Serena

@serenacornwall · 27 Jan 2024

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Your health should be your priority.

I have been absent from work for three days this week—three long days. Why? Because I value my health.

Wow! That's like the first time I have made my health a priority.

It started the weekend before; things just didn't feel right, as if something was going on inside my body. My children had taken turns being sick, so I knew beforehand that sooner or later, it would be my turn.

And yes, I got it. According to the news, there's a flu epidemic flying around, and I guess I caught it. After staying awake the whole night, feeling terrible, everything hurting, yet I considered pulling myself together and going to work.

Well, something snapped at that moment.

Last year, I also got sick at some point and didn't care about it. Long story short: I ended up having to drink three glasses three times a day for two weeks. Two glasses with medicine and the third glass with tea. That was my breakfast, lunch, and dinner because I couldn't swallow properly.

That's how bad it went because I did not make my health a priority.

 So I didn't go to work, even though I felt terrible towards my colleagues. But at least I can eat normally and not through a straw.

It's time to take my health more seriously, or I will get very sick again, and I don't want that.

During these days, I haven't been any help at home. All I do is sit or sleep in my bed. It's as if my body hasn't had any rest for years and now grabs every second it can get.

I still feel guilty, though.

I feel guilty towards colleagues because I'm not working.

I feel guilty as I see the laundry basket overflow with dirty clothes.

I feel guilty about not being able to cook dinner and about the mess in the house. I mean, it shouldn't be that hard to clean up, right?

I have to remind myself over and over again that my body needs to rest. That's why I'm not working, and that's why I stay in bed.

My colleagues know what to do. They will help each other out.

And the mess at home won't go anywhere. It will still be waiting for me when I'm ready to deal with it.

But right now, I have to focus on myself.