KELLY BROWN Mum's the Word...We haul ourselves into work come what may '“ until a child falls ill...

So many people I know are poorly or have been poorly and been struggling on regardless.

And whenever you go to the shops you see a customer sneezing, a child with a runny nose or a worker desperately trying to serve shoppers and forget they feel like going home.

My husband was taking on life as a portable medicine cabinet last week with a combination of cough medicine, tablets and throat soothers being taken at any one time.

And of course the old favourite – Vicks – has come out of the draw leaving its scent wherever it goes.

But inevitably it is when the kids get ill everything changes and your life is turned upside down.

My little man was sent home from nursery because he had coughed so much in his sleep he had made himself sick.

So my hubby had to launch into action and collect him – and spend the afternoon watching Bob the Builder!

The next day our son was perfectly happy in the morning so went back to nursery – only for a call before lunch to say illness had struck again.

So this time it was my turn to rush to the rescue, watch Bob the Builder and come up with some child care plans for the week.

Cue calls to grandparents, work etc to sort out a workable plan of action.

All the while my munchkin just wants cuddles and a lie-down on the sofa – followed by an hour of running around with his toys – and then more cuddles.

It is so amazing how things work out. When you are poorly and feeling like death, you still drag yourself into work because you don’t want to either a) leave your co-workers to pick up the pieces or b) lose a day’s pay.

But as soon as your kids are ill, it is a case of abandon work and pick up the pieces later.

* A good choice – a car-tastrophe avoided

Finally, after our epic search we have a new car.

And, as those of you who read my ramblings last week will know, amazingly both my husband and I happy with it.

It has a decent-enough engine to keep hubby happy, and is practical enough to please me.

Phew!

[email protected]