Healthcare… Yours… its Important!
As parents we get so wrapped up in our kiddos healthcare needs that we tend to let ours fall to the wayside. We know our kiddos need us for the long haul, but we just don’t make ourselves a priority. It starts out as something small, not even noticeable and then we are at the doctors, or worse the emergency room and we are being asked how long have you had these symptoms? You say about 2-3 months, but then as they are asking more questions and you think about it you realize it’s actually been more like 6-12 months. Holy cow! Wait. What? How is that possible?
Perfect example a few days before my 43rd birthday on a Sunday night I ended up in the emergency room being told the next morning they would be removing my gall bladder. As they were running tests they were asking me if I had this symptom or that warning sign, well now that they mentioned it, yes I did, but I would have never thought what I considered heartburn or being breathless because I was “out of shape” was all leading up to this very moment.
You would think after that experience I would have learned to be more mindful and paid better attention to what my body tells me, not just to keep something like this from happening again, but because I know Matthew would literally be lost without me. But… life gets busy, I mean really busy, you know the kind of busy I am talking about right? School, Sports, Doctor Appointments, work… life! Anyhow, I didn’t listen and here I am again, thankfully not in the emergency room this time, but where I am spending lots of money prescriptions and the doctor is lecturing me for not taking care of myself… again! You’ve heard that lecture before, right? But do we listen or just hear blah, blah, blah? Do yourself and your family a favor and really listen next time.
Taking care of yourself also means taking the time to exercise, not only is it good for your body, but it’s good for the mind. I get it, there is no extra time in the day and we want that extra hour of sleep in the morning, but maybe getting up early 2-3 times a week wouldn’t be so bad. Other options could be; taking the stairs, parking at the back of the lot, or maybe a 15-30 minute walk during your lunch hour. I try to walk 2-4 times a week, usually in the park where I can enjoy the scenery, honestly I use this time to clear my mind and/or go through my to-do list for the day.
The point of this post is… Take Care of Yourself! Heed the signs that your body is telling you! You are no good for your kiddo(s) if you aren’t 100% (okay I know we’ll take 90%) or worse gone because you weren’t paying attention to the warning signs. Remember your family depends on you!