Sick toys

Did your mother ever get you a sick toy?  Mine did not, as I was almost never sick, until, at 21, I managed to get thyroid cancer and was looking at a six hour surgery and two day hospital stay.  Typical stomach flus and colds never warrented a sick toy, but that did.

And you know what, I think I enjoyed it even more than I would have if I'd gotten it when I was 10!  She got me a kindle (yes, big toy, I realize.  It counted as my "sick toy" for the following two other surgeries and is still running strong.).  It was a lifesaver, despite the fact that I read maybe, maybe, one sentence while in the hospital.

Oxycodone does strange things to one's attention span.  Let's leave it at that.

(hahahaha)

But after, during the couple weeks of recovery, boy did I love that kindle.  Simple though it was, that sick toy made being sick a lot less unpleasant.

So now, it's a tradition.  For big sickness, you get a sick toy.  None of my siblings have warrented one yet, thank goodness (my sister's wisdom teeth removal was before the sick toy era), so the next sick toy recipient was my husband.

Because he looks so sweet and innocent sleeping on the couch with his ice pack headband, I am going to bow to his dignity and not take a picture.

But you can imagine just fine, I'm sure!

He got a sick toy.  Sick care package, actually, because my mom adores him.  She gave him a container of homemade brownies - I froze them, as he can't eat them yet, a cute card, and this:

He's not quite channeling enough brain power for it (reference the sleeping from three paragraphs above) but I'm staring at it as I workcoughprocrastinate and will definitely try it out.  I love puzzles, and the puzzlier they are, the better.  But, ready for it or not, it brought a smile to his chipmunky face and that was enough to make the both of us very pleased and keep us as advocates for the sick toy tradition.

Do you have any traditions for when your kids or family are sick?  Do tell - I promise I'll only steal them if they're really good!