When our children are sick, we drop everything and take them to the doctor. When our spouses are sick, we are expected to drop everything and BE the doctor. But when we are sick, what do we do? Do we stop, drop and roll and call the world to a halt so that we can take care of ourselves? No. In fact, I would say most of us housewives/mothers do not take care of ourselves until things become desperate. And usually by then, we are so sick that it takes us weeks to fully recover, made even more difficult to do because we continue on with our daily lives while attempting said effort to recover. Why is this? I will be the first to step up and say I am so not interested in being a martyr, so why can't I take a break and look after myself, or better yet ask someone else to take care of me when I'm not well? Perhaps it's genetic, or even just a learned behavior passed on from our mothers, who knows. But it's time to break the cycle, ladies!
Today I got up and realized that the cold I have had for some time now has definitely progressed passed just the cold stage, and it's time to face the fact that I have crossed over into the sinus infection/some kind of bronchial issue chapter of my illness. My first reaction was to dig through the "medicine" cupboard in the kitchen in search of old antibiotics that might be kicking around leftover from someone else's previous infection of some kind. I struck gold, about 3 days worth from the looks of it, and they even have my name on them - from the time I cut my foot on a piece of sheet metal and I reluctantly went in for a tetanus shot. I only did THAT because everyone said "oh, you should get a shot, you might get tetanus" and I thought, so really, how bad actually IS tetanus, and I googled it and saw a photo of some guy in final stage death contortions on the first page that came up, and so I thought, yeah that looks pretty bad, and I went and got the shot. And the doctor gave me some antibiotics for good measure, which I obviously didn't finish. Anyway. So I take a couple pills, find some old sticky eucalyptus oil bottle and inhale some of that thinking, okay, I should be good to go.
Not. Then I realize, hey, my kids are all in school now, all day long. I could drop them off and then go to the doctor. Actually get like, a check up. What a concept. So that's exactly what I did, and a few hours later I returned home armed with nasal spray and puffers and fresh antibiotics. I feel quite liberated. Not to mention I think I am already feeling better. So next time I feel like crap, instead of sucking it up and keeping it myself, I am going to take a deep breath (if I actually can) and I am going to ask for help! When my husband offers to make me some tea because he senses I am not myself and his kind heart is trying to find a way to help, I will let him! I will ask myself the question, if this was my child or my husband, would I take them/send them to the doctor? And if the answer is yes, then I will take myself, or if necessary, have someone take me.
So to all you housewives and moms out there, I say to you, just breathe. Take a big breath if you can, and take care of you.
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