“Have you taken your own temperature?” The doctor asked me as I was explaining all of the symptoms my sons had been experiencing over the last few days. “Oh …no I haven’t,” I responded sheepishly. I’d been feeling sick and run-down for about a week at this point and hadn’t even considered taking my own temperature. All I knew is that my body was tired, my head was spinning and I wanted to sleep for a week.

After checking both boys and giving us their viral diagnosis, the doctor proceeded to take my temperature. His response was a look of shock as he explained that I had a high temperature which was causing me to have dizzy spells. I felt like I had forgotten what it was like to take care of me, that I too needed time to rest, to get better.

It’s so funny how we get so caught up in taking care of the people around us that we can forget to take care of ourselves.

Exhaustion can hit hard and it’s cruel cousin (sickness) comes when you least expect it. Out of the blue and forcing you to slow-down and rest even at the busiest times, even at times when you think there is no time to rest.

Over the past week or so our entire house ( with the exception of our pup) has been feeling under the weather; fevers, coughs, fifths disease, you name it we’ve got it. But over the coarse of this week I felt like it was too hard to stop and rest, I had too much to do at work, at home there wasn’t time for this. How can I be sick as a mom, when do I rest ? I wasn’t sure how to deal with it and thought I could just push through. Well, here’s the hard truth, you can’t ! I know I couldn’t, and even though we joke about how little sleep we get as moms on social media and wear t-shirts that suggest with can coffee and go, I reached a point where I couldn’t even drink coffee (it was making me feel worse) and I really like my coffee and there was no more “go” left in me.

I wasn’t sure how to deal with it and thought I could just push through. Well, here’s the hard truth, you can’t!

The doctor’s reaction really hit home for me, he actually said point blank “ you cannot work!” And I knew he was right.

So over the last few days, I rested as much as I could. I found ways to make sure I got in the sleep I needed. When my toddler was too sick to attend daycare, we napped for four hours together. When my kids went to bed I went to bed. I took a long bath every night before bed to help me rest and I slept in when I could. When I needed help I asked, thank you mom you really are the best. I’m not sure if making these choices are what helped or the cold medicine, or a mix of the two, but I do know that it’s not ok to push through all the time. It’s not ok to coffee and continue when your body needs tea and time to rest.

As moms we often feel like we can’t take sick days, we don’t have time for slowing down. But times like this are a reminder that these things are not an option, taking care of you is important too.

How do you take mommy sick days. I’d love to hear some creative ways of taking care of you while mommying.

As we move into cold season I wish you and your families lots of rest and good health.

Xo
Vanessa