• What a bunch of whingers. Gina Rinehart-Hancock is a single mother doing it tough and she's never got a cent in welfare! - Jack Richards
  • @ Roby if you read my reply to KF it was a statement, not personal. You don't "know" what other people go through so don't make assumptions. Good luck with those shoes. - metoo
  • Women of calibre, women of "that" calibre. Sounds worse now you point the "that" out. - no
  • You know what...you stupid old fart..Tony did not even know about this media stunt until it hit the media!!!...You had better get used to him, because there will be a Qld style wipeout to get rid of Gillard {officially under inverstigation} and her corrupt incompetant...union dominated govt.... - lynda
  • I respectfully disagree on the semantics you highlight. He didn't say women of calibre. He said 'women of that calibre' in reference to the subgroup he had previously identified (the onesaustrala has supported through their educational journey). Just saying. - JenDalitz
  • Spot on Tara. I wonder if hard attitudes would soften if policies were named for the children themselves with debate directed at documents called Raising Future Australians Bill, Bringing Up Baby Bill, Children Are Our Future .... It should be blindingly obvious to all, even those without children, that the health and well-being of the very young is of paramount importance. - Dianne
  • I am in 50 to 100 age bracket. Do some volunteer work in an Aged Care facility. Recently (start of April 2012) became aware of on-line petitions via GetUp and www.communityrun.org websites. Started a petition with title "IT'S TIME for Non Drug, Hemp Food Products to be Approved for Human Food Consumption in Australia" Amazed at response. More than 100 signatures first day and less than 5 weeks to achieve 1000. Petition still has about 6 months to run. www.communityrun.org/p/hfa - Anthony
  • "When a sick fourteen month-old baby needs her mum….or dad. No it’s not. There’s no contest. Sick baby wins!" "If sick baby wins", why was it ok for sick baby to wait 5 days? Mum requested on Monday... for leave on Thursday. And then when granted leave, mum spends the afternoon doing radio and television interviews. Seems more like sick baby wins when it's politically convenient. We've moved from misogyny and onto sick babies, this Parliament's new football. - Joe
  • Hey KF, more power to you and me and anyone who has to FIGHT for our loved ones who can't fight for themselves. One day at a time. Sometimes one hour at a time. Metoo- here's hoping you never have to walk a mile in our shoes- for a multitude of reasons, and my last word- I don't see it as "locking up" my aunt I see it as an honor to make sure she is safe, looked after and comfortable for the rest of her life Good luck to everyone, Robyn - Roby
  • Tara, this article is brilliant. Agree with every word. - Nicole Madigan
 
Categories:  Lifestyle, Wellbeing

HE SAID. SHE SAID. MAN FLU

Catharine and Duncan have been together 15 years and have two boys aged 10 and 12. This week they’re wondering how two people with exactly the same illness can have such vastly different experiences.

 Only in your dreams…

SHE SAID

Two weeks ago my husband was in bed with a Man Cold. Well, actually it was a nasty flu.

He caught it from my second son who caught it from my first son. For ten days I administered orange juice and Panadol, mopped fevered brows and made sympathetic maternal noises at random intervals.

Then I got sick. And became simultaneously invisible.

The lemonade I dragged myself down the street to buy disappeared three minutes after hitting the fridge. The dishwasher lost its magic powers and refused to unstack itself.

Feeling neglected by their irresponsibly ill mother the children brought their screaming match into my bedroom and my partner came after them to administer some soothing yelling.

Being female I obviously have a poor grasp of anything scientific. One thing is clear though. The same virus has a totally different effect on men and women. Men are always sicker.

When women get sick it’s apparently best to let them to fend for themselves. Like cats. Leave them be – they’ll eat a little grass and recover.

After two days of solitary confinement – punctuated by children brawling on the doona – I dragged myself downstairs and said in my best martyred tone: “I’m sick. You’re all supposed to be nice to me”.

My husband looked up from his laptop in slight astonishment as if this was the first he’d heard of my illness. He put on his Get Well Soon face and told the boys to: “Be nicer to your mother”.

The wave of relief when I announced I was going back to bed was palpable. “Hey Dad,” I heard one of my children say. “Mum’s still sick. Can we get pizza?”

HE SAID

Just give me a moment to pick myself up off the floor after being bowled clean over by the outrageous slur upon my character that you have just been so unlucky to read.

When I was feeling under the weather, I basically had to fend for myself. Yes, I got the odd glass of juice but a man with a Man Cold needs more. We need 24/7 tenderness. We need 50ccs of home-made organic chicken soup – stat! We need the latest pornographic magazines. And we need the TV wheeled into the bedroom and set permanently to sport.

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8 Responses to this article

  1. Lady Jewels Diva July 25, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Just goes to show how pathetic men are and how badly treated, ignored, disrespected and crapped all over women are.

     
    • VRog July 25, 2012 Reply
       
       

      @Lady Jewels Diva: I think the authors are playing up the “battle of the sexes” theme for comic effect – it’s kinda their oeuvre, if you go back and read all their previous articles. I’m pretty sure Catherine Lumby doesn’t feel “crapped all over”! It’s just a bit of fun.

       
      • VRog July 25, 2012 Reply
         
         

        Oops, *Catharine, not Catherine. Apologies to the author!

         
  2. Wendy Harmer July 25, 2012 Reply
     
     

    My husband is like a grumpy, foul bear when he gets ill… it’s like his entire personality changes. Yikes! I try to stay cheery, to show the kids you can feel unwell and stil be civil, but then I’m seen as not really being all that sick. Thinking of moving his sick bed into the shed.

     
  3. anna July 26, 2012 Reply
     
     

    a funny article = thanks, sniffle sniffle, signed….bad cold sore face

     

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Comments

  • Jack Richards: What a bunch of whingers. Gina Rinehart-Hancock is a single mother doing it tough and she's never got a cent in welfare!

  • metoo: @ Roby if you read my reply to KF it was a statement, not personal. You don't "know" what other people go through so don...

  • no: Women of calibre, women of "that" calibre. Sounds worse now you point the "that" out.

  • lynda: You know what...you stupid old fart..Tony did not even know about this media stunt until it hit the media!!!...You had b...

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