Take Care of Yourself, Mama. Lessons for Lent.
February 14, 2024
Happy Ash Wednesday! (& St. Valentine’s Day ;). I can't believe that one week ago I was being admitted to the hospital. I was following with a GI doctor for my symptoms who ordered blood work that I got done on Tuesday, and woke up Wednesday morning with a phone call that I had a critically low H&H and needed to go to the closet emergency room as soon as possible for a transfusion. I was shocked. By 8am I was in Chester County Hospital and within a few hours admitted. I promise to continue sharing more of the health journey and diagnosis etc (for the sake of any others suffering!) but this post I want to specifically deal with: “taking care of yourself.”
It’s so often to hear in motherhood how we put ourselves last. And for many reasons we are called to! Making sacrifices for our kids and giving up our time and energy to them and our family is our greatest calling! We are irreplaceable! Our role in our family is truly the most important job we have. But like any vice - we can fall into a “martyrhood motherhood,” as they say, or putting ourselves last to a detriment. I’m still learning, but I believe that: “self-care isn’t selfish,” to be more than true; even Christian in thought. Taking care of our mental, spiritual, physical health is actually a MUST and something we need to do as Moms. Jesus modeled for us to take time away, we need to do the same. Everyone’s life will look different and we must always guard against excess - but take my story as a lesson.
I am so embarrassed to admit this: but for months I was walking around in pain. I’m so embarrassed that I let it go. I’m a nurse for goodness sakes! If anyone of my friends told me they were having these (alarming) symptoms I would have told her to go to the doctors - but for some reason I just pushed on. Some days I would blame myself it was what I was eating, or I would fix this soon enough, or I just need to deal with this, or it’s just a phase or its nothing etc etc. It was always an excuse and then off to my busy life. Maybe the constant business or noise was also a problem - God will continue to show me…I even hid it from my husband! Certanily, he was the one who knew the most and was the savior in the story who ended up making the doctors appointment for me. But I wish I would have disclosed more to him earlier, it probably would have saved my body even more.
Praise Jesus that a week later I’m here at home with my beautiful family, on medication and determined to make the changes I need to. Stress is another big topic and if there are things I can do to lower my own stress levels, I need to. Stress affects every body system and pretty much every disease out there!
As God in His perfect timing always does: Lent is upon us and a perfect time to focus on how we can offer things up AND do what is needed to be done to get ourselves in order. Proper order is proper care of our both of bodies and souls.
Biggest Lesson: “Take care of yourself, mama.” Don’t make mortifications that don’t make sense for your state in life. If the baby was up all night or up very early, get your sleep too. Prioritize your well being. Budget in for quiet time when you can and NEVER sit in pain or suffering alone. Some things are unavoidable and out of our control, yes. But isolation isn’t. We are meant to get the help and healing we need and God desires us in community. Don’t make your own mortifications without getting yourself in proper order first. Tell a friend, call a doctor, have a date with your husband and tell Jesus everything. Do not suffer alone - Christ on the cross suffering for us means that He wants us to be with HIM through OTHERS, too.
I’m praying for you this Lent and all of the ways God will heal YOU too in body & soul! Tell us your thoughts below! God is always working EVERYTHING for our GOOD - AMDG. “We are dust and to dust we shall return.”
God bless us all!
Love, Alex