Adding Injury to Insult

Poor Lion is dealing with sciatic nerve pain again. We’re not sure if he lifted something or moved wrong, but he’s been in pain since yesterday afternoon. He didn’t sleep well last night. He’s been cocooned in bed for most of the day. I’m sure this pain just adds injury to the insult of being out of work. Every time I offer to do something for him he tells me he can do it. I’m not trying to emasculate him. I want to help. I don’t really think he sees it as emasculating either. He’s just trying not to be a bother. I’d rather have him stay put and rest than put more strain on himself. He doesn’t have to prove anything to me.

I suppose I could just ground him. Force him to stay in bed. Threaten him with punishment if he does something I tell him not to do. For example, I just told him I’d take care of something after I write my post and I hear him upstairs taking care of it himself. He doesn’t listen well. I know he thinks he’s being helpful but if it means he’s putting himself in more pain or lengthening the amount of time he needs to feel better it’s not really helping. But he’s a stubborn Lion. King of the beasts. You can’t tell him what to do. Ironic isn’t it? His namesake is the boss of all bosses and he wants me to be in control. Of course, he only wants me to be in control of what he wants me to be in control of. Everyone knows it’s the lionesses that run things in the pride anyway.

So I guess I’ll have to take control of his health too. If I tell him to stay in bed, then he should stay in bed. I will cook the meals and I will do the chores. He will relax and feel better. The boss of the Lion has spoken. Any “helping” he does will be put on the punishment list for Monday. It’s the only way to keep him from feeling like a bother. Sit, stay, Lion. Good boy.