Schedules and Colds

I just got over a cold.  Everyone else had colds in January and February.  Mine came when everyone else got better.  I don't think it came because it was winter or because it was cold season.  It came because I had a busy schedule. 

For the past 3 weeks I have had extra errands and tasks almost each evening after school.  I am sure that my schedule was not so different from most other people, but I work hard not to over schedule myself.  My health will deteriorate quickly if I don't pace myself.  The MS part of me has a measured amount of energy.

Many years ago, my daughters and I visited family over Labor day weekend.  This was before cancer and MS entered my life.  For most people, Labor Day weekend occurs before they begin the school year.  It is supposed to be the final weekend of summer break.  For us, Labor Day weekend is the first long weekend after beginning school.  We have often already attended at least 2 weeks of school before that weekend comes.  Most years, I use the long weekend to recuperate after beginning the crazy school schedule again.

On this particular weekend, we traveled 8 hours to go camping with family.  We slept in a tent and stayed busy playing in the woods for 3 days.  Upon arriving home and returning to school, all 3 of us got sick.  These kinds of events might sound fun, but I am constantly guarding myself against being run down so I often have to turn them down.

I used all my sick days for back surgery so I worked last week while I was sick each and every day.  I took my daughter to pick up her license and had lunch together while sick.  I went to my daughter's competition while sick.  I took the dog to the vet while sick. 

Finally, on Saturday, I stopped pushing through the ache and the misery and made myself stay on the couch the entire day.  I blew my nose, I wiped my watery eyes, I looked at my sad, sick face in the mirror.  I rested.  On Sunday, I finally felt better.

This post isn't about my cold.  It is about health.  It is about taking care of yourself.  It is about knowing yourself.

During the week of sickness, I didn't exercise once.  I came home late, didn't feel well and couldn't bring myself to exercise.  After the third day, my back was starting to stiffen up.  By the end of the week, my nerve was hurting.  The old pains I had post-surgery were returning. Those pains have been gone for months.  They weren't scary pains that made me wonder if the surgery helped.  They were aching pains caused by lack of movement.  As soon as I stopped moving, all my muscles stiffened up. 

These stiff moments reminded me of the importance of movement.  Movement is how I am healing from back surgery.  Movement is how I remain strong enough to be good at my job.  Movement celebrates my strengths and reminds me of my weaknesses.  Movement is needed to be better at living.

Try to find a way to move.  Move through the pain, move through the ache, move through the moments where every part of you wants to stay still.  Movement will bring you healing and joy if you let it.