It's that time again - the yearly ode to my mother. Today is her birthday so naturally I am thinking about her a lot. I've also been sick for the last couple weeks (a nasty, lingering wheezy cough that resulted in me getting antibiotics AND an inhaler) which always makes me miss her. Because she was really amazing when I was sick. And when I was little I was kind of sick a lot.
By the time I was 6, I had broken an arm and a leg. I think these are the ones that were most annoying to her because I had old school plaster casts that would probably mold and disintegrate in water. She had to cover them in plastic to bathe me. When I broke my leg, my cast was all the way to my hip so I wasn't mobile, which is the kiss of death for a 3 or 4 year old. I remember one instance where she was doing laundry or something at the back of the house and I was bored so I dragged this massive cast down the long hallway to her (which could have probably broken the cast and/or hindered my healing). She had to carry me back to the family room and was not pleased. Poor Mom.
I'm pretty sure that's a fake smile.
I also got Mono when I was in Kindergarten (my dad was like WTF??) which kept me bedridden for a month. Also, apparently one of the "prescriptions" was for me to eat a chocolate bar a day (thank you 1960's medicine!!). I am still not the biggest fan of chocolate (I like it but it's not a necessity) but back then I didn't like it at all so she had a hard time shoveling this into me on a daily basis. I think it was also irritating to her because she was forever dieting and likely would have preferred to just have eaten it herself.
When I was 8ish I had pneumonia. I remember some assignment for school (maybe like "writing my autobiography") where I mentioned it and she was both amused and proud that I could spell pneumonia correctly at such a young age.
I also had the regular assortment of kid issues. One time, when I had the stomach flu in the middle of the night, she hopped up to help me and broke her pinky toe on her bed frame. That is some serious dedication.
Athena Erokan nursemaid staples:
- The number one remedy in any Greek household is Avgolemono soup. OMG, it's the nectar of the Gods. She made a kick ass soup, using vermicelli instead or rice or orzo, allowing for maximum spaghetti-slurping. Divine! I have only just recently learned to make it properly - which according to my cousin Cynthia requires some kissing noises over the pot as you are pouring the eggs in. It's what our Yiayia did so it's SCIENCE.
- Whenever anyone had stomach issues, my mom would go out to the side yard of our San Jose home which was completely overgrown with a ton of weeds (in fact, my dad wouldn't even let the grandchildren play in that part of the yard cuz it was kind of hazardous). She’d zero in on the one weedy plant she needed and pick fresh mint. Then she'd make us the best mint tea ever which always settled my stomach.
- When I had to stay home from school, particularly during the Mono month, my mom would set up the sofa bed in the family room, which faced the TV. She'd prop me up with a bunch of pillows, water, a barf bowl if that was required and turn on the cartoons. Or whatever was on in the middle of the day back then (talk shows, Guiding Light). This is very possibly how I cultivated my love of cop shows...Mannix was my favorite when I was little.
So let's raise a Manhattan (or mint tea if you are on my antibiotics regimen) to my mom on her birthday. I miss her every day of the year and maybe just a little bit more today.
xoxo...hashtagSueslife
HBD, Mom!
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