Portrait of my Coldness
Monday, September 17, 2007
As I wrote earlier, wifey Kim has been suffering from a violent cough for the past two weeks. Her coughing comes in bits and spurts, but when it comes, its horrific. She'll start coughing, a dry, loud cough, and continue coughing for a good 5-6 coughs, often followed by broken up coughing and at times, another coughing binge. For the first week, it was quite scary. When she'd cough, I'd follow the usual drill: turn in her direction, ask if she is okay, ask if I could get her anything, and then look on in fear and helplessness as she continued to cough. After the first week, however, I learned to tune out the coughing. If she was in bed coughing and I was in the other room, I would stay put instead of running and checking on her. If we were talking and she started coughing, I waited patiently for her to catch her breath. The key was that I stopped worried about it and her because I knew that there was nothing I could do.
With this background, on Sunday afternoon, wifey Kim and I went to a local bar to have some lunch and watch the Giants. While we were eating, wifey Kim began to cough. and cough. and cough. By this time, I had already become desensitized to her plight. Still, I can't imagine what the neighboring table thought. After all, while wifey Kim was hocking up a lung, the nearby seaters looked over in fear and asked, "Honey? Are you okay? Can you breathe?" I suppose they were probably prepping form the Heimlich. Wifey Kim nodded that she was fine while she continued to cough uncontrollably. But me, I just kept my head and eyes down and continued to chomp on my food, confident in the knowledge that wifey Kim was fine, but oblivious to the fact that I looked like the least caring asshole in the place. Freakin' strangers had to check if my wife was checking while I was too busy to look up from my cheesesteak.
I'm not a bad person, no matter what those nosey fuckers think!
Until next time, make mine poker!
posted by Jordan @ 2:23 PM,
7 Comments:
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At 3:49 PM,
Irongirl01 said...
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Hey J?
Has Wifey seen a doctor? I have asthma and sometimes it only manifests itself in a dry croopy cough. Its not unheard of to develop asthma later in life. I was about 34-35. I have had the same coughing fits throughout my adult life.
Whooping cough has made a reappearance too. -
At 4:05 PM,
iamhoff said...
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If anybody gives you shit, just lay a wicked beatdown on them. Wifey Kim (hope she's feeling better soon, btw) will probably laugh herself into another coughing fit, tho.
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At 5:18 PM,
said...
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My first semester of college I had a horrible cough ... they gave me an Albuterol inhaler for instant relief when needed, and also put me on a pill anti-biotic (if I remember correctly...) to clear everything up. The coughing fits, wheezing, etc. took about a month to fully subside... that case marked a highly had a highly unusual "general sickness" healing time for me, though.
I don't have asthma, but the inhaler really helped at the time... Kim might want to ask about something like that, I guess. -
At 6:24 PM,
KajaPoker said...
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Not to be the devil's advocate here or anything, but you should never ever EVER stop asking if she's ok. Even if you know she is and there is nothing you can do about it. Women don't forget a damn thing in their lives and every time you don't look up or ask, she is adding it up in her little "Jordan Negative Points" memory bank. Even if you don't think she's like that. Even if you think I know nothing about you, her or your relationship. She is going to remember. Mark my words. Always check, always ask.
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At 9:23 AM,
TripJax said...
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cold mofo
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At 6:45 PM,
Schaubs said...
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I cracked a rib once when I had pneumonia. Be careful!
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At 7:35 PM,
Wlokos said...
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I must say, having pictured this scene in my head just now, I think it would make for a great sitcom storyline. I can see it already.
