Comments on: 10 Ways to Take care of Yourself when You’re Resisting Being Sick

By: Jean

Jean — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:15:43 +0000

Hi, Thanks so much for the 10 tips. I am ill now for 6 weeks, I have had pneumonia and I can’t seem to get back my health. I’m so tired and sad and so much of my life is sad . But the resistance is huge, I really miss going for walks and feel housebond for so long. But your article has given me hope. I know the illness has something to tell me, but it’s so tough. Sorry for the moan but I’v no one to tell. I hope you’r feeling better.

By: JoVE

JoVE — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 01:01:45 +0000

I agree that you are not particularly odd for resisting being sick. And I think the problem is that we understand health as the absence of illness. Whereas illness is usually a perfectly healthy response to something. A virus, for example.

A runny nose is a healthy way to get rid of respiratory irritants. A cough, similar. Vomiting and diarrhea, a healthy way to get rid of poisons in our digestive system.

Of course all of those healthy responses can have yucky side effects (like dehydration) that we should take steps to counter. And they drain a lot of energy which is no longer available for our normal activities.

Sorry you were feeling crappy on Thanksgiving. But glad you have a loving partner to draw these things to your attention and help you look after yourself.

By: Kate

Kate — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 08:31:22 +0000

Blee, sorry you’ve been sick, especially on Thanksgiving. Miserable.

I’m with Marisa on Poirot – it’s great comfort viewing. Watching Poirot is one of the few things my mother and I can enjoy together, I’m always happy if it’s showing when I’m visiting. David Suchet’s performance is definitive. As was Joan Hickon’s Miss Marple (don’t watch the recent ITV version, bloody awful), though that tends to spook me. I’m easily spooked.

And I’m way off topic. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound – you should all also watch Robin of Sherwood!

OK, enough pimping of UK tv. Well, maybe I could just mention Blackadder (from series two onwards).

Seriously, I can’t stop.

Oh – I think I have.

Anyway, back to the real point, I hope you’re all bouncing with life and health again soon.

By: Hiro Boga

Hiro Boga — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 23:59:28 +0000

Jennifer,

I’m so sorry you were sick on Thanksgiving. And so glad you’re feeling well enough to write about it now.

Thanks for this kind and gentle foray into ways to take care of yourself when you’re sick. I especially loved: “Ask yourself, ‘If I had the most nurturing and loving person in the universe taking care of me right now, what would she / he do for me?’” Mmmmhmmm.

Thank you, too, for the mention and link to my flu article. . . I’m honoured!

Love and radiant good health to you,

Hiro

By: Marisa

Marisa — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 22:20:38 +0000

I hope you get better soon!

When I get sick, it’s the only time that I don’t feel guilt about laying on the couch with my favorite comfort blanket (handmade by dear friends) and a box of those lotion tinged tissues and zoning out with old movies or British shows like Poirot. I also get those Shower Soother things that you put on the shower floor and they let out these vapors that clear up your sinuses when they make contact with water. It’s $5 well spent for me. I don’t try to read or watch anything that I can learn from, and I think that if I spend two hours like this, NOTHING is going to fall apart but I might really feel better.