Everyone has those times when they're not feeling quite right. When a nagging aching of the head or scraping of a dry swollen throat fatigue us. Sometimes these simple symptoms can just be a minor distraction that lasts a few hours, or maybe they turn into an infection that plagues you for a few days. Regardless, it's never fun. I'm one of those people that doesn't get sick very often, but when I do get sick, I get really sick. However, I won't deny the select times that I did somewhat "fake" sick so I wouldn't have to face the school day that was to come. Come on, back in elementary and middle school, we all did it once or twice. It started with "my tummy hurts!" or "I have a sore throat!" Back in the days when a fever above 99.5 meant your ticket out of school. The days in which staying home from school meant a full day of laying on the couch, chicken soup in one hand, remote in the other. Switching off between sleeping and mindlessly trying to find something on daytime TV that is mildly interesting.
Every since I started high school, staying home from school sick meant something completely different. First of all, in high school, you don't stay home unless you absolutely have to. While going to school not feeling 100% is awful, sometimes, missing a day of school can be even worse. So much make up work, test, and quizzes to try and catch up with. There have been times when I feel like I'm making up one day of missed school for an entire week. Because of this, I've gone to school sicker than I should have been one more than one occasion, ignoring the "fever and vomit free for at least 24 hours" rule. Second of all, staying home from school is no longer the relaxing break it once was. Instead of TV, it's studying for the physics quiz they're reviewing for in class while you're on the couch. Instead of sleeping, it's reading the Benjamin Franklin passage you expect they assigned in English.
Staying home from school for being as sick as I've been for the past few days is far from "relaxing" or "fun". However, one thing will never change. Those same comforts from my childhood have followed me to this point. The same old tricks continue to dull the pain in my throat and the ache in my temples. A nice hot tea accompanied by yogurt will always take the sting out of every swallow. Ten Thing I Hate About You and Parent Trap are my "go to" movies that are guaranteed to make me want to tear my hair out a little less. But the biggest comfort of all to me, ever since I was a little girl, is when my Mom would sit down next to me and stroke my head. From my hairline down to my neck; she would softly run her fingers through my hair. Back and forth, and back and forth. A fool proof way to stop the pounding in my head.
Being sick is not something that anyone wants to go through. But, it happens to everyone, and everyone has their own remedies to make it all better. Some do tea with honey, others swear by chicken noodle soup. Some do hours upon hours of sleep, others try to push through the pain. Regardless, everyone will get better, and hopefully go on to face the day ahead. A cough, a sneeze, a tickle in the throat; in my eyes, none if it can be cured without tea and bad romantic comedies.
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