Sick Parents

Every kid with parents can relate to this feeling. You know, when you walk into the kitchen like its a normal morning, and you find your dad sniffling and coughing. Or you find your mom laying in bed with 14 tissues surrounding her. You can sense the sick radiating from them. and you immediately know the house hold functionality will shift now that your parental unit is sick!
Now, when I am sick like that, or one of my younger sisters is, they go into "super parent" mode to take care of us. They especially monitor us to make sure we don't need to go to the doctor. But who does that for them when they are sick!? For lack of a better phrase, its always awkward. Is it our job (us kids) to resume the care taker role? Do we leave them be? Do we take care of them to the extent they do us? I'm never quite sure. And being the oldest, I have to assume responsibility for my sisters when my parents are down and out. But I can't write checks, buy food, go to their work, and for the longest time couldn't drive them anywhere. They never completely get a sick day with all the stuff we depend on them for. But that's what spouses are for right!? Well, my parents are pro at getting really sick at the same time. It's scary how often they get ill together. And I'm not talking common cold, I'm talking can't work and in bed all day sick. So my sisters and I walk around the house trying not to agitate our already sick and cranky parents. It's also weird to see them in such a vulnerable state.
Now that my sisters and I are all old enough to care for ourselves, my parents being sick is less of an inconvenience to the well being of the household. How they got sick when we were all small children I have no idea! But it's no fun for the whole family non the less.

I am once again in Thai scenario, as both my parents are getting sick. Hopefully nobody else gets sick in the family!