A Woman's Cold Ignored!

Have you ever noticed how unfair the world is to women? Take today for example, I have a cold. Everyone gets them. No big deal. Except that my darling husband had a cold three days ago and he was lounging around on the sofa doing a great impression of the dying swan from "Swan Lake". I had deadlines to meet, a baby to look after and him, looking as if he had been stricken down by some deadly plague to fetch and carry drinks and tissues after. 

His cold has now gone. Passed on to its next victim - me - and I am still dealing with family and home issues. I need to curl up on the sofa and receive a little tender loving care, but do I get it? No-siree. I am yet to be offered a tissue, or a hot cup of coffee - and I will probably suffer some fatal condition should supper be offered later this evening! Give the man his due, he is taking care of the baby - probably so I don't pass my (his!) germs on to the little one - but even so, I'm still having to deal with "do you think he's hungry" and "will his diaper need changed yet?".

Tomorrow, I will be back to my normal capable self and this period of self-pity will pass, but whilst it's here, it is good to reflect on how differently the sexes react to illness. How the woman is the "Carer" when someone is sick, and yet rarely becomes the "cared for" when she herself is stricken is probably one of life's gender mysteries. 

So I shall sniffle my way to the washing machine, sort out the laundry before deciding what to make for supper, and reading up on my next writing assignment - hopefully without spreading too many germs around the house. The last thing I need is for darling husband to suffer a relapse!

Katie-Anne, 2001