The Tub Is Still Clean

My day began with an early dentist appointment at 7:30am.  Medical appointments of any kind are best scheduled at the beginning of the day in my opinion, when both patient and practitioner are fresh and it is almost a certainty you will begin on time.  Normally I drive straight to work afterward but today I left everything at home planning to go back there before deciding whether or not to go onto work.

My decision was made for me by the time I got home.  As I walked in the door to see Justin slumped in the dining room in his underwear Bird was trying to get Sam out the door to school.  It turns out that Justin was not feeling very well.  While I was getting the lowdown on the situation Justin tromped to the bathroom to take care of some ill business.  I set about trying to triage some work stuff and communicate that I would not be doing much other work today.

I checked Justin to find him laying on the cool bathroom floor.  He wasn't hungry or thirsty and feeling it was still early in the process I didn't press him on liquids.  I did, however, force him to get in the bathtub.  He played hockey with me the previous night and hadn't yet showered and the water just might soothe him at the same time.  While he took a bath I went back to my email.  It wasn't long before I heard a weak, "Dad..." calling me.  "What?" I responded to find out that he had just puked.  "I'll be right there."

Upon entering the bathroom I was surprised to find him sitting naked in an empty bathtub hanging over the side where he had puked all over the floor.  I envisioned some day in his college future as he lay there limply waiting for me to assess the situation.  It's funny how often the first thing I ask isn't always the most important, but in my defense I do always get there.  "You're sitting in the bathtub, why wouldn't you puke in the tub?"  After a contemplative pause he shrugged and said, "I don't know.  I just didn't think about it."  I reasoned with myself that in his duress the common sense shut off to protect the more vital bodily functions.  Then I asked, "Are you feeling better?" It seems the all important act of purging himself had done the trick and he was feeling much better.  So now I have him resting up and trying to maintain liquids; food is still unappetizing.  I have a bathroom to clean up and come to think of it I'm not very hungry either.