This summer has been a bit of a butt-kicker in the Myers house. A week or two after my daughter was sick with a virus that brought with it a week-long fever that cancelled all sort of plans while my son was being treated for strep throat, my husband came down with both strep and bronchitis. Seriously. Till we got the right diagnosis and antibiotics, he had a fever of 101-105 degrees for 7 days straight. At the very busiest time for me at work. While I was still recovering from feeling helpless for my two sick kids. To say I was feeling stressed is an understatement. In fact, I had a whole lot of feelings, and remembering research I read once that just identifying your feelings can help you deal with a stressful situation, I decided to write them all down. Here is the exact list I wrote on Day #7 of Mike's fever/coughing/upset stomach:
Worried about his health and that it could get even worse before it gets better
Anxious about potential doctor bills
Frustrated things aren't going according to plan
Guilty I'm working instead of being home
Unappreciated and put-upon
Hopeful this will all turn around any minute
Resentful about the extra responsibility
Grateful for the support we have
Empathetic toward those dealing with far bigger challenges
Proud I'm still taking care of myself and needs
Angry there has been so much sickness this summer
Happy we don't deal with this more often
Exhausted due to constantly interrupted sleep
Funny, it didn't dawn on me till later that I should probably also feel concerned that I might get sick too. But here's the thing: after I wrote the list, I felt a bit better. I didn't need to vent to everyone I saw about how crummy our situation was, or try to focus on all the positives. I was honest with myself. In writing. And that was enough.
How are you feeling? Do you know? Might be a good idea to get it out on paper.
Photo by Nino Liverani on Unsplash
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