No, you cannot be sick

Even a strong woman’s body can give out. And I was beginning to wonder how long mine could keep up. In my daily prayers, I always ask God for good health. Give me that, and I’ll do my best to take care of everything else. You can have all the money in the world, but being too ill to enjoy your life puts things into perspective. So I pray for my health, my husband’s, my children’s, my friends’ and their families’. Everyone around me. Everyone on earth, really. Health matters that much to me. Especially living in the US, where being ill can come with a whole extra set of worries. Thankfully, my job gives me excellent medical insurance. I know I’m fortunate. But having insurance doesn’t mean my body checks my calendar before giving up. Every couple of months or so, I come down with something. A cough, a temperature, a sore throat, a completely blocked nose. And when it happens, I’m properly knocked out for at least a day. It can take another few days before I feel like myself again. Maybe I’m getting older. Maybe my body is tired of being told we’ll rest later. The blocked nose is what really gets me. I can handle quite a lot, but not being able to breathe through my nose? Suddenly, everything feels like hard work. And I’m reluctant to take medicine. I gave birth to two of my three children without an epidural. Somewhere in my head, that has become evidence that I should be able to get through a cold with ginger, lemon and sheer determination. My husband is less convinced. He thinks I should take something to ease the pain. I reach for another cup of ginger and lemon. I know my preference isn’t proof that it helps me recover faster. It’s just what I’m comfortable with. Meanwhile, my colleagues get the extended soundtrack of me sniffling. I do my calls with the camera off because, honestly, nobody needs to see me like that. The voice is already giving them enough information. In the US, being ill can sometimes mean using a day of paid leave. At my job, we have twenty days, and I’m grateful for them. When I put the little sick emoji on my status, people generally cancel internal meetings. Client meetings are another story. Especially during a busy period. And, of course, we’re in a busy period. So I’m still working while my body is making a very convincing argument for getting into bed and sleeping for eighteen hours. Yes. Eighteen. Unfortunately, there are three children who haven’t agreed to that arrangement.