We (Dean and I) came down with severe head and chest colds late Monday night. We were prepping to leave OKC to come home - departure time 6 am Tuesday morning. We went shopping at Target that evening to get drinks and snacks we would need on the way home. We also went to get some meds. Unfortunately, since my ineptness with present-day social issues clouds my thinking - I had no idea that half of the cold medicines on the market would be under lock and key in the pharmacy. Dang. We chose Tylenol Severe Cold and Flu and hoped for the best.
The pressure was building in my head and I felt like I had been run over by a truck. I knew it was going to be a long night. Another sleepless night, on top of six others, was not going to help. I was hot, then cold, my skin hurt...even my hair hurt.
Dean and I have never been sick at the same time before. A little overlap, maybe, as one is feeling better and one is getting sick. But never down-and-out at the same time. We were each begging the other to drag this or that out to the car. Luckily I had been packing (and retrieving items from all over the inlaw's house) most of the day, so the brainwork was done. But the physical work was taking its toll.
Dean complained of bad heartburn during the night. We had no meds for that with us (but I will be adding that to the list), so I told him to go down to the kitchen and mix up some baking soda and water - the directions would be on the back of the box. We left the next morning at 6:40 (almost on time...), and stopped by Starbucks, as was custom, on the way to the interstate... although hot tea sounded better. We drove on a couple of miles, still heading towards the interstate when Dean began to complain of pain in his chest. The 'close your eyes and scrunch up your face kind of pain' forced him to slump in the seat (I was driving). We merged onto the interstate. Pain continues, and then Dean begins to turn pale. Then he grabs a plastic trash bag. I don't do well with gagging sounds. Not. At. All. He starts to gag. Damn. He starts to sweat. Double Damn. We are flying by Edmond (on the north side of OKC), and I see a sign for the OU Medical Center. I take the exit. Kids are whining. Annoying soundtrack of kid movie is playing. Dean is complaining of numbness.
I hate moments like these. Over-react and you feel stupid. Under-react and you regret it for the rest of your life. I don't like being a decision-maker like that. But, as a spouse, or a parent, or a son or daughter - that is what you do. You have to because people are depending on you. If it had been completely my call, I would have driven under the Emergency awning and had him hooked up to an EKG in ten seconds. But. We calmly parked (50 ft. from those precious doors), and I got into the back with the kids. Dean asked for a Sprite. I gave the kids juice, fruit snacks and crackers. And we sat. And waited. Dean looked up information on his Android. After ten minutes or so, Dean felt that the episode was over. We drove to a Walgreens on the corner. He went in and took his blood pressure and got some antacid. His Dr. appointment is today. I wonder if we made a good call or not. Dean has been okay since, but the warning signs were scary. I wouldn't think that indigestion makes you cold and clammy like that.
Anyway.... we're still sick. The drive (after the initial drama) was very peaceful despite that fact. We popped pills. We played music trivia to stay alert. I missed a couple of exits. I managed to remember how to exit the turnpike tollbooth in Wichita, KS the correct way though - yeah me! We passed up the last Braums without stopping. Ice cream just didn't sound good. I passed a trooper. Whoops. We fed Colin ghastly amounts of M&M's to keep him quiet. We heroically suffered through an hour at a McDonald's PlayLand. I napped on a bench. We more or less survived.
