Marriage Tip #17: Be there even when vomit is involved

Lee and I have both been sick the last couple of weeks.

First, Lee had the flu and a cold for over a week. The poor guy was a mess. He'd have hot flashes one minute, then shivers the next.   Lee rarely gets cold, so I knew something was wrong when he was shaking and couldn't get warm.

Lee, wrapped up, but still shivering

There was a lot of coughing, fever and chills, and vomiting. It wasn't pretty and Lee was miserable for a while there.

Then, a few days later when Lee was starting to feel better, I came down with a cold and sinus infection. The sinus infection must have aggravated something, because an old root canal started to throb and ache. Lee drove me to the endodontist, who confirmed that I had a raging tooth infection and gave me an antibiotic and a couple of pain medications to help me through the next few days before I could get the root canal retreated.

There was plenty of throbbing, swelling of the face, and vomiting (I fail at taking 3 meds that are known to be upsetting to the stomach!).  It wasn't pretty and I was a mess over the weekend.

I lost a dimple because my cheek was so swollen from the infection

Okay, I know vomiting is disgusting and gross.  It smells just awful and easily causes gagging of those who get a whiff. It may even sound like your once beautiful/handsome loved one has turned into a velociraptor* before your very ears.

After these couple of weeks of sickness, we've learned something and we'd like to share a marriage tip for when your loved one is sick and throwing up:  Be there even when vomit is involved.

Throwing up is A) so violent to the body, B) just plain horrible, and C) leaves you weak and disoriented, so...

• If your love is tossing his cookies, then rub his back.  I am not saying you have to review with him everything he ate in the last 24 hours (you can look away), I'm just saying the simple act of rubbing his back will help him feel better;

• And if your beloved is upchucking, then hold her hair.  I am not saying that you have to smell the vomit (you can plug your nose), I'm just saying that she will know that you love her and her pretty shampoo-smelling hair;

• And even if you don't have the stomach for it and you just can't be in the same room with your dearest, which means you can't rub her back or hold back her hair because your dearest sounds like a velociraptor*, then you can still hold her after it's all done.  She won't feel like such a velociraptor* after that.

You see, aside from being violent, horrible and weakening, throwing up makes you feel so vulnerable.  And the fact that your loved one will comfort you and won't tell anyone you turn into a velociraptor* when you are tossing your cookies, does wonders for your relationship. 

*See Season 6, Episode "Challenge Accepted" of How I Met Your Mother.*  It's a good one.*