Help me celebrate my latest release, Rodeo Reunion. Comment or answer the question at the end of any post dated June 1 – 5 to enter the drawing for a copy. All commentors will also go in a drawing for a baseball themed memory board hand-crafted by my own two little hands – details at the end of the post. Deadline for book drawing: June 13th, 11:59 pm central time.
During thirty years of marriage, Grant and I have never been sick at the same time. I catch every little bug that passes by while Grant never gets sick other than a sinus infection a couple of times a year when the weather changes. When I’m sick, it hits me harder than most people. If he’s sick two days, I’ll be down four days. Grant never stays down long.
Until last fall. Our son had just gotten over pneumonia which stemmed from his allergies. After church on a Wednesday night, I had this little annoying cough and a horrible headache. I took Excedrin and a sinus pill. Everybody went to bed and I sat up to watch a Hallmark movie I’d recorded while waiting for my head to stop hurting. It didn’t. About midnight, I pressed my hand against my head where it hurt. It was hot. 101.9 hot.
The next few days, the cough got worse and the fever got up to 102.9. I went to the doctor. She wasn’t sure what it was and gave me antibiotics. By Friday, Grant was sick too. Same symptoms, but of course his fever never got as high. I stayed in bed all weekend. He preached on Sunday anyway—showed up just in time for the sermon and came in a side door—didn’t shake hands.
I called my mom and asked if she could raise our son until further notice. We didn’t want him to get it and neither of us had the strength to take care of him or get him to school. By Monday, we had a coughing marathon. Grant finally went to the doctor. By then, they’d seen a lot of it and decided it was a virus. Grant hates taking medicine. He got antibiotics and left the cough medicine at the pharmacy because it gives him heartburn.
We wheezed at each other for a few days—our voices gone with me in the recliner and him on the couch. Whoever felt the best got the other something to eat or drink. Glad we had each other, we still laughed—even at our sickest—and then we coughed.
My parents tended our son, church members brought us food and cough medicine. Of course, Grant got better before I did, even though I was sick first. We decided that if we were eighty, we’d probably both have died. We recovered, but it took a while to get our oomph back.
Our shared illness gave me a glimpse into growing old together and reinforced what I already knew—I can count on this man—in sickness and in health.
About Shannon: Central Arkansas author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter is a stay-at-home mom/pastor’s wife. She lives in a town with a population of around 100, if you count a few cows and once climbed a mountain wearing gold wedge-heeled sandals which became known as her hiking boots. Vannatter won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award in the short contemporary category, The 18th Annual Heartsong Awards 3rd Favorite New Author and #1 Contemporary Award.
She has ten published titles and is contracted for five more. Her books are available at christianbook.com, barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com, harlequin.com, and barbourbooks.com. Learn more and connect:
Website: https://shannontaylorvannatter.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/shannontaylorvannatter
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/29672798-shannon-vannatter
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/stvannatter/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/stvauthor
About the book – Rodeo Reunion:
RAQUEL MARRIS NEEDS A MAN WHO’LL STAY PUT
And Slade Walker’s not a likely candidate. Even if the former major league pitcher just agreed to coach her son’s little league team. The single mom can’t risk everything on a bronc-riding chaplain who’s only passing through Raquel’s small Texas town.
Slade is taking a hiatus from the rodeo circuit to meet the sister he never knew he had. But the pretty widowed nurse next door is making him think twice about hitting the road again. He can’t turn his back on the cowboys who need him, but Raquel and her boy need him, too. Can Slade fulfill his calling and finally find a place to hang his hat?
Purchase Links:
http://www.christianbook.com/rodeo-reunion-shannon-vannatter/9780373487851/pd/487851?event=ESRCG
http://www.amazon.com/Reunion-Heartsong-Presents-Shannon-Vannatter/dp/0373487851/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1431697907&sr=1-5&keywords=Shannon+Taylor+Vannatter
Question: Have you ever shared an illness with another family member?
Blog tour giveaway: Here’s something special to commemorate the Heartsong Presents line since it’s ending this month. Comment to enter the drawing for a copy of Rodeo Reunion. Ten copies will be split among names drawn during the blog tour from June 1st – July 1st. One winner will receive a baseball themed memory board personally crafted by me. Deadlines according to each blog’s guidelines for the books. Deadline for the memory board, July 18th, 11:59 pm central time. Winners will be revealed on this blog on July 22nd.
Blog Tour Dates:
June 1: http://www.gailkittleson.com/blog/
June 4: http://susannedietze.blogspot.com
June 5: http://lindarondeau.blogspot.com/
June 9: http://workingwritersandbloggers.com
June 11: http://capturingtheidea.blogspot.com/
June 12: http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com
June 13: http://writingpromptsthoughtsideas.wordpress.com
June 17: http://sarahruut.com/
June 18: http://www.maryhamiltonbooks.com/blog/
June 19: http://junefoster.com/
June 23: http://gailpallotta.blogspot.com/
June 23 & 25: http://brendaandersonbooks.com
June 25: http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com/
June 26: http://writersonreading.blogspot.com
July 1: http://seriouslywrite.blogspot.com/
Come back June 3rd for my inspiration for Rodeo Reunion!
would love to win.
Yes, my daughter and I both had broncotis at the same time when she was younger
Good luck, Angela.
Ugh, Shelia. Bronchitis is rough stuff.
We’ve shared a few colds and stomach bugs over our years together.
Hey Connie,
It’s always frustrated the daylights out of me that my husband shared every little sickness he ever got with me. But he hardly ever gets sick. Not that I want him to be sick. But I wish I had a better immune system. I have been taking vitamin C since our shared illness. I think it’s helping. I probably shouldn’t have typed that out loud.
I love your story, Shannon. Sometimes, we will be down at the same time, but together, we help each other, find strength from each other, and with God’s help, make it through.
melback at cebridge dot net
Melanie, it’s really nice to know you have someone to count on even when you’re both sick.