I knew as soon as I struggled to lift my head from the pillows this morning. Something was off.

All the grand plans I had for making the weekend special (after my moping about it not being worth looking forward to) fell in a heap – the warm pumpkin pancakes with salted caramel syrup suddenly off the menu. Dragging myself out of bed eventually I knew it would be enough for today if we just survived.

Eli had a birthday party to go to and I pulled myself together enough to be presentable, making sparse conversation with the kind and understanding Kinder mums as I focused furiously on just keeping food down. He barely noticed my subdued self, running himself ragged with chasing games and scoffing down party food with gusto.

When I fell into bed at the other end – shivering despite cranking the electric blanket to ‘high’, I realised this was a little more than the usual bout of morning sickness. Dave heroically mastered the kids and I was given leave to toss and turn in the blankets until dinner time.

As I lay there, aching all over, I had a sense of really ‘being’ in my own body. The pain and sensations – while uncomfortable and frustrating – brought me a new sense of gratitude for this incredible piece of incomprehensible machinery that not only carries me through life, but can also sustain the miracle of new life within it.

Sometimes the best laid plans can fall to ash, and the lessons learned from these unforeseen moments can be priceless. (Though I must say I hope this is just a 24 hour bug. I may find that my ability to wax lyrical about sickness is likely to wane tomorrow…)

This post is part of the #Write31Days challenge that I’m participating in along with a talented community of other writers. We free write for five minutes (or more) guided by a prompt. Today’s prompt is ‘off’. 

For more information on 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes, check out Christina Hubbard’s site!