Sunday, April 5, 2009
Sick
I don't remember my Nana being sick--ever. I know she must have been, but I have no memory of it. Ma either. "Ma" and "Pa" were the names we called Nana's parents--Grammy's maternal grandparents--Martha and Peter Rasmussen. I remember going in her house--Bobby was usually afraid to go alone--she had mysterious things going on.
Sometimes she would be lying on her bed with colored lights shining on one body part or another--ear elbow, etc. It was a light with a frame around it, and she had colored celophane that she put in the frame--and it shone whatever color the celophane was. The thing is, different colors were for specific ailments and pains. I know this theory is extant in some regions, but I don't know what it is. Ma was a great practitioner, though.
Also, she could belch. I'm pretty sure she could hold her own with ANYONE. I used to sit and watch (and listen!) with amazement. I never realized, as a little child, that one day I would also have a stomach full of anonymous gases and other detritus of meals and be able to do it almost as wondrously as she did. yech...
The thing is, I remember Pa being sick. He got "flu" or "a cold" and went to bed--of course.
I also remember Gramps getting sick a few times--he didn't go to bed. He just coughed and spewed from the kitchen table where he sat doing crossword puzzles. He had a truly nasty handkerchief wadded up beside him and used it frequently during those times.
Grampy had malaria during World War II. The trouble with malaria is that when you are better, it keeps coming back. He and Grammy were married in 1952, and he was still having those periodic spells of it. He got really sick--chills, fever, shaking--he was really bad. Gradually the time between the spells grew longer, and at some point, they just stopped. Of course, we didn't know it until we realized--hey it's been a long time--well into the 60's.
When Bobby is sick, well, you know.
The reason I'm thinking about this today is because I am either really allergic -- probably -- or I have some sort of virus. yech...
I'll probably be feeling well tomorrow--it's my plan.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
When I was old enough to help Nana in her yard, I remember clearly that she would go in the house and rest every once in awhile. She apparently had a heart attack when she was very young and knew when she needed to rest. When that time came, she'd politely excuse herself and go in and rest for awhile.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we're a very sickly family. My immediate family is the same way. We puke every 15 - 20 years; get a cold every 4 -5 years; and not much else in the sickness department.
Nana said that she had a heart attack when she was 12, and the doctors told her she would not grow up.
ReplyDeleteI am sick right now, with a viral infection that is not the flu, and some crud in my lungs. This has been going on since Thursday. My fevers are high, but thankfully, no vomiting or other nasty stuff. Just lots of pain and tylenol.
ReplyDeleteMother said Nana's heart attack happened when she was 19. I've never heard the 12 years old thing. I wish I had a dime for every time I said to myself, "I've got to ask Mother ..." in the last year.
ReplyDeleteNana was the one who told me she was 12 when it happened.
ReplyDelete