One Sick Mamma

I’m sick. It’s just a little cold but I have a stuffy nose, watery eyes and my body hurts. So what do I choose to do with my time? Well, I can promise you it wasn’t rest in my bed and drink plenty of fluids. Instead, my husband and I took the kids to a fall festival. And then we ran a couple of errands before going home where I promptly crashed for the next 2 hours on the sofa. I did choose to stay home from the BBQ next door but popped out a couple of times to help the hubby take care of the kiddos. And then in an attempt to give my husband a night off (one he didn’t request) I took the kids inside until bedtime. I chose to do all of this instead of lay in bed and I wasn’t even asked. This isn’t even the first time I’ve ignored what was best for me when trying to heal my body. I had sinus surgery a year ago and even the doctor said his patients who are moms tent to heal slower because they are constantly doing things other than resting. For two weeks I wasn’t supposed to lift more than ten pounds which meant not carrying Baby Girl. Not gonna work. Even my son thinks I’m nuts. He saw me sneeze and told me I should wait until I feel better to go to the train museum, a trip he’s been begging to go on for weeks.

Recovering from sinus surgery day two. Day three I found ways of sneaking out of bed even though I was still on painkillers. 

I had a conversation about being sick with a close friend of mine. She’s getting over a cold too and did the same thing I did; sucked it up and worked through it instead of giving her body the rest it so needed and deserved. She’s raising 4 kids, working full-time and writing a book. If anyone I know should have a day off, it’s her. We pondered what makes us keep moving even when our bodies are telling us not to. For her, it was a feeling of losing control. For me it was fear of being accused of laziness. Both are absolutely ridiculous.

What happens in my house if you hold still too long. 

So, with the insistence of my friend and my husband I took a nap during nap-time again and I loved every minute of it. I woke slightly more refreshed than when I laid down and was even nice to be around, if I do say so myself. My only chore was cooking but I was fully relaxed while doing it. I ate with my family and now am enjoying our 6^th showing of Despicable Me this week. Oh, and I will go to bed early, but only if I have completed posting pics, writing a blog and working on the Thanksgiving menu while also budget planning and figuring out what to do for our extra weekend day. Baby steps, people. Baby steps.