11th
Bubblegum
Last Friday, I took a sick, feverish baby to the doctor, only to learn she has an ear infection in her right ear. It might sound weird but I was actually relieved she did have one — it meant there was medication the doctor could give me instead of just shrugging and saying, “Well, I guess she just has a virus she needs to get over!”
The amoxicillin comes as a bubblegum-flavored syrupy liquid that we can either stick in her bottle or try to syringe into her mouth (the bottle method is much more effective, btw).
I had ear infections from time to time as a kid and the smell of the weird, fake bubblegum evokes some kind of Proustian memories in me. Memories of my mom spooning it into my mouth. Memories of being pleased I was getting to taste something sugary but then realizing, as it hit my mouth, that it wasn’t exactly candy and had this weird, chemical aftertaste.
It makes me step back and put myself in my mom’s shoes. It’s a weird feeling to have. I always thought my mom was pretty, smart, omniscient. That she had the magic to not only know what I was doing at all times but also the magic to take away hurts and make me feel better. It’s a weird place to be now, on the other side.
