Tag: Care

Go Get Some Rest!

(Title image: Photo by Daniela Turcanu on Unsplash)

I spent the last week sick. I knew it was coming, given how rundown I’d become at the end of last year, although I really didn’t think it was going to take this long for me to succumb to some virus.

But after a rainy week and ample time spent on public transportation, I brought something home with me. And it wiped me out.

Loads of chest and sinus congestion, several days of laryngitis, headache, sore throat and some completely unexpected lower GI tract issues…it was a medley of unpleasant symptoms.

I tried to put in a couple of hours of work from home everyday but was surprised at how difficult it was for me to maintain focus. As a result, I spent my days not really working, not really resting, and just as I started to recover I realized that I had a lot of work to catch up on. That made my lingering symptoms more fatiguing.

This reminded me of chemo, where just as I’d start shaking off the worst side effects from an infusion, it was time to head back to work.

It felt like I never quite got the rest I needed and was working at a deficit that progressively got worse.

A scent associated with a peaceful time took me back there again.
(Photo by Valerie Sidorova on Unsplash)

It hadn’t quite hit me that the situations paralleled each other until I had dragged myself out with my husband to do some much needed grocery shopping. We stopped by a new produce store we’d never visited before and wandered in. And as I passed their aromatherapy section (yes, it was THAT kind of store), I was hit by an amazing mingling of essential oil scents that gave off dreamy yoga studio vibes.

I stopped to absorb the scent and that sensation, and it brought back memories of yoga training and the peace that I felt from being in that environment. Soothed, grounded, spirited away.

Standing there, I was still not feeling well, but I felt nurtured. That sense of calm brought awareness to the sensations in my body. It was clear that I wasn’t showing myself the respect that I deserved. That was when I realized that I needed to allow myself the time to be sick so that I could find the opportunity to recover.

One delightful little trigger brought on a sweeping wave of pleasant memories, and a reminder that even after all these years, I need to do a better job of taking care of myself.

I spent the rest of the weekend doing that.

Breast Cancer: Know When to Say When

(Title image: Photo by Marius Serban on Unsplash)

This is going to be short because I’m on the cusp of moving my family to a new apartment…and that’s going to take more work now that one of our cars is finally having its damage repaired.

So this is a gentle reminder to slow down and look around once in a while. Life’s obligations can push us like a bulldozer and we might not notice that we’re worn out until something happens that forces us into a mini-vacation.

Something, perhaps, like chemotherapy.

Who needs some love? You do.
(Photo by Mayur Gala on Unsplash)

And if you need a cancer diagnosis (or a broken bone or the flu or…) to give you a break from the pressures of work and family, then I think we can all agree that your mental health needs more love than you’ve been giving it.

Yes, easier said than done. But there are little breaks you can take. A 10-minute body scan meditation or guided breathing practice. A matcha tea break where you focus on the movements of your hands as they prepare your cup. Staring out the window and counting trees/people/cars.

It doesn’t have to be a pricey spa day. You can have a spa inside your head with a phone app and a set of headphones. You just need to care enough about yourself to allow this.

Believe me, I care about you and I don’t even know you. You are the whole reason why I started this blog and why I keep it going, even eight years after my diagnosis. I hope it helps you remember that you are worth being cared for. ❤