Tuesday, February 03, 2009

The Magic Formula

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Allie has had a cold the past few days which is quite paralyzing for the whole family. She didn't sleep more than fifteen or twenty minutes straight during the night or during her mid-day nap for two or three days. She doesn't know how to blow her nose. She doesn't know what to do with post-nasal drip so she throws up. This is her subtle way of really making the party lively.
Grandma Ruth comes down twice each day to do her share of Allie loving and holding and hugging. Allie gets so excited when Grandma gets here even when life is a living nightmare because of the cold and the puking. Even though Allie aches and her muscles are tight, she expresses delight when Grandma walks into the room.
Sunday afternoon Grandma lays Allie down on the floor and starts rubbing something on the soles of Allie's feet. I'm not in a super cheerful state with the lack of sleep and all so I think to myself, what the hell is she doing?, but since I'm a nice guy or at least trying to be I actually say, "That's interesting. What's that you're putting on her feet?"
"It's Mentol Chino like Vicks."
"On her feet?"
"I've heard of that, putting Vicks on feet rather than the chest," says the charming and beautiful Susan.
I'm still in a bad mood so I'm thinking what the hell are you two hens clucking about?, but I'm trying to be a nice guy so I keep my mouth shut.
So Allie has this Mentol Chino that Grandma Ruth brings up from her native Ecuador on her feet (Allie has it on her feet - Grandma Ruth doesn't bring it from Ecuador on her feet... never mind). The charming and beautiful Susan also applied some of the stuff to Allie's t-shirt and put another shirt on over the top of it.
Allie slept like a baby. She's been napping. The snot has dried up. She had an amazing day yesterday. She slept great again last night. We're all sleeping wonderfully. It's like I've clicked the heels of my ruby slippers and we're all back home in Kansas. I don't know if this Mentol Chino is FDA approved or not. Don't care. It's a miracle drug.
When Grandma Ruth walks in the house, Allie's not the only one delighted to see her.
Check it out here: http://www.dyvenpro.com/ but you better know Spanish.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I promise you I never heard of putting V*cks, B*n-Gay, or any other such product on my feet, instead of my chest. My mom used to rub Ben-G*y on our chests when we had colds, and then cover them with warm towels inside our pjs. I actually learned to love the odor. When I was in high school and had chronic bronchitis, she'd put a pan with some water on the stove, add B*n-Gay, Vi*ks and Campho Ph*nique, get the water simmering, and form a funnel of newspaper. I had to stand there with my face in the funnel, breathing this potent stuff in the cauldron, to try to break up the crud.

Oh, the memories...!

deliveredjude said...

I've definitely heard of the feet application and it has helped my wife and friends numerous times.

So funny, I was on a mission trip in Quito, Ecuador in 2002 and I had a SERIOIUS sprain on one of my ankles. This bus drive rubbed INTENSELY hard on it with some kind of rubbing medicine. I'm almost certain this is the stuff. It is a miracle drug.

Thanks for bringing that memory to light. God bless you all.