And after the days of rest and thorough OTC medication, d'you know how I felt? Guilty. I felt guilty. Who am I to take sick days or go to conferences or have a full-period writing assignment when I could be doing so much more?
I have a history of getting bronchitis and/or pneumonia each winter, along with last year's spectacular hospital visit with asthmatic bronchitis, coinciding with a rapid heartbeat resulting in a delayed ER discharge...all charming ailments, of course. These are a few of the treatments I use.
Authentic, verified health issues...and I feel guilty. Why? My guess is basic. As a female, as a mom, as a teacher, I'm expected to take care of people, as long as those people don't include me. I'm not alone in this feeling, yet I've no solutions for it. Don't get me wrong; I didn't spend my days in abject misery. I slept (A LOT), I read & watched TV shows (hello, Making a Murderer!), and I lounged around with my favorite beautiful blondes.
And then, after a night of hacking & wheezing & slurping down my inhaler, do you know what I was doing before 7:30 this morning? Cleaning the house and heading into work to make sure I was prepared for Monday after an unexpectedly absent week....all while taking puffs on my inhaler and keeping track of the time to get cough syrup in an appropriate time frame. In the inimitable words of Ms. Betty White:
Yes, yes they do. I make no excuses or apologies right now. If there is a woman in your life -- or if you are that woman -- allow her the rest and solitude she needs. Why? Because if I'm even half the woman she is, we're putting every moment into making life easier, more fun, better for everyone around us. And sometimes all we need is a bit of time to focus on us...without the guilt.
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