IWSG Wednesday July 2, 2014

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Today is my husband and my thirty-first anniversary! We are going to St. Augustine, Florida for a few days to celebrate. We LOVE it there!

Pondering the subject of this month’s post to the IWSG my fingers gently rub the new scar I now sport upon the side of my abdomen and realize I’m a lucky woman.  Appendicitis is nothing to sneeze at, literally (it hurts like you know what!), and I feel blessed to have come out of it with only healing to do and a scar. When I woke up after the surgery I thought instantly of the Madeline books I used to read as a kid. The very first one is about little Madeline having to go to the hospital to get her appendix out, and how the other girls from her school, when they come to visit her, are so envious! Ha. I wouldn’t be, having now gone through it.

So I could whine about how much writing I’m NOT getting done right now. But I won’t. I will, instead, be grateful for the new challenges I face, because I will heal and be able to work out and have energy again soon. Though I still tire easily, today marks the fifth week since my surgery, which leaves one week left before I can begin in earnest to get back on top of things and WRITE.

I am, truly glad to have time to catch up on life in a slow way, cooking, gardening, talking with family, snuggling our pup and, of course, adoring my husband who has taken great care of me.  So this month my advice is, smile. Challenges in life are here to stay. Trust in a smile to help you march on.

Image from:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/475339.Madeline

Dedication - IWSG Wednesday

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As you can see is the day for posting in the Insure Writer's Support Group. Please feel free to check out the other blogs participating, and don't forget to thank the co-hosts C. Lee McKenzie, Tracy Jo, Melanie Schulz, and LG Keltner!

Today I write about having my dedication tested. Yes, I made goals and figured out how much I need to do each day to achieve those goals, and I committed to a game plan for June.

Now, throw in an emergency appendectomy last Tuesday (the ER was a whole twelve hour saga in itself). We were on our way back from a wonderful vacation with our kids and our daughter’s soon to be in-laws in Ohio (a thirteen hour drive on a good day), when, about six hours from home complete and utter pain hit like a storm and never let up. So glad it waited till the vacation was over! Grrrr.  

Least gross image of normal appendix.

I’m finding, as I sit here on my couch, or lay in my bed, or walk slowly around my house, that my body is not the problem as far as taking it easy goes. My body is doing well letting me know my limits and what it will not tolerate. It’s my head. It’s my eyes roaming over all the things I “need to get done” that have been put aside, first for vacation (nine days) then for operation (three days) and now for healing (six weeks!!!!!!!!!!). Yes, of course I know I need to heal. Yes I know that this too shall pass and if I don’t allow my body the time it needs I will regret it in the most horrible manner. Just tell this to my head. Please, tell my head not to stress. I don’t need to cry and worry. I don’t need to be super human right now. I need to heed the calm, listen to the wise voice saying it’s okay to not work right now. I need to banish Demon Guilt sitting on my shoulder telling me not to be a wimp. Get a grip. Buck up. Just thinking of fighting with him is tiring my already tired self.

So, I’ve decided that I will write this blog post and arrange a new schedule for June. Tomorrow my post will go live and I will visit others from the IWSG and derive inspiration. I will commit to doing one thing each day until I can do two. Then I will commit to doing three things until I can do four. In this way I hope to keep Demon Guilt at bay while also allowing my stress level to stay even and calm. Dedication to my vocation is only topped by dedication to my healthy self, as it should be. I’m thinking that by listening and dedicating myself to healing, by the time July comes around I’ll be letting you know what I was able to accomplish this month. Wish me luck.

Images from:

http://www.dvice.com

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