Top 10 Reflections of a Sickie

I was ill in February/March, properly sick (or poorly as they say in England) involving blood tests, X-rays, CT scans, multiple GP and specialist visits. And I’m all fine now!

Here’s what I noticed/learned:

  1. I’m grateful for good health, inquisitive healthcare professionals and private health insurance.
  2. Live fully – peoples’ lives can change on a dime and you never know when/if that will happen.
  3. How you do something makes a difference – the specialist was warm, re-assuring, open, made me feel like he had all the time in the world, informative, knowledgeable, encouraging, funny, patient, just really human and made me feel like someone, not a patient or number.
  4. Self-care is important. Normally I push through feeling coldy as I’m self-employed and a doer and when this felt like something more I stopped, prioritized rest, re-arranged the work I could, became very acquainted with my sofa/couch/settee and got better relatively quickly.
  5. Listen to my body – I felt awful and didn’t care what didn’t get done, that’s when I knew I was really sick and I got into the doctor’s quickly. I diagnosed myself correctly at the onset; it took them 3 weeks to confirm (they were treating me for my diagnosis despite not having the underlying data yet).
  6. Ask for help, let others help, accept help and listen knowing they have your best interests at heart.
  7. I accepted that ‘doing my best’ for those 4 weeks was being the best recover-er I could be, I wasn’t the best at much else and that was ok.
  8. Who I am is sometimes good enough; I can add value by just BEING me rather than just by what I do! I was told I added value at some virtual meetings I attended despite not doing anything (in my mind).
  9. Attitude or mindset can make a situation so much better – how you choose to look at something strongly impacts how you feel. I choose to embrace being ill, this was my body saying I needed rest and I accepted that so didn’t beat myself up nor was I unbearable to be around (so I was told!)
  10. Technology, used well, enhances life – I was able to do some research for a project while lying on my couch, I was able to order in meals and food from my couch, I watched so many Jamie Oliver 30 minute meal shows, I ordered the cookbook from my couch and the whole diagnosis was aided by tech too. Let technology serve me, not enslave me (as I head to a 1 week retreat with no technology).

What might you embrace in your life right now?