On my toes, a clumsy pyjama clad ballerina, neck stretched back, head tilted with mouth wide open trying to catch my balance and the bright light over the bathroom vanity long enough to see the back of my throat. Scratchy and raw for days I had an urgent need to see what was happening back there.
Finally a glimpse; crimson with tiny thickened white splotches scattered about my throat. I was eleven years old; old enough to know it was not good.
“Dad, look in the back of my throat. I think I have an infection.” I blurt out the diagnosis as I throw my head back to open wide in front of my Dad as he makes his breakfast.
“That’s just bread crumbs.”
“No it’s not. It’s infection.”
I convince my Mom to take me to the doctor, get antibiotics for strep throat, and begin my lifelong health vigilance.
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To learn more about “Bite-Size Memoir” (memoir of no more, no less than 150 words based on a weekly prompt) please visit Lisa Reiter’s blog “Sharing the Story”:
http://sharingthestoryblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/bite-size-memoir-no-7-childhood-illness/
wanton word flirt 
I never was very good at diagnosis was I? Dad
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No, not the best. 😉 lol
I think your lack of concern was more a reflection of your upbringing, and of your generation…..in those days (your childhood) people did not call the doctor unless they were near death. Makes me think of Grandma laughing because she “cheated the dentist out of money” by pulling her own tooth.
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What a fabulous image you create Suzanne! Hilarious as well as a reminder of those times the mirror was too high for its job!
As for Dad’s diagnosis.. Poor Dad – you were a generation of disbelievers of children but we’re evolving out of it aren’t we!
And Grandma pulling her own tooth – I think we have a similar family tale of THAT generation! Thinking ‘thrifty’ might make a good prompt at some point..
Thank you as ever for joining in, Lisa x
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Glad you enjoyed this piece Lisa. Thanks so much for initiating this wonderful little project of Bite-Size Memoir…..it is just what I needed right now!
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Love this story Suzanne, and can relate to the life long health vigilance 🙂
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Thank you for reading Sherri! (But sorry to hear you too suffer from health vigilance.)
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Thank you Suzanne…as we both know, it can be good and bad 😉
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Sherri – not sure why not, but I am unable to post comments on your blog today……anyway, just wanted you to know I LOVED the garden photos, and your childhood illness story. Funny how unconsciously we can associate tastes or smells with long ago unpleasant experiences.
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Thank you Suzanne for letting me know, sorry you’ve been having blogging problems. I’ve had these problems too with commenting on other blogs. I’ll check and see if your comments have gone to spam. Sometimes this happens. Still, very nice of you to read them and so glad you enjoyed the garden photos 🙂 And yes, the power of association with smell and taste is very strong isn’t it?
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Great story and definitely Dad was typical of his generation. Interesting that it started your lifelong vigilance from 11. You draw a lovely picture of yourself trying to see what was wrong. Lovely.
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Thanks for stopping by for a read Irene, I appreciate it! 🙂
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