It is tough I'm just recovering from chest infection and tonsillitis. I had such a rough night Saturday night, I sat 2 hours with the dc (5&3) to see a doctor. I ended up breaking down in tears as so run down & exhausted. Tv was my friend that afternoon. Tv and mc'd for tea and kids happily played/watched tv while I flaked on sofa. Washing/cleaning/non essential cooking can just wait til we are well enough to face them x

It is absolutely wretched being ill when you have kids to look after and no-one else there to look after them for you; when my son was really little I used to long for those days when I could just lie on the sofa and watch shit telly and sleep. Instead I was doing stuff like coming downstairs on my bottom (too dizzy to stand up) with a bucket in hand ready to start the day. GRIM. But yes, sod everything except the non-essentials - ready meals are your friend. Also, speaking of friends, let them know. I help out my friends when they are ill and they help me out too. Definitely sleep as soon as soon as the kids have conked out. And I agree that if you work, take proper time off and don't go back until you're completely better - you don't have the luxury of recuperation time in the same way that parents in couples have.

sleep when they are at school.
alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen. make sure you have 3 days supply in at least.
leave all jobs til you are better.
mcdonalds do drive though for tea after school or beans on toast. or open a tin of something easy
keep an emerrgency box of uht milk in so you do not have to shop. bread in freezer.
keep an emergency dinner money fund if you school allows you to book them in at short notice.
keep a box of special toys or cayons/paperr fo pooly days. does not have to be expensive just different to the normal ones. new toys seem to keep them busy longer. special dvds.

you will learn the art of vomitting into a bucket while simultaneously comforting your child while they arre vomitting. or get to the point where you vomit with a very interested audience... who then spend the next week doing vomitting impressions very realistically.

oh and trry not to kick the other motherr in the playground when she loudly proclaims how wonderful her dh is because he has been bringing the children to school and looking after them in the evening so she can recover when you have just dragged yourself out of bed to take the children to school.

If I feel like I'm just starting to get something then I tend to just have hot water with fresh lemon and honey for breakfast, paracetamol if needed. Then neck a mug of green tea when I get to work, I swear it's so foul tasting that any bugs that are considering bedding in for a nice illness get the message and scarper.

I also keep those 'add hot water' porridge pots at work so once I feel a bit more human I can have a nice bowl of sugary porridge.

When I'm actually really I'll then it's just the easiest food there can be, basic cereal for the dc's breakfast, I portion off home made meals and keep them in the freezer for emergencies, and always have baked beans in the cupboard.

If I have D&V then mum, stepmum or sister deal with the school runs so I can hide away in the bathroom.

Urg this is me today I want to curl up on the sofa and eat biscuits and cake all day but instead I've been running round the sofa in circles like a mad woman!

I was a Girl Guide so have learnt to Be Prepared!

Always offer to help out other mums, especially the single mums, when they are ill, can't get time off work etc so that you don't feel bad about calling in a favour. Doing the school run for a neighbour or dropping off ready meals or pain killers.

Keep a supply of a few favourite meals that can be prepared instantly, frozen things, tins or packets that can be microwaved.

Teach DC how to cook, load the washing machine and dishwasher etc as soon as they possibly can.

Keep the kids active and busy when you are well so they appreciate the veg out and watch stuff when going out isn't possible.