Last week, I was attacked by a terrible cold. My usual cold routine is: 1. Feel strange and sickly for a day and 2. Feel better the next day. My sinus rinse and I can launch quite a defense. But not last week. Whatever virus got me, it got me good. That is why there wasn’t a Hope for Widows blog post last Thursday. My brain had been replaced by phlegm. Sorry about TMI, but this was a B A D cold. Finally after about 15 hours of sleep yesterday, I feel I am turning the corner.
I had shoulder surgery three weeks ago. Thankfully, while inconvenient, the recovery has not been very painful. The doctor said some people are lucky and don’t have much pain. I am glad fortune smiled upon me. Still, I can’t lift anything for another month, followed by another month of lifting light things. I am out of my sling and am pretty pathetic while looking normal. The sling gave me personal space (except at Comic Con) and sent the message I was injured. I remain injured and just look lazy. I can’t ride my bike or swim until the end of November. Wah. But, I do look forward to being able to do those things pain-free.
I tell you these things because they taught me a lesson. When I was sick, my grief came back for a longer visit. I was grumpier and more sad. Not only was I physically down, but emotionally down as well. I thought about the correlation between the two.
I want to encourage you to be as healthy as you can as you grieve and move forward. Go for a hike, hydrate (especially if you are newly widowed), remember to eat (I would forget to eat, yes, really), and take your meds. Do whatever it is you like to do physically, just do it. Even if it is parking your car three spaces down the row and walking a little extra. Just remember to take care of yourself, you are too valuable to neglect.
